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Windblade (G1)

2018-09-02T11:38:13Z

Holomanga:

{{disambig3|Windblade}}
{{factions|autobot}}
:''Windblade is a [[Caminus|Camien]] [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Revolution5-Windbladeprofile.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|YOU MAAAAAAAAADE MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!]]

'''Windblade''' is a young [[Transformer]] who puts duty and truth first, even when both are difficult. Her friend and bodyguard [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] can get frustrated at times with the strength of Windblade's convictions, and Chromia believes Windblade trusts too much. This may not be a worldview that can survive sharing a planet with [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]], and she may learn that at times she will have to choose between truth or duty.

Windblade is a better-than-average swordswoman, but her claim to fame is her rare talent for communicating with dormant [[Titan (IDW)|Titans]], for which she bears the title of [[Cityspeaker]]. Like other Cityspeakers, her face bears the markings of [[Caminus]].

{{quote|I am a child of the Titan '''Caminus'''. I am the cityspeaker for the last city on '''Cybertron'''. And '''both''' are my home. I have only '''begun''' to fight.|Windblade|[[Windblade issue 4|''Windblade'' vol. 1 #4]]}}

==Fiction==
===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
:*''First Appearance:'' [[Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #26]]
{{ongoing}}

====Caminus====
[[File:Windblade4-leavingCaminus.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|Caminus's Angels]]

Windblade was a Transformer who hailed from the planet Caminus, born from the [[hot spot]] within the Titan Caminus who colonized the world and for whom it became named. As on the other Titan colonies and unlike on Cybertron, the citizens of Caminus maintained gender dimorphism, with Windblade being female. Windblade had been eager to become a cityspeaker so as to aid Caminus in any way she could and threw herself into her work even when other told her to hold herself back. {{storylink|If I Know You}} She was friends with [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] and [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]], and sometimes discussed science and engineering with the latter. {{storylink|An Axe to Break the Ice}}

Long cut off from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Caminus' isolation ended with the arrival of [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]]; Windblade, her bodyguard [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]], and quantum engineer [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] joined his crew in hopes of reconnecting with their homeworld and gaining aid for their ailing planet. {{storylink|A 'Bot and Her City}} Secretly however, Windblade wondered if she'd been chosen for the mission so Caminus could be rid of her and swore not to fail at the daunting task ahead of her. {{storylink|If I Know You}} {{storylink|The Chosen One}} Days after their joining Thunderclash's crew, his ship the ''[[Vis Vitalis]]'' came across the Autobot sage [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], who informed them that his longstanding partner, the Titan [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], was grievously wounded and required help. With Trion unable to help due to a quest that otherwise occupied him, and Thunderclash unwell, Windblade and her friends boarded a fast shuttlecraft and sped to the ocean world of [[Hydrophena]], where Metroplex was currently in hiding as an [[alchemical virus]] ravaged his body. The trio set themselves up inside his body, and began attempting to repair him. {{storylink|Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Burning Bright}}

[[File:BurningBright-Windblade.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.66|''They're Windblade and the brain Yes, Windblade and the brain One is an organ The other's fan-made!'']]

After some time, Windblade's group was found by a team of Autobots from the ''[[Lost Light]]'', who had been summoned there through complicated means by Metroplex himself. Using their ship's engines, they were able to give Metroplex's [[spark]] a jump-start, giving him the strength to [[space bridge]] back to Cybertron, where a battle between its inhabitants and the [[Necrotitan]] was taking place. {{storylink|Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Burning Bright}} Though surprised by the sight of another Titan, Windblade and the other Autobots refused to abandon Metroplex's body; presently, [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] returned Metroplex's severed thumb, laden with the transmutative [[Ore-7]], to him, healing him allowing him to defeat the Necrotitan. {{storylink|Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|Finis Temporis}} Following the battle, Windblade asked Metroplex about the ore's origins, and he explained that he had picked it up during his travels and jettisoned it when he was attacked by [[Ammonite]]s. Windblade related her findings to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]], but was unable to coax any information out of Metroplex that would help Magnus and the rest of the ''Lost Light'' crew in their search for the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} Not long afterwards, Ammonites began to swarm Cybertron, forcing Magnus to radio Windblade to ask Metroplex for aid. The titan needed no encouragement, and began to fight the horde. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} The Ammonites were subsequently destroyed by Metalhawk, after which Windblade and her fellow Camiens were called on by [[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]] to engage the splintered components of [[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]]. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

When the fighting was done, Windblade sought out [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]], to pass on a one-word message given to her by Alpha Trion before she had parted company with him: "[[Earth]]". {{storylink|Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|Hello Cruel World}} {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 3: The Mind Bomb|The Mind Bomb}} Prime first had to preside over the trial of Megatron, which Windblade was in the audience for, {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}} but after that was done, he prepared to leave to follow Trion's trail. Windblade and [[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] stayed behind on Cybertron, now under [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]]'s leadership; Prime warned her to be wary of the Seeker, but Windblade simply returned that she was wary of ''everyone'' on this war-blighted world. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|Hello Cruel World}}

====Cityspeaker of Cybertron====

[[File:BotAndHerCity-illustriousleader.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66|But aside from that, he's great!]]
Six months after the battle of the Titans, Windblade had tried settling into life on Cybertron as it had settled into Metroplex. She had an important role as Cityspeaker to the heavily-damaged Metroplex, though she was a novice at it and Starscream, the planet's leader, grew impatient and suspicious of her. Rolling blackouts threatened the city, and after she investigated the cause of those with Chromia, she also sought advice for how to best interact with Starscream. After talking with many of the denizens of [[Blurr (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Blurr]]'s bar, she came to the sobering realization that Starscream was a scheming opportunist who shouldn't be trusted. Not long after this revelation, an explosion seriously damaged her and put her under medical care. Moments before the explosion, she had seen [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], Starscream's henchman, leaving the scene, and as she awoke from her medical bed, seeing Starscream approach her, she suspected Cybertron's leader had tried to kill her. {{storylink|A 'Bot and Her City}}

[[File:Windblade3-altmodes.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
After giving Windblade a veiled threat, Starscream and Rattrap departed. Windblade revealed to Chromia that she had found traces of explosives, before the bodyguard discovered reporters spying on them. Later the two of them met up with Ironhide, who they had sent to guard Metroplex's brain. Windblade searched Metroplex's brain for reasons why Starscream would cause the blackouts, when Chromia noticed that [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] had let slipped in an interview that he knew something. Windblade was able to convince him to show her what he discovered despite his unwillingness to talk; a "mine" Starscream had build inside Metroplex, used to sift the Titan for the Regenesis ore in his body. Windblade returned to the reporters and brought them and the denizens of Blurr's bar down there to reveal the mine to them. Three of the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcon]]s guarded the mine, and they were more than happy to try to take down Windblade and her friends. {{storylink|A Long Way Down}} Though she fought back valiantly, at a moment of weakness Starscream and Rattrap interrupted the battle to arrest Windblade and the others (minus Chromia and Sky-Byte) for "crimes against Cybertron."

While the others were jailed, Windblade was interrogated violently by Rattrap. However, this interaction convinced her that while Starscream may be responsible for the mine, he was not responsible for the bomb that killed several citizens and nearly her. Then, Chromia and Sky-Byte invaded the compound to free Windblade and the others, and Windblade confided in her friend that she had discovered that Starscream was not the culprit they were after, to Chromia's shock. {{storylink|Windblade issue 3|Windblade vol. 1 #3}} Starscream and his goons were swiftly upon them, and the battle recommenced. Windblade and Chromia barely managed to duck inside Metroplex's brain room as Windblade attempted to hook up directly to Metroplex and solve everything. Merged mentally with Metroplex, finally she understood everything. She saw other Transformer colony worlds that had also broken off from Cybertron. She saw Caminus before he went lost. And, sadly, she saw Chromia in all her rage, and realized that her friend, her bodyguard, was the one who had placed the bombs in that street corner, that Chromia was willing to murder others to scare Windblade off the planet and to safety.

[[File:Windblade4-nolongerwindblade.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|"I am the Windblade Collective."]]
Supremely disappointed in Chromia, Windblade nevertheless had to keep the peace for the greater good. She plotted with Starscream to keep things buried, so that there would be a Cybertron for those lost colonies to eventually return to. Windblade left the both of them, wiser, but morally compromised. {{storylink|Windblade issue 4|Windblade vol. 1 #4}}

Windblade was present when [[Wheeljack (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Wheeljack]] emerged from medical rehabilitation. Recently betrayed by Chromia and bewildered by Starscream's machinations, Windblade sought out the nearly-murdered engineer as someone she could potentially trust. After Wheeljack reluctantly agreed to help rebuild [[Superion (G1)|Superion]], she and Ironhide observed in silent solidarity. {{storylink|The World of Tomorrow}}

[[File:ForeverIsALongTimeComing-MatrixofLeadership.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|"But sometimes 'Susan.'"]]
When Optimus Prime returned from Earth, Windblade, Starscream, and [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] told him about a series of murders that were targeting Decepticons. {{storylink|City of Steel (issue)|City of Steel}} The murderer struck again outside of [[Gutcruncher (G1)|Gutcruncher]]'s bar, killing one of his friends, and so she helped Optimus Prime follow this apparent lead. Inside the bar they found a very angry Gutcruncher and an expatriated [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]]. It seemed to be a dead end, and the two left, but shortly afterwards the bar exploded, {{storylink|Fight or Flee (issue)|Fight or Flee}} killing everyone inside. After Windblade returned with them to investigate, Sandstorm snapped at Optimus Prime for killing his friends. This anger was short lived, and the shell of an [[infernus bullet]] was found in the wreckage, so another lead was found to follow. {{storylink|Quest for Fire}} The lead culminated in the brutal treatment and incarceration of the [[Firecon]]s, and Windblade took this opportunity to raise an eyebrow at the Autobots' violent methods. Things escalate further when it seemed [[Slag (G1)|Slug]] was responsible for the murders, causing Windblade to pull Optimus Prime out of an imminent battle with him. {{storylink|The Killing Jar (issue)|The Killing Jar}} Optimus Prime realized who the real culprit was, and he enlisted Windblade and Starscream to set up a ruse to draw him out. Ultimately, the murderer was revealed to be Sandstorm. Afterwards, Windblade accompanied Optimus Prime on a personal errand to return the remaining half of the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to the spot where he had been given it millions of years ago. Optimus confided in Windblade that he was worried that violent Autobots like Slug and Sandstorm who had trouble acclimating to a post-war climate were the greatest threat to their race's newfound peace. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming (issue)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}}

On their way home, Optimus and Windblade were attacked by a group of angry Decepticons, but their attackers dispersed following the arrival of Ironhide and Chromia. Windblade escorted the other three back to Metroplex, where she revealed that the Titan's space bridge portal was back online and ready to interact with the long-lost Cybertronian colony worlds. Though she knew that reconnecting Cybertron and her homeworld Caminus could mean rebuilding the latter, she also expressed her worry to Optimus that Starscream could turn her world and the others into mere cogs in his empire. As they suspected, after Starscream learned the news of the operable space bridge, he chafed at the idea of opening up a truly representative system of government, but she and Optimus were adamant this would be the case. Later, after an awkward communication with the ''Lost Light'', Windblade realized that something elsewhere was wrong—Ironhide and Chromia, who had been guarding the active spacebridge portal, had been struck down, and [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] and a strangely rejuvenated [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] had traveled through to Caminus! {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}} Chromia and Ironhide were roused, and they dashed into the portal after Menasor, and Windblade followed them once she asked Optimus to stay behind for reasons she'd explain later. Once she was back on her homeworld, she rescued Chromia (though seemingly not 100% pleased to do so), and after sizing up their challenge, she radioed to Optimus Prime for support.

[[File:TheSumAndItsParts-MistressofFlame.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|"Can't you see I'm a little busy~?"]]
Optimus sent Superion, and the battle was quickly over. Quietly, Windblade met with her world's [[Forgefire Parliament]] and pleaded for understanding in response to Cybertron's terrible first impression, and then she returned to Cybertron to explain to Optimus why she had asked him to stay behind. Caminus was a theocracy and desperate for help, Windblade explained, and spelled out to Optimus that him being a "living [[Prime (rank)|Prime]]" would mean her people would regard him as a god. This would undercut Starscream's grab for power, but she noted this would be a potentially volatile situation. As Windblade expected, when she and Optimus walked back to Caminus through the space bridge, the [[Mistress of Flame]] and her citizens immediately ignored Starscream's bloviating and circled around Optimus to bow. {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}} As Starscream tried to salvage his grab for power, Optimus Prime and the Mistress of Flame bristled at their differences—Optimus insisted on helping Caminus rebuild, the Mistress of Flame considered the Prime's devotion to the will of the people to be sacrilege, and Windblade grimaced at the awkwardness. As Windblade and Optimus attended to survivors, Optimus fielded a call from [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]], and the former neglected to mention to the latter the involvement of Superion. Windblade noted that recently Optimus had claimed he never lied. {{storylink|The Possible Light}}

Back on Cybertron, Windblade, Optimus, Starscream, and two other Camiens tried to decide who would be representatives in the council, and Windblade and Starscream once again clashed in ideologies. Just as a group of representatives from the ''Lost Light'' had arrived, Windblade received word that Caminus was under attack by Prowl's [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], who was determined to cut off Cybertron from its colony worlds in order to stop Starscream from growing an empire. In order to stop Devastator, Starscream created [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]], who teamed up with Superion to defeat Devastator. Windblade, acting as Caminus's representative, wanted to imprison Prowl on Caminus for his actions for an eventual trial, thus saving him from immediate execution. {{storylink|Mistakes and Mayhem}}

Although she was busy with her political duties, Windblade found the time to work on Metroplex's space bridge with Wheeljack. As they worked, they chatted about the future and the implications of re-contacting the colonies. Windblade maintained that all Transformers had a common origin in the Guiding Hand, although neither of them knew if they were doing the right thing in following Starscream. {{storylink|You, Me, and the Universe}} Things quickly heated up after Menasor escaped from captivity and rallied the disenfranchised Decepticons; Windblade was present to see the newly-born [[Optimus Maximus (G1)|Optimus Maximus]] charge through the space bridge while she and Wheeljack tried to hold their positions against the rioting 'Cons. They were bolstered by the arrival of Starscream and his Badgeless, who provided crowd control. This allowed Windblade to set the space bridge back to Caminus, allowing Chromia and some emigrant Decepticons to help out. No sooner had they restored order before Defensor appeared, dragging the defeated Menasor behind him; Chromia, Starscream, and Windblade joined the fray and helped keep Menasor down.

After the conclusion of the "Combiner Wars", Windblade reported back to the Mistress of Flame, with the news that the [[Council of Worlds]] had been successfully formed. Although Windblade was still troubled by her looming duties, the Mistress's words provided encouragement. {{storylink|All That Remains}} She later returned to Cybertron. {{storylink|Now and On Earth}}

[[File:AnUneventfulNight-WindbladeArcee.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|Oh no, don't get her started on [[Spotlight: Arcee|that]] again.]]
The Mistress of Flame decided to celebrate the Caminus-Cybertron alliance by declaring an official holiday; Windblade temporarily donned some ceremonial paint in honor of the occasion. Windblade was soon contacted by Chromia, who informed her that [[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]] had just stolen the [[Enigma of Combination]]. The duo chased Arcee out to the [[Rust Sea|Sea of Rust]], where they encountered the [[Torchbearer]]s: Camien explorers on a mission of their own. In the ensuing fight, [[Rust Dust]] accidentally activated the Enigma, fusing the Torchbearers together into the huge and angry [[Victorion]]. Windblade and Chromia pulled Arcee to safety before fighting Victorion. After taking out Victorion's weapons, Windblade was able to talk the combiner down and persuade her to disassemble. With the Enigma back in Starscream's hands, Windblade requested that nobody speak of this event to protect the fragile peace. {{storylink|An Uneventful Night}}

====Council of Worlds====

With a growing number of Camiens emigrating to Cybertron, Windblade was forced to intervene in a dispute between the Camiens and Decepticons about the usage of energy from Metroplex. As a result, she was late for the first meeting between Cybertron and [[Velocitron]], another of the colony worlds. [[Knock Out (G1)|Knock Out]] wasn't impressed by her tardiness or her offers to help Velocitron improve its fuel efficiency, noting that on Velocitron politics were settled by races and no Cybertronian could outpace a Velocitronian. Undaunted, Windblade vowed to Starscream that she'd win over the Velocitronians. To this end, she invited Knock Out and his cohort [[Moonracer (G1)|Moonracer]] to a party at [[Maccadam's Old Oil House|Maccadam's]]. Windblade took the opportunity to talk with Moonracer, who confessed that Velocitron was in a period of cultural stagnation. She informed Windblade of a race taking place on Velocitron, and encouraged Windblade to send Blurr in the hopes of brokering an alliance anyway. Windblade discussed the matter with Metroplex, although the Titan's cryptic comments about his brother [[Navitas]] proved unhelpful. With Rattrap's help, Windblade, Chromia, Blurr, and Ironhide secretly bridged to Velocitron, where they were immediately confronted with freezing cold, a wall of fire, and the wheeled city of [[Delta]] bearing down on them! {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 4|Windblade vol. 2 #4}}

[[File:RaceAgainstTheLight-sowecanwin.jpg|thumb|left|thumb|300px|Windblade, champion of honor!]]

The quartet desperately tried to keep up with the city, and with Moonracer's help they were soon safely aboard. Moonracer filled them in on some of the less pleasant aspects of Velocitronian culture - in particular the steep social divide between racers and non-racers. While Blurr registered for the [[Benefit 500]], [[Clocker (G1)|Clocker]] showed Windblade and Chromia to Navitas's brain chamber; Windblade hoped to use her talents to help Blurr win the race. However, years of neglect had rendered Navitas all but senile, forcing Windblade to take drastic action. Clambering into the Titan's brain, Windblade took manual control of the Titan, reshaping the racetrack to eliminate the other competitors and guide Blurr to a suitably flashy victory, persuading the Velocitronians to join the Council. Windblade's elation was swiftly quashed when Wheeljack contacted her to reveal that Starscream was about to meet with ambassadors from one of the other colony worlds. {{storylink|Race Against the Light}}

[[File:Windblade6-abloobloo.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Try not to think too hard about this image out of context.]]

The other planet turned out to be [[Devisiun]], which Starscream and Superion had visited while Windblade was adventuring on Velocitron. She was momentarily confused by the dual presence of Devisiun's representatives [[Vanquish (G1)|Vanquish]] and [[Fireshot (G1)|Fireshot]], although they assured her that they would always vote as one entity. Windblade confronted Starscream about his deceptions, and together they agreed to visit the next colony world together. The next day, they bridged to [[Eukaris]]. The Eukarian [[beast mode]] Transformers proved distrustful of Transformers with vehicle modes, although Windblade's Camien origins allowed her to speak. On Rattrap's advice Windblade concentrated on winning over [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] and [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]]. The meeting was cut short by the revival of [[Chela]], who was intent on killing the two offworlders. Windblade tried to reach his brain so that she could negotiate with him, but Chela manipulated his own internal structures to pin her down. Starscream took a more direct approach and simply destroyed the Titan's brain, killing him. Although Windblade was saddened by Chela's death, Blackarachnia consoled her by reciting one of her prophecies: that Chela's death was the first step on changing Eukaris for the better. {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 6|Windblade vol. 2 #6}}

Windblade returned to Cybertron disgruntled at how events had gone, but after some encouraging words from Chromia and Metroplex, was soon accompanying Starscream to visit the next titan, [[Tempo]]. They found not the ship of pacifistic philosophers they were expecting, but a ship of warriors led by [[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]]. When Elita was going to execute Starscream for lying, Windblade managed to talk her out of it and into joining the alliance. She was disturbed, however, at the secrets Elita One's people were keeping: Elita One claimed that her people had renamed Tempo to [[Vigilem|Carcer]] when Windblade knew from talking to Metroplex that "Carcer" was in fact the name of a different Titan. {{storylink|The Will of the Few}} After this, Windblade went to confer with Metroplex regarding the names of the Titan and the lack of records on "Carcer" on either Cybertron or Caminus. Metroplex however said Carcer was a Titan but separate from Tempo. {{storylink|Rubicon}}

With a steady tide of colonists travelling to Cybertron, Starscream suggested a new holiday in his honour: "[[Chosen One Day]]". Although Starscream's egocentric holiday didn't turn out as he had hoped, Windblade, her friends, and several Council members visited Starscream's quarters to throw him a party anyway, putting aside their differences for one night. {{storylink|Choose Me}}

[[File:NewWorldsOrder-WindbladeStarscream.jpg|left|thumb|300px|"An empire has ''followed me home''!"]]

After Optimus returned from a trip to Caminus, Windblade filled him on on recent events, and the pair watched as the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]s came into conflict with visiting Camiens [[Aileron]] and [[Sterling]]. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 1: Aphelion|Aphelion}} Starscream later contacted Windblade after a [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]]'s Decepticons sparked a riot. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}} Windblade and her team tried to maintain order against the Decepticon mob, who were trying to reach Metroplex's space bridge and warp to Earth as part of [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]]'s plan. Starscream and Optimus Prime deployed Victorion and Superion to disperse the remaining Decepticons. After Wheeljack brought the bridge back online, Optimus travelled to Earth and announced that Earth was now a member of the Council of Worlds {{storylink|Conquerors Part 4: Perihelion|Perihelion}}, much to Windblade's concern. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 1: Once Upon a Time on Earth|Once Upon a Time on Earth}} The Council of Worlds held an emergency meeting to discuss Optimus's course of action. Windblade suggested that they wait to get Optimus's side of the story, although she maintained that Optimus should not have a seat on the Council, and that the governing body should only limit itself to affairs between pre-existing colonies. Starscream was left agitated by how Windblade was willing ''to'' give Prime that benefit, when it was worse than anything ''he'd'' done.{{storylink|New Worlds Order}}

Shortly after, Windblade was left distraught by a broadcast from the ''Lost Light'': her old friend Velocity, among others, facing execution and stating how she wanted her funeral to go. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}}

Windblade met with the other members of the Council to discuss a recent slew of [[mnemosurgery|mnemosurgical]] attacks on Iacon's Decepticon population, including a supplier of parts for Carcer. Starscream was reluctant to investigate, but Windblade and Obsidian pushed the matter. When the meeting had been adjourned, their guest Ironhide invited Windblade and Chromia to help him deal with a rowdy customer at Maccadam's, but Windblade declined, citing paperwork. Windblade and Obsidian received a summons from Ironhide after things got out of control, culminating in the death of a bystander. Windblade accused Starscream of orchestrating the attacks, causing Starscream to threaten to drop the news about Chromia's bombings. Before they could discuss this further, [[Circuit (G1)|Circuit]] revealed that footage of the shooting had already been broadcast live across Iacon. {{storylink|07:00:00}}

[[File:TheLineBetweenUs-Windbladedroopy.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Droopy wings = Sad Windblade.]]

The footage incited an angry mob, who marched on Starscream's office demanding the truth about the attack. Windblade stormed into Starscream's office to blame him for his increasingly totalitarian government. At a later meeting of the Council, Windblade was present when Ironhide volunteered to step up as the new head of the Badgeless. As the crowd dispersed, Windblade pressed Starscream for answers about Swindle - thought dead since the disastrous "Combiner War" - but Starscream refused to play along, putting Windblade in charge of shutting down Onslaught and the surviving Combaticons, and once again threatening to spill the beans about the Metroplex bombings. {{storylink|Applicable Skills}} Following Starscream's instructions to keep watch on Onslaught, Windblade visited Metroplex's brain chamber; when Chromia arrived she revealed that she was being blackmailed by Starscream. Neither one of them were able to recover a cache from Chromia's hidden files which documented the space bridge incident, which had been corrupted by someone else. As weeks passed, Chromia worked to unscramble the files while Windblade played along with Starscream's forces - until things finally came to a head when Rattrap revealed Swindle to the other Combaticons, using the Enigma of Combination to probe Swindle's mind and inadvertently creating a new combiner - [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]!. {{storylink|Things We Said We'd Never Do}} As Bruticus ran amok in the streets of Iacon, Starscream blamed Windblade for failing to keep an eye on the Combaticon leader and demanded that she kill the combiner. Windblade initially refused, but when Starscream threatened to reveal Chromia's secret Windblade finally pushed back and contacted Chromia. Windblade asked her to help the Combaticons expose Starscream's own dirty secrets and return to Caminus before Starscream could retaliate. Windblade tried to talk down Bruticus, but the combiner retaliated against her - only Ironhide's intervention saved the two Camiens. When Bruticus had been reduced to his components, Windblade tried to resuscitate the unconscious Combaticons in the hopes of getting them to talk. With no other alternatives, Chromia finally went on live television and announces that she was responsible for the Acrolight bombings. All Windblade could do was watch as her best friend was arrested. {{storylink|The Line Between Us}}

The Council later met with Optimus to hear his side of the story. Windblade tried to be diplomatic, although [[Strika (BM)|Strika]] was quick to demand explanations for the Prime's behavior. Although Prime insisted that his intentions were pure, Windblade couldn't side with Optimus on the issue. Ultimately, the Council members unanimously voted against allowing Earth a seat on the council. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 3: The Medium and the Message|The Medium and the Message}} At another emergency meeting of the Council, Windblade witnessed footage of Optimus raising [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]] from the ground. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 6: No Fair Fights|No Fair Fights}}

When a massive energy discharge was detected at the former site of [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]], Windblade pushed Starscream to investigate, and the two fliers headed out. Shockingly, they found the city intact within a crater, but this matter was quickly forgotten when the two received news that the [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] had seemingly returned from the dead, and was slaughtering Decepticons in their ghetto. When the ex-Prime attacked Starscream with a [[Spark disruptor]], Windblade was able to jump the disruptor onto her own spark, where its detonation was non-fatal thanks to the differing frequency of Camien sparks. The pair quickly flew to regroup with the forces fighting Sentinel Prime at the space bridge. {{storylink|The Last Autobot}} When Optimus and [[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]] returned to Cybertron from their encounter with Sentinel on [[Prion]], Windblade met up with the duo, and encouraged the demoralized Autobot leader to take his victories where he could get them. {{storylink|White Heat}}

====Revolution====

[[File:TheDivineSourceOfLiberty-RomMeetsTheAutobots.jpg|thumb|left|300px|It was at that moment, that Rom knew-]]

Some time later, Pyra Magna and Soundwave called Windblade to Earth to help deal with the recalcitrant Metrotitan, who had gone dormant and refused to communicate with anyone. However, days of searching his systems turned up no mechanical faults. {{storylink|Informed}} Windblade remained on Earth, and in the wake of an [[Ore-13]] explosion on [[Mount Olympus]] she helped coordinate Autobot relief efforts across the globe from within Metrotitan. When Jazz and Arcee ran afoul of [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] in [[Oregon]], Windblade arrived as part of the Autobot reinforcements. When a [[Rom|silver alien]] interrupted the fracas to kill several members of G.I. Joe, Windblade and the other Autobots evacuated the scene to pursue the intruder. {{storylink|Concorde Hymn}} Their chase took them to [[Umpqua National Forest]], where the alien, Rom, explained that he was tracking the malevolent, shapeshifting [[Dire Wraith]]s. {{storylink|The Divine Source of Liberty}}

[[File:Informed-WindbladeLadyShazraella.jpg|right|thumb|150px|[[George Takei|Oh, My.]]]]

Back at Autobot City, the efforts to communicate with Metrotitan continued, until Pyra Magna happened to suggest that the Titan was simply not willing to talk with anyone... except a Prime. Unsure of Metrotitan's true intentions and unwilling to endanger Optimus, Windblade merged her mind with Metrotitan's. The Titan wasn't happy to be communicating with her; he explained that he was merely trying to pass on a message from one of the Thirteen before shunting Windblade's consciousness into [[Microspace]], where she encountered [[Micronus Prime]]. The Prime told her that she would have to experience his message for herself - and so her new avatar was set adrift in the [[entropy cloud]]. The evil [[Baron Karza]] soon found the young Camien and had her interrogated by his wife [[Shazraella|Lady Shazraella]]; there, Windblade learned about the war that threatened the stability of the Microverse. One of Shazraella's handmaidens sacrificed herself to set Windblade free as soon as her mistress's back was turned, allowing Windblade's avatar to fade away and return her consciousness to her normal body. Optimus was hesitant to follow through on her plea to help Microspace, as the Prime had misgivings about her plan. Unable to blaspheme against Optimus Prime, Windblade grudgingly promised to follow her Prime and understand his motives. {{storylink|Informed}}

[[File:OShipOfState-Windblade.jpg|left|thumb|300px|You can feel the cyber-spittle splattering from here.]]
When the Transformers and Rom convened to strategize, Windblade argued that helping Microspace should be their top priority - a sentiment that Soundwave agreed with, believing that everything had to be connected. Optimus took command and decided that the Autobots would need to help Earth first. When Rom took matters into his own hands by sending Ore-13 through Metrotitan's space bridge to put them beyond the reach of the Wraiths, the Autobots moved to stop the Space Knight, and Optimus realized the error of his ways, resolving that they would have to find a way to save both worlds. {{storylink|O Ship of State}} Meanwhile, [[Snake-Eyes]] had infiltrated Autobot City and distracted Windblade long enough to sneak into the complex. There, he encountered Arcee and the recently arrived ''[[Heliopolis]]''; crew member [[Acroyear (Micronaut)|Acroyear]] joined the fight and drew the attention of the three Cybertronians. When Windblade investigated the tiny spaceship, she recognized the lifeforms from her own adventures within that realm. {{storylink|The New Colossus}} Things only got worse when Karza showed up in their universe, and fused with the Dire Wraiths and the technology of [[M.A.S.K.]] to form a gigantic super-powered colossus. Windblade realized that the monster was speaking Ancient Cybertronian. Following an impromptu team-up with the resident do-gooders, the team hatched a plan to send Karza back to whence he had came; Windblade used her cityspeaking talents to activate Metrotitan's flight mode, and lifted the entire city to safety. {{storylink|Valley Forge}}

====Vigilem====

[[File:DesperateTimes-CarcerTeam.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Dramatic theme music goes here.]]

After saving Earth and ensuring that the Autobots and other local peacekeepers would keep the planet safe, Windblade returned to Cybertron feeling very unsure of her role in the future. [[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]] offered her reassurance but was cut off when both their communicators pinged alerting them to an emergency. Said emergency was a fleet of undead Titans bearing down on Cybertron. Bringing this information to the [[Council of Worlds]], Starscream declared a state of war. Windblade herself was ordered to [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] to assist him in the coming battle. She worked to rewire power to his combat functions but was unable to warn him in time before he was tackled down by his undead brethren with herself trapped inside him. {{storylink|Ping}} Windblade was soon joined by [[Lightbright (G1)|Lightbright]] and the two disconnected Metroplex's brain module so that the undead would think Metroplex had perished. Regrouping at the [[Spire]], Starscream informed everyone that despite his repeated pleas, Elita One would ''not'' transform Carcer to robot mode. At wit's end, Windblade proposed a risky plan to sneak aboard Carcer with either herself or Lightbright manually reactivating the Titan in the hope that he could be reasoned with to provide the additional firepower to save Cybertron. After Lightbright had been given a holographic disguise to look like Windblade, the group boarded Carcer with Devastator acting as a distraction. {{storylink|Desperate Times}}

[[File:Rubicon - Evil Windblade.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Team Evil: they're ''always'' hiring!]]

With Lightbright's team acting as a distraction, Windblade's managed to access the Titan's [[Brain module|brain module]] only to be confronted by [[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]] who had anticipated their actions. Windblade's team however managed to incapacitate Obsidian and she reactivated and merged with the brain module to try and convince Carcer to help. Much to her horror however, she learned that the Titan was neither Carcer or [[Tempo]] but Vigilem. {{storylink|Desperate Measures (Till All Are One)|Desperate Measures}} As the evil Titan was slow to reawaken after so long, Windblade seized the opportunity to take control of his body and puppeteer it to Cybertron to fight off the undead horde. The strain of fighting off Vigilem's influence and the undead horde proved taxing on Windblade and Vigilem was able to retake partial control and agreed to a temporary ceasefire to destroy the undead so that Vigilem himself could later destroy Cybertron. When the last of the undead fell, Vigilem tried to kill Metroplex but Windblade forced him away and then shifted her mental energies to try and stop him from freeing [[Liege Maximo]]. Were it not for the last of the undead distracting her, she may very well have succeeded but Vigilem used her moment of weakness to seize control of ''both'' their bodies. When Elita arrived to destroy Vigilem's brain, the Titan downloaded his mind into Windblade's sending her into stasis lock. {{storylink|If I Know You}} To the outside world however, Windblade appeared dead. {{storylink|Rubicon}}

Her body was brought to a hospital where [[Windblade's doctor|a doctor]] deduced that Vigilem's mind was inside Windblade's own. Within their shared mindscape, Windblade fled from Vigilem's massive mental avatar who tried to convince her to merge their Sparks into one so they could both survive. Galvanized, Windblade attacked the evil Titan and swore to be his prison and would gladly die if it meant his death. Vigilem managed to convince Windblade that the two were not so different as Windblade herself had made countless morally grey choices and despite Starscream's worsening mental state, neither Optimus nor Elita were ideal replacements. Offering again to merge with her, Vigilem asked if Windblade had fallen from grace or simply opened her optics to the true nature of the world. {{storylink|If I Know You}}

Windblade instead doubled down on her attempts at containing Vigilem. Resigned to the fact that she could not defeat him, Windblade opted to defend her brain module until her mind collapsed and killed them both. The stalemate continued until Starscream made a heroic entrance into her mind by blasting Vigilem in the back and announcing he'd selflessly come to help her. Far from being grateful, Windblade raged at Starscream for overlooking the major risk in his plan before Vigilem shot her and proceeded to take [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]'s form before smashing into Starscream's mind. Exasperated at Starscream, Windblade followed into a mental representation of [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]] where she scooped up Starscream's spark before the evil Titan could destroy it. Thinking his foe destroyed, Vigilem began rewriting the Seeker's mind while Windblade glimpsed Starscream's memories and was horrified at the process of cold construction by which he was created. Glimpsing Starscream's spark being placed in one of many identical, pre-built bodies, she speculated Starscream's constant changing of bodies was his attempt to escape the feeling of not belonging that came of not having been Forged. Summoning a mental copy of the [[Forge of Solus Prime]], Windblade began forging Starscream's "true" form out of his spark, each strike summoning a spectre of a Cybertronian who'd had a great impact on Starscream's life to fight off Vigilem before Starscream's mental avatar reformed as a towering version of his "true form", which promptly stomped on Vigilem. Assuming her own titanic form, Windblade shoved Vigilem into her own spark to burn away his impurities until the truth of him was found. Befitting the Titan of [[Liege Maximo]], there was no truth to be found and he was destroyed.

Returning to the waking world, Windblade cheekily smiled at Starscream and told him that by helping him find his truth, she'd found her own as well and would no longer be a mouthpiece for others, but instead her own bot. {{storylink|Your First Mistake}}

When [[Earth]] had chosen [[Marissa Faireborn|an ambassador]], Windblade attended the ceremony to commemorate Earth's joining the [[Council of Worlds]]. Before Starscream could give a speech, an explosion sent the crowd into a panic. As security conducted evacuations, Windblade noticed someone standing stock still and went to aid them only to find a false Cybertronian filled with [[Red Shadows]]. She communicated this to Ironhide, who authorized lethal force. {{storylink|First Strike issue 1|First Strike #1}} Even with Optimus as backup, the sheer number of Red Shadows proved a suitable deterrent and she and the Prime retreated back to the [[Spire]] where Windblade commented that she didn't share the Prime's faith in Elita or Starscream working together. Her fear was well founded when Elita decided to murder Marissa before launching a genocide against all humans. {{storylink|First Strike issue 2|First Strike #2}} When [[Skyburst (G1)|Skyburst]] and [[Stormclash]] arrived on Cybertron, they glimpsed Windblade exasperatedly throwing her hands up during a Council meeting before members of [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] and [[M.A.S.K.]] were brought before them with Elita ominously ordering their execution. {{storylink|First Strike issue 3|First Strike #3}}

Windblade objected to that, feeling the Council should not be reduced to genocide by fear prompting Elita to instead propose mass deportation. After [[Scarlett]] had given something vaguely resembling an explanation regarding the [[Iron Ring]]'s plan, Starscream threw her and her forces in jail. Nonetheless, Starscream ordered a mobilization against the threat with Windblade volunteering to confer with Metroplex. When Optimus offered aid however, she coldly rebuked him later explaining to Ironhide that she tired of his constant military mindset as she pulled up cameras in the central district eventually finding the villains in the filtration systems. Observing everything from the security cameras, Windblade watched in shock and horror as [[Joe Colton]] dismantled both squads. {{storylink|First Strike issue 4|First Strike #4}} Winblade began brainstorming a plan only to find Optimus had taken his leave. While Metroplex had faith in the Prime, Windblade remained skeptical. Intercepting Optimus outside the prison, she let he and his team pass, if only to prevent further damage to Iacon, but noted that that had been the last time she would bow to any [[Prime (rank)|Prime]]. Windblade then went to Starscream to report on Optimus's actions only to find [[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]] had already done so. When the Council moved out to arrest Optimus, {{storylink|First Strike issue 5|First Strike #5}} Windblade remained behind to keep an optic on Metroplex. When the [[Talisman (G1)|Talisman]] was activated within Cybertron, the entire planet "screamed" and sent out a communication signal using nearly half of its energon to do so. At Windblade's behest, Metroplex translated the signal to "Welcome. Death." {{storylink|First Strike issue 6|First Strike #6}}

====First Delegate====

As Iacon began yet another reconstruction, Windblade was due to retake her spot on the Council of Worlds which Starscream had chosen to commemorate with a photo-op. When Windblade nearly let slip that [[Liege Maximo]] had escaped, Starscream kicked out the press shocking the cityspeaker that he hadn't told the populace. Learning that the Mistress of Flame supported this was the last straw for Windblade who stormed out and told [[Circuit (G1)|Circuit]] and [[Longtooth]] about the truth regarding "Carcer". The resulting news wave resulted in Windblade being banished from Caminus before she was attacked by a sympathetic Camien and a rather miffed Carcerian. After those two had been chased off, Windblade was approached by Blurr, Fat Tankor and Waspinator who pushed her to run for the post of Chancellor. She took their advice and soon garnered enough signatures to become a candidate but faced with the monumental responsibility, she caved and sought solace at Metroplex. She confessed to the Titan that she while she did indeed want to rule Cybertron, she feared that her desire to do so was in fact a remnant of Vigilem's personality. Metroplex told her that Vigilem had listened to no one but Liege Maximo and if Windblade honestly listened to others and worked to make their lives better, she would know herself to be free of the evil Titan's impulses.

Acting on that advice, Windblade organized an event in [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]] where bots from all walks of life could come and vent their grievances while offering her advice on how to make Cybertron a better world. Once the event wrapped up, Windblade was approached by [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] who revealed that he was behind the recent [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticon]] uprising and presented her a briefcase full of devastating ''kompromat'' on Starscream. When Windblade queried as to why he didn't use the case himself, the ex-Autobot revealed his uncertainty about whether or not Starscream had genuinely turned over a new leaf. And also since Windblade now knew about the briefcase ignoring the contents was essentially endorsing them so they were her problem now.

Windblade eventually read the contents and discovered Starscream's laundry list of crimes swearing to the Seeker that she would expose him at the debates. At the debates, Windblade spoke briefly of her own past before she praised Cybertron for being a place that transcended differences and welcomed everyone. Starscream spoke next and, in the bravest act Windblade had ever seen, confessed to all his crimes. The result was a landslide victory for Windblade, who decided to change her title from "Supreme Ruler" to "First Delegate". Visiting Starscream in his cell, she presented him with a holo-image of his "true self" as means to symbolize his fulfilling the Chosen One prophecy. By having all of Cybertron turn against him, he'd finally united the planet. {{storylink|The Chosen One}}

In [[Thundercracker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Thundercracker]]'s [[Starscream: The Movie (film)|biopic]] of Starscream, the meeting between the two jets was recreated with [[Aileron]] acting as Windblade. {{storylink|Starscream: The Movie (comic)|Starscream: The Movie}} Once [[New Prysmos]] had begun to fill up with [[Prysmosian]] refugees, Windblade sent [[Kup (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Kup]] and Ironhide to negotiate with the aliens while sending [[Wheeljack (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Wheeljack]] and [[Breakdown (IDW)|Breakdown]] to examine the Talisman. {{storylink|Schismatic}}

With Cybertron's energon unpalatable to its people following being tainted by the Talisman's [[magic]], Optimus Prime oversaw the extraction of a large supply of [[Ore-13]] from Earth which he delivered to the assembled Council of Worlds before a solar eclipse struck the planet. Though Windblade was correct in believing this was Liege Maximo's long feared return, the Prime of Lies was now a prisoner of [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Onyx Prime]] whom Optimus invited to the surface for a reasonable discussion. Onyx agreed to the request viewing Optimus as none other than [[The Arisen]]. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 1: Surfeit of Primes|Surfeit of Primes}} In the following discussion, Windblade tried to make her voice heard only for Onyx and the Mistress of Flame to defer solely to Optimus. When [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] attempted to defend Windblade and Onyx, the Mistress brought the latter's attack on Caminus. An attack that Windblade demanded the Mistress tell her about before an explosion ripped through the [[Spire]]. With Optimus, Windblade shielded Marissa Faireborn before Soundwave drew attention to Alpha Trion's demise. Onyx took the opportunity to assert authority and declared Soundwave and his Decepticons would be tried by the Primes alongside Liege Maximo. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 2: Another Mine|Another Mine}}

Windblade and Optimus quickly came to Soundwave's defense, but Onyx used an old crime of Soundwave's to turn even his fellow Decepticons against him. Fighting broke out in the streets between the faithful, the faithless, and the merely angered. Windblade and Optimus tried to reach Onyx Prime, but they were shot at and Windblade lost her grip on Optimus. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 3: The Ground|The Ground}} He was rescued by Onyx, only to be tossed into the singularity at Crystal City. {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}} Windblade regrouped with the Mistress of Flame as they tried to restore order. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 4: The Hallowing|The Hallowing}} Windblade was unable to approach Onyx Prime's hip, the [[Nemesis (BWII)|Nemesis]], no matter how well she flew. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 5: Endless Forever|Endless Forever}} Onyx Prime was eventually brought down and revealed as the lost Decepticon, Shockwave. Windblade assured Soundwave no charges would be brought against him, but he had still lost the faith of the Decepticons by the revelations. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 6: Unforgivable|Unforgivable}}
{{--}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
[[File:Windblade-KreO.jpg|upright=0.6|thumb]]
Windblade was one of several Autobots under attack by [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]. {{storylink|New Military Unit Combaticon! Bruticus, Combine!}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers Legends'' comic===
[[File:Legends Business Trip 12 Windblade.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|The fan of the Windblade.]]
Windblade, "little sister" to [[Nijika]], was created by the [[Zamojin (species)|Zamojin]] to keep watch on their dream world of the [[Legends World|Legends Universe]], where wishes could come true. When it was decided that the experiment had come to a conclusion, Windblade announced the universe's imminent destruction to its denizens and used her fans to form a devastating storm. [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], realizing that the universe could grant any wish, summoned [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] to his world; the gigantic robot pulled Windblade from the sky, causing her to reset in the process and forget all about her mission. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 12|Bonus Edition Vol. 12}}

[[File:TFLegendsAutobotsHalloweenCostumes.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|Darn it Japan! Wait, 80% of me ''is'' Japan.]]
Without any memory, Windblade fell into a waitress job at a "little sister cafe" in [[Akihabara]], where she proved skilled at selling very expensive lunches to adoring customers. She also ended up squatting at [[Tigatron]]'s home, much to the chagrin of [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]]. {{storylink|Windblade Sequel}} Windblade was among the dimensionally-displaced Autobots and [[Transformers sickness]]-afflicted Maximals who gathered to defend the Legends Universe from the intruding [[Slipstream (Animated)|Slipstream]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 16|Bonus Edition Vol. 16}} During [[Halloween]], she dressed up as a schoolgirl to attend a Halloween party with Tigatron and Airazor, but they were interrupted by the trick-or-treating Slipstream, [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]], and [[Nightbird (G1)|Nightbird Shadow]]. Windblade teamed up with the similarly dressed up [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] to stop the Decepticons' antics, but all three were defeated and tied up by Blackarachnia. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 17|Bonus Edition Vol. 17}}

As the [[Chōkon Power|spirit energy]] generated by [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Armada Megatron]]'s greed empowered the Zamojin, they began working to regain control of Windblade, causing her to fall ill. She collapsed in the street, prompting the nearby [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Armada Starscream]] to fill in for her at the cafe. When she arrived there herself, she had fallen back under her makers' control and was muttering that she would destroy the world. Getting a hold of herself, she explained the situation to Starscream, lamenting that she was enjoying her new life in the Legends world and didn't want to destroy it. Starscream set out to put at end to Megatron's ambition, but warned Windblade that if it bad came to worse, he'd stop her himself. {{storylink|LG-18 Armada Starscream Super Mode Prologue}}

Megatron would not give up on his desires, however, and the Zamojin were able to take full control of Windblade. Starscream was ready to sacrifice himself to destroy her in a bid to save the world, but [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] found an alternate solution that led to both Megatron and Starscream being returned to their own universe. Restored to normal, Windblade was left chastising the local toy nerds for being just as greedy as Megatron when it came to rare toys. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 18|Bonus Edition Vol. 18}} When [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] arrived in the Legends Universe, Windblade and Chromia were ''very'' impressed with his handsome new body. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 19|Bonus Edition Vol. 19}} She was later caught up in another [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]'s attack on the city after he was turned into the insane [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 23|Bonus Edition Vol. 23}} Windblade was harassed by [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] while acting as cheerleader at a soccer game, {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 29|Bonus Edition Vol. 29}} and witnessed [[Weirdwolf (G1)|Weirdwolf]]'s living [[transtector]] run away from him. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 30|Bonus Edition Vol. 30}}

Windblade was working at the cafe when [[Flywheels]] came to see her fellow waiter, [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]], {{storylink|LGEX Headmaster Set Chapter}} and was among the citizens pestered by [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]]'s clone army. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 47|Bonus Edition Vol. 47}} Metroplex later recalled how he was brought to the Legends World to defeat Windblade. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Metroplex)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}} When the world was threatened by three out-of-control [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmasters]] who overpowered any resistance, Windblade sought out her creator, [[Katsu Don]], and struck a deal: in return for her rejoining the Zamojin, he would convert her into a [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] who could combine with the upgraded body of Nijika. With the additional power of her sister on her side, Windblade was able to capture [[Pinpointer (G1)|Pinpointer]] and use him to defeat the other Targetmasters, saving the world at the cost of becoming a Zamojin puppet once more. Before rejoining the Zamojin, she left a message for Tigatron, thanking him for their time together and asking the people of the Legends World to destroy her if she ever returned to attack them again. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 62|Bonus Edition Vol. 62}}

Indeed, it wasn't long before Katsu Don had Windblade assault the Legends World a second time, {{storylink|Jumpstarter Chapter}} this time using her connection to Pinpointer to take control of the other two Targetmasters and wreak havoc until confronted by the [[Wrecker]]s. She made short work of [[Twin Twist]] by decapitating him, but he survived using the [[Zodiac]] and separated her from [[Spoilsport]], who he then used to sever her connection to [[Peacemaker]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 65|Bonus Edition Vol. 65}} Windblade then clashed with [[Topspin (G1)|Topspin]] before teaming up with Katsu Don to battle the [[Jumpstarter]]s, only to be defeated by their combined mode, [[Attack Powered]]. Fortunately she was mostly unharmed and her defeat served to set her free from Katsu Don's control once more. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 66|Bonus Edition Vol. 66}}

===''TransTech''===
Two separate Windblades were members of a crowd of countless off-worlders in [[Axiom Nexus]]'s Under City on the morning of the [[Waruder]] invasion. One of them had [[Windblade (G1)#Legends|black thighs]], the other had [[Windblade (G1)#Generations|red thighs]]. {{storylink|Cybertron's Most Wanted}}
{{--}}

===''Prime Wars Trilogy'' cartoons===
{{voiceactor|[[Abby Trott]] (English)}}

[[File:PreludeToCombinerWarsWindblade-Windblade.jpg|left|thumb|300px|I'll cry when I'm done killing.]]
Windblade was a cityspeaker from Caminus. She resented the Mistress of Flame for abandoning the planet in favor of a position on the council on Cybertron. Giving up her job, she vowed to destroy the Combiners that had laid waste to her home world. {{storylink|Prelude to Transformers: Combiner Wars - Windblade}} She and [[Maxima]] encountered [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] shortly after the Combiner dispatched [[Computron (G1)|Computron]]. Windblade sliced Menasor in two, at which point he revealed that the council had the [[Enigma of Combination]] and intended to use it to create an army of Combiners. After mourning the loss of Maxima, Windblade headed to Cybertron. {{storylink|The Fall}}

There, she attempted to snipe the Enigma, only for [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] to knock her aim off target as she fired. {{storylink|The Council}} Attacking the former Autobot leader, Windblade asserted that the Autobots, Decepticons and Combiners were all alike. He eventually managed to relieve her of her sword; however, when she revealed that the Council had the Enigma, he joined forces with her. {{storylink|The Duel}} The pair paid a visit to Megatron and managed to persuade him to aid them, though not before Windblade had to deck him. {{storylink|Unforgotten}}

The trio headed to the council tower where they were met with hostility. Windblade accused the Mistress of Flame of deserting Caminus and inevitably Megatron shot [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] resulting in a clash between the two groups. As the trio fought the automated defenses, Windblade heard a mysterious voice in her head. {{storylink|Homecoming (CW)|Homecoming}} The arrival of [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] resulted in Optimus, Megatron and Windblade fighting him instead, as he tried to claim the Engima for the Combiners. Things were further complicated by the arrival of [[Victorion]], at which point Starscream used the Enigma to merge with all the Combiners as Windblade and the others watched. {{storylink|A War of Giants}}

Windblade attempted to attack the out-of-control Starscream, only to be blasted by lightning and fall lifeless to the ground. {{storylink|Darkest Hour (CW)|Darkest Hour}} Finding herself in a featureless void, Windblade spoke with [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] and admitted she was wrong to want to destroy everyone. Recalling her role as a Cityspeaker, Windblade recovered and got Metroplex to crush Starscream, allowing Optimus and Megatron to finish him off. Megatron presented Windblade with the Enigma, and she passed it on to Victorion for safekeeping. As the Mistress of Flame congratulated Windblade on ending the Combiner Wars, the cityspeaker observed that now the Titans had returned. {{storylink|Destruction's Dawn}}

As the cleanup of the city progressed, Windblade was disappointed that Optimus had chosen to leave. She found [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] examining Starscream's remains and left him to it, returning to Metroplex just in time to see a distant light as [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] rose from the ground. {{storylink|Aftermath and Rebirth}} She communed with Metroplex and realized the Titan had been planning to leave Cybertron before Starscream's stunt with the Enigma. Metroplex prepared to battle Trypticon, though Windblade believed he was too damaged to stand up to the evil Titan. She and Perceptor located the Mistress of Flame in the [[Primal Basilica]] and raised the alarm. Windblade resolved to stick by Metroplex's side as he fought, even as the [[Elite Air Resistance Squadron|reinforcements]] the Mistress called in were destroyed. {{storylink|Our Heroes Respond}}

She continued to plead with Metroplex to not battle Trypticon, but her pleas went unheeded, and she was shocked when Trypticon spoke with Starscream's voice. {{storylink|The Fight Begins}} Joined by [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]], Windblade attempted to assault Trypticon, but was too late to prevent Metroplex from perishing. After Hot Rod rescued [[Emissary (Generations)|Emissary]] from Trypticon, the [[Titan Master]] and Windblade headed off to find [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], {{storylink|At the Last Second}} arriving there to find Megatron brawling with the Combiners. Once that was resolved, Emissary linked Windblade to Maximus's mind so she could awaken him. {{storylink|Desperate Actions}} The process was painful, but Windblade managed to persuade Maximus to act before Emissary terminated the link for her own safety. {{storylink|Run for Our Lives}}

[[File:Machinima-POTP-Windblade-Grimlock-Perceptor.jpg|thumb|300px]]
The trio headed back to the city, as Optimus Prime and the Combiners were battling Trypticon, arriving just in time to save Optimus. {{storylink|In Good Hands}} As Fortress Maximus faced off against Trypticon, Windblade and the others split up to work as a distraction; however, Trypticon ate Victorion, much to Windblade's horror. Trypticon used the Enigma to control the remaining Combiners into attacking Maximus, and when Windblade attempted to shoot them off, she herself was shot down by Computron. She was forced instead to once again convince Megatron to help out, for which he demanded a favor in exchange. {{storylink|Consumed}} The battle abruptly ended when Trypticon ate Perceptor, and the [[Matrix of Leadership]] which Perceptor was carrying rejected him. Once Trypticon expired, Windblade and the others were treated to an appearance by [[The Fallen|Megatronus]], who terminated Optimus before leaving with the Matrix and Enigma. Windblade was inclined to agree with Menasor's plan to kill Megatron, as he appeared to have betrayed them, but he convinced them that they instead needed to work together to face this new threat. {{storylink|All Things Must Pass}}

Still indebted to Megatron for saving Fortress Maximus, Windblade followed him to [[Primal Swamp]] in search of the [[Requiem Blaster (Megatronus)|Requiem Blaster]]. While searching, their group were attacked by the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]]. Windblade tussled with [[Slag (G1)|Slug]] before managing to toss him aside, only for the five to combine into [[Volcanicus]]. {{storylink|The Swamp}} She attempted to combat the Combiner, but he laid her out flat with one punch. Before he could finish her off, he was attacked by [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]], who soon turned on Windblade and the others as well. {{storylink|Volcanicus (episode)|Volcanicus}} She held her own against Predaking, attacking until he released the captive Victorion, prompting her and the others to make their escape. All of them came to a halt, however, as they watched Megatron enter a strange dome. {{storylink|Without Warning}} As they waited, Predaking began attacking again. Windblade attempted to stop him, but was shot down. She recovered as Megatron emerged from the dome, Blaster in hand, and they discussed their next course of action. {{storylink|Primal (POTP)|Primal}}

Following Megatron's lead, Windblade and the others traveled to [[Cataclysm Tundra]]. Though still unsure of Megatron's good intentions, [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] reassured her of his honesty as they located the entrance to the [[Athenaeum Sanctorum]]. As they began doing research, they were interrupted by [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] and Hot Rod, now redubbed Rodimus Cron. {{storylink|Athenaeum Sanctorum (episode)|Athenaeum Sanctorum}} Windblade did her best to fight against the two, calling Primal a coward when she caught him trying to escape with the Requiem Blaster. As Rodimus prepared to finish Megatron, Windblade stepped into his path to protect Megatron, but Rodimus began strangling her instead. She attempted to reach any remaining trace of the old Hot Rod, but the [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] within assured her there was nothing left and tossed aside her unresponsive body. {{storylink|Countdown (POTP)|Countdown}} When she came to, Megatron had destroyed Overlord with the Requiem Blaster. Megatron thanked her for saving him, saying they were square, as did Primal for stopping him from retreating. When Megatronus arrived to take back the Blaster, she tried to stop him, but was powerless against the Fallen as he and Rodimus escaped. Though she continued to believe Hot Rod could be saved, the others convinced her that if the time came, they might need to destroy him. After a speech encouraging Megatron to lead them, she and the others headed for the [[Well of All Sparks|Well of Sparks]]. {{storylink|Consequences}}

In spite of being weakened by Megatronus's weapon, Windblade and the others reached the Well. She attempted to draw Megatronus's fire, but she was shot down and very nearly perished if not for Optimus Primal's intervention. Ultimately, she and the others were engulfed in Megatronus's flames, unable to fight back. {{storylink|Collision Course}} When the flames finally died down, Windblade nearly passed out, but finally got to her feet and resumed attacking the device, now less affected by Megatronus's shots thanks to his weakening state. After watching Primal transform into Optimal Optimus, she and the others tackled Megatron to prevent him from reclaiming the Enigma and Blaster. {{storylink|Megatronus Unleashed}} She helped restrain Rodimus, allowing Optimal to remove the [[Matrix of Conquest|Matrix of Chaos]] from him and return him to Hot Rod. When Unicron tried to take control of Megatron, necessitating they both be killed, she desperately sought another solution. Finding none, she was left to mourn her friend's sacrifice. She was, however, overjoyed to see Optimus Prime revived from the dead as a result of their efforts. In the aftermath of the incident, Windblade was named Magistrate of Cityspeakers and worked to coordinate the efforts of all those who communicated with the Titans. {{storylink|Saga's End}}

===Transformers social media content===
[[File:Facebook-DatingProfiles.jpg|right|thumb|200px|]]
Windblade was unimpressed by Starscream's online dating profile.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/transformers/videos/1625292087540979/ Dating Profiles]</ref>
{{-}}

===''All Spark'' comic===
Windblade was part of an Autobot team led by [[Ginrai (human)|God Ginrai]] who helped [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] defeat [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]]. {{storylink|Looming Threat}}

===''Star Trek vs. Transformers''===
{{comingsoon|when=September 26, 2018}}

==Games==
===Transformers Legends===
Windblade and [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] were dispatched from the ''[[Lost Light]]'' to explore a distant planet. There they met a group of Decepticons, and joined forces with them to battle their mutual foes, the Ammonites. Though several Ammonite attacks were thwarted by the alliance, soon differing opinions caused infighting in the group. Eventually, both the Ammonites and the Decepticons were defeated, and the two Autobots returned to their spaceship. {{storylink|Into the Abyss}}

===''Transformers: Battle Tactics''===
[[File:Battle-Tactics-Windblade.jpg|thumb|thumb|upright=2|"Hi, I'm Windblade!"]]
Windblade participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of her! She was an Epic character who could be recruited by collecting 500 units of Cybermetal, 250 units of Transmetal, and 50 cores of this character. {{storylink|Transformers: Battle Tactics}}
{{--}}

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
[[File:Windblade-Earth-Wars.jpg|thumb|upright=2|I'm a main character! RESPECT MAH ATHORITAH! ]]
{{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars}}
*'''Class:''' Special
*'''Lowest Star Rating:''' 2 star (was 3 star)
*'''Weaponry:''' Wind has a rifle she fires a few shots from before slashing a target with her sword.
*'''Ability: Quick Strike:''' - Fires 6 rockets at a target, then lands nearby an empty space and engages it!
**'''Cost:''' 5 ability points +2 for reuses.

[http://wiki.transformersearthwars.com/character:windblade| Windblade at Transformers : Earth Wars Wiki]

{{-}}

===''Transformers: Forged to Fight''===
[[File:Windblade-Forged-to-Fight.jpg|thumb|300px|"The same thing as last year Goku".]]
Windblade was one of the Autobots pulled from [[The Transformers (franchise)|her universe]] by the [[Quintesson|Quintessons]] and forced to fight. She eventually joins the [[You|Commander]]. There are at least a few of her running around! {{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight}}
[[File:ForgedToFight-Windbladepromo.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1]|She can defeat Cybertronians, but can she defeat AIRMAN?]]
A controlled Windblade was under the tutelage of Bludgeon. {{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight|The Way of the Blade}}
Windblade was again exposed to a refined strain of Dark Energon as a test by the Quintesson Scientist, Hearing deafening voices in her head. Optimus urged her to focus and overcome the Dark Energon's effects of amplifying her cityspeaking ability, but she said the voices compel her to focus on his destruction. She believed the spirits of the Titans demand retribution for the wars and destruction wrought by Optimus. Optimus again urged her to resist the figments of her delusion, but she sought vengeance. Oddly, the Commander had a final showdown with Mirage instead of her. {{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight|Voices}}

*'''Class:''' Scout
*'''Basic Abilities'''
**''Passive''
***25% more Critical Hits on sword attacks.
***Windblade evades Ranged Attacks in jet mode.
**''Critical Sword Attack:'' 53-66% chance to '''Bleed''', dealing 30-68% damage over 4 seconds.
**''On Bleeding Opponent:''
***Ranged Attacks have a 35% chance to '''Stun''' for 1.5 seconds.
***Inflicting 4 Bleed stacks Stuns the opponent for 2 seconds once until the opponent's active Bleeds expire.
*'''Signature Ability: Resolution''' - Windblade's desire to finish the fight increases Critical Rate based on opponent's lost Health.
*'''Special Attacks'''
#'''Circuit Slicer''' - ''An experiment to see what kinds of shockwaves enemies make as they're slammed to the ground.'' - Stormfall Blast inflicts '''Shock''' for 20-60% Attack over 2-6 seconds. If the opponent activates a Power Gain effect, '''Power Failure''' will activate, Neutralizing and instant 90% attack will be inflicted as Shock Damage.
#'''Sword Dance''' - ''They'll be awe-struck, and sword-struck.'' - Attacks '''Armor Pierce''' 100% of the opponent's current Armor for 6 seconds.
#'''Strafing Run''' - ''Blow them apart from every direction.'' - 35% chance to Stun for 3 seconds.
*'''Synergy Bonuses'''
**'''Allies''' with Ironhide - +1-8% Armor.
**'''Swordmasters''' with Bludgeon and Drift - 3-10% Critical Damage for each non-critical Sword Attack until the next Critical Hit. +6-12% more Critical Hits in Solo Missions.
**'''Sky Assault''' with Waspinator - Opponents' Evade is decreased by 7-25%.
*'''Strong Match-ups:'''
** Megatron (Revenge of the fallen) - Windblade is able to deftly slice through Megatron’s powerful defenses with her Armor Piercing and Bleed inducing attacks.
**Soundwave - Windblade can neutralize Soundwave’s Power Gain and inflict extra damage with her Special 1. Soundwave’s Heavy Attack is also very ineffective when Windblade is using her own Heavy Attack because of her ability to make Ranged Attacks miss.
*'''Weak Match-ups:'''
** Prowl - Prowl deals a lot of damage with the support of his Melee Buffs, retreating and then going for a combo and ending with a Special 2 will be excellent against fragile but high attack Bots.
{{charstubgames}}

{{-}}

==Toys==
===Generations===
====Thrilling 30====
[[File:Generationstoy-Windblade.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Built by the fans, for the fans, and... incorporating fans.]]
*'''Windblade''' (Deluxe Class, 2014)
**'''30 OF 30'''
**''Series / Number'': '''02 / #019'''
**''Accessories'': "[[Stormfall Sword]]", scabbard, tessen

:Part of the tenth wave of 2012-onwards ''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' Deluxe Class toys, ''[[Thrilling 30]]'' Windblade transforms from a jet with tilting, spinning VTOL fans and fold in front landing gear, into a robot with 'facepaint' evocative of Japanese {{w|Kabuki}} theatre makeup. She comes with the Stormfall Sword, a translucent blade with a turbine at the hilt, which she can hold via its [[5mm post]]. The sword sheathes into the included scabbard, which can be held or tabbed onto slots on her thighs and back/cockpit sides, as well as be stored underneath her jet mode. Her headdress can also detach and be used as a "tessen" fan. A port under her nosecone is compatible with some action figure stands.

:She comes packaged with a copy of "[[Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8]]", and has a designated number as part of the ''Thrilling 30'' line.

:Care must be taken when detaching her headdress, as its painted ''and'' clear-plastic nature makes it very tight and susceptible to breakage. It must be pulled/wiggled '''back''', not pulled up as the [[instructions]] say. Due to a combination of back-heavy kibble and weak swivel tolerances on her heels and hip joints, getting Windblade to stand can often prove difficult, as she will often collapse when trying.

:She was retooled to create ''Legends'' [[Slipstream (Animated)#Legends|Slipstream]], who was then redecoed into [[BotCon 2016]] souvenir [[Airazor (BW)#Combiner Wars|Airazor]]. This mold also served as the basis of the non-toy ''[[Beast Wars: Uprising]]'' incarnation of [[Stiletto (BW)#Beast Wars: Uprising|Stiletto]] and the ''[[Transformers: Combiner Wars (cartoon)|Combiner Wars]]'' character [[Maxima]].

::*''[http://tfu.info/2014/Autobot/GenWindblade/windblade.htm More information on Windblade at TFU.info]''

====Combiner Wars====
{{anchor|CHunters}}
[[File:Transformers-SDCC-Combiner-Hunters-Windblade.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Ho! Haha! Guard! Turn! Parry! Dodge! Spin! Ha! Thrust!]]
*'''Combiner Hunters''' (gift set, 2015)
**''Accessories'': "Stormfall Sword," scabbard, tessen, Spectrospear

:The ''Combiner Hunters'' [[redeco]] of Windblade not only has many of her coloring details changed, but in fact mostly stands out for its new accessory: a gigantic [[Spectrospear]] pole-arm which is taller than Windblade herself. The tooling for this weapon was originally used for the 16"-tall electronic version of ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' ''[[Titan Heroes]]'' [[Bumblebee (WFC)/toys|Bumblebee]].

:This version of Windblade was only available in a [[giftset|gift set]] together with ''Combiner Hunters'' redecos of ''Generations'' [[Arcee (G1)/toys#CHunters|Arcee]] and [[Chromia (G1)#CHunters|Chromia]], each with their own giant new melee weapons. In the U.S., this set was [[exclusive]] to the [[Hasbro Toy Shop]] website and the Hasbro Toy Shop booth at [[San Diego Comic-Con]] 2015. In Asia, it was also available at Animation-Comic-Game Hong Kong 2015 and subsequently stocked by Toys"R"Us Hong Kong. Later, it was also available at The Falcon's Hangar booth at Singapore Toy, Game & Comic Convention 2015.

{{anchor|TitanForce}}

====Titans Return====
[[File:TF-Generations-Titans-Return-Titan-Force-Windblade.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|And next year, Hasbro will release a ''different'' version of me in an exclusive three pack.]]
*'''Titan Force''' (Gift set, [[2016]])
**''Accessories:'' Sword, Sheath

:Titan Force Windblade is a redeco of ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Windblade (RID)#WarriorClass|Warrior Class Windblade]] in a colour scheme reminiscent of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. She was only available in a [[giftset|gift set]] together with ''Titan Force'' redecoes of [[Sentinel Prime (G1)#TitanForce|Sentinel Prime]] and [[Brainstorm (G1)#TitanForce|Brainstorm]],

:In the United States, this set was [[exclusive]] to the [[Hasbro Toy Shop]] website and the Hasbro Toy Shop booth at [[San Diego Comic-Con]] 2016. In the United Kingdom, it was exclusive to the A1 Toys website and their booth at London Film & Comic Con 2016 (with Brainstorm renamed into "Charon" for [[trademark]] reasons); in China, it was exclusive to Cybertron Con Shanghai; in Hong Kong, it was exclusive to Animation-Comic-Game 2016; and in Canada, it was exclusive to the HasbroStore booth at Fan Expo 2016.

{{-}}{{anchor|TitansReturnRetail}}
[[File:TitansReturn-Windblade.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|And then Hasbro said, "Wait, we can make ''anyone'' into Titan Masters?"]]
*'''Scorchfire & Windblade''' (Deluxe Class, [[2017]])
**''Accessories'': Swords, [[Scorchfire#Generations|Scorchfire]] Titan Master

: Windblade is an extensive [[retool]] of ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' Deluxe Class [[Highbrow (G1)#Generations|Highbrow]] (who was already an extensive retool of the same line's [[Scourge (G1)/toys#Titans Return|Scourge]], the three only sharing the innermost torso assemblies and the upper legs), transforming into a VTOL jet. She comes with the [[Titan Master]] [[Scorchfire]], who fits into her vehicle mode cockpit and transforms into her robot mode head. As with other ''Titans Return'' toys, Windblade can accommodate any Titan Master figure in both robot and vehicle mode. Windblade's two swords can stow on her back or combine into a larger weapon/Titan Master vehicle which can also attach just behind the cockpit in jet mode.

{{-}}

===Legends===
[[File:Legends Windblade.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Better red than dead.]]
*'''Windblade''' (Deluxe Class, 2015-[[February 14|02-14]])
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''LG12'''
**''Accessories:'' Sword, scabbard, tessen

:''[[Transformers Legends (franchise)|Legends]]'' Windblade is a redeco of ''Thrilling 30'' Windblade with various changes in color layout, mostly in [[Alternate mode|vehicle mode]] which features much more red. Her wings and much of her fuselage are cast in red, pushing most of the black to her tail section and some highlights such as around the VTOL fans. Her nosecone features more extensive white paint and some new yellow eye-like markings on her nosecone, as well as a translucent dark blue canopy. In [[robot mode]] she has some changes to be more comic-accurate, like a slightly different hue of her Stormfall blade, red pelvis with black upper legs and much more accurate facepaint.

{{-}}{{anchor|LG62}}
[[File:TF-Legends-LG-62-Targetmaster-Windblade.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Pinpointer? I barely knew 'er! (I'm sorry)]]
*'''Targetmaster Windblade''' (Deluxe Class, [[2018]]-[[February 24|02-24]])
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''LG62'''
**''Accessories:'' Sword, scabbard, Headmaster, [[Pinpointer (G1)#Legends|Pointech]] Targetmaster partner

:The second ''Legends'' figure of Windblade is a redeco of her ''Titans Return'' figure, once again featuring paint apps that make her resemble her comic coloration a bit better. Among these are a white nosecone and VTOL fans, completely black shoulders, and black knees with blue highlights (similar to those seen in her character art at the top of the page). Windblade ditches the Titan Master-compatible swords in exchange for a sword and scabbard similar, if not identical, to her ''Thrilling 30''/''Legends'' one. She also gains a Targetmaster partner that uses the same transformation scheme as [[Recoil (G1)#Legends|Recoil]], but is decoed to resemble [[Pinpointer (G1)#Legends|Pinpointer/Pointech]]. Her Headmaster gimmick remains intact.

==Notes==
[[File:Windblade concept.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|The face of [[democracy]].]]

*Windblade is the first "officially fan-created" Transformer ever, the culmination of [[Hasbro]]'s "[[Fan Built Bot]]" initiative program. Two polls on Hasbro's official website allowed fans to determine her character and physical traits (well, ''most'' of her traits - her [[Japan]]ese motifs ''weren't'' an option in the poll and seem to be the work of the design team).
**From [[April 18]]th to [[May 5]]th, 2013,<ref>http://investor.hasbro.com/releasedetail.cfm?releaseid=757648</ref> fans decided her faction (Autobot over Decepticon), alternate mode (jet over car, truck, tank, spaceship, terran beast [land], avian beast [airborne], helicopter, motorcycle, and construction), signature weapon (sword over blaster cannon, flame thrower, mace, spear/harpoon, morning star, Cybertronian taser, nunchucks, crossbow, and long-range blaster), color scheme (red & black over green & gold, blue & silver, orange & white, or purple & bronze) and personality (valiant over sneaky, hotshot, secretive, wild man, and grumpy).<ref>http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-fan-built-bot-poll/27089/</ref>
**From [[May 10]]th to [[May 17]]th, fans voted on name (Windblade over Autobot Eclipse, Charon, Centuritron, Cashtron, Autobot Wraith), gender (female over male), origin (from Kaon over Iacon, Altihex, Kalis, and Praxus) and specialty (telepath over combat medic, bodyguard, recon, and close combat specialist).<ref>http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-fan-built-bot-poll-second-round/27272/</ref>
**Subsequently, Windblade was revealed at [[San Diego Comic-Con|San Diego Comic-Con 2013]], where concept sketches of her (and the piece of finished art to the right) were part of the ''Transformers'' brand presentation.
**Some of the concepts that fans voted for were tweaked or outright dropped when Windblade made her official debut. Rather than hailing from Kaon, she originated on the planet Caminus. Instead of being broadly telepathic, Windblade's job was being a cityspeaker for Metroplex.
*Concept sketches at San Diego Comic-Con showed that European knight (with visor, arm shield, and fencing foil-esque sword) and Roman warrior (with twin swords) concepts for Windblade were considered before her Japanese stylings were finalized. A different pre-production sketch gave her a Japanese hand-fan weapon in addition to her sword. Speaking of her Japanese motifs, her finalized helmet was apparently designed to resemble the hairstyle commonly worn by the ''{{w|onna bugeisha}}'', the upper-class warrior-women of feudal Japan.
*At [[Toy Fair 2014]], Windblade was noted as being the handiwork of designer [[Lenny Panzica]], who put "probably five times as much energy" into her as the rest of his workload. A [https://www.facebook.com/transformers/posts/723592181044312 gallery] of his work was posted by Hasbro on Facebook.
*Her name works on many levels: "Wind Blade" is a real variety of industrial fan blade; she turns into a jet with VTOL turbofans; Hasbro designers had said they envisioned her coursing more energy into her sword blade through a spinning turbine fan in the hilt; she has a tessen, or iron fan; and, of course, she was the fans' choice character.
*Like all non-toy robot Kreons in the ''Kre-O'' manga, Windblade is made from existing ''Kre-O'' parts. She uses the [[Mirage (G1)/toys#Kre-O|Mirage]] helmet, the [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Kre-O|Starscream]] wing-pack and the curved blade first used by [[Insecticon (WFC)#Kre-O|Insecticon]] and [[Rampage (G1)#Kre-O|Rampage]].

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Windblade''' (ウインドブレード ''Uindoburēdo'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Fēngrèn''' (China, 风刃, "Windblade")

==See also==
{{OtherVersions
|charname=Windblade
|disambig=Windblade (disambiguation)
|body=
*[[Windblade (RID)|Windblade]], the Autobot on a mission from [[Primus|God]] from the [[Aligned continuity family]].
*[[Windblade (Cyberverse)|Windblade]], the protective friend to [[Bumblebee (Cyberverse)|Bumblebee]] from ''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (franchise)|Transformers: Cyberverse]]''.}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{i|Windblade}} at the IDW Hasbro Wiki

[[Category:Caminus]]
[[Category:Combiner Wars]]
[[Category:Council members]]
[[Category:Fandom]]
[[Category:Female Transformers]]
[[Category:Generations]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Kre-O Autobots]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Legends Autobots]]
[[Category:Rulers of Cybertron]]
[[Category:Targetmasters]]
[[Category:Titans Return]]
[[Category:TransTech Autobots]]

Airazor (BW)

2018-09-02T11:38:09Z

Holomanga:

{{factions|maximal|ozsa|autobot}}
{{disambigm|Airazor (disambiguation)|Wing Saber (disambiguation)}}
:''Airazor is a [[Maximal]] from the [[Beast Era]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:Airazorbwcgi.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|''Ladyfalcon'' just doesn't have the same ring.]]

Primarily used for recon and surveillance due to her aerial [[alternate mode]], '''Airazor'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s (aka '''Wing Saber''') talents are a great asset to the Maximal cause. She's calm and confident, but also adventurous and brave, with a healthy supply of dry humor. Her aerial skill in either mode, incredibly sharp eyesight and steady aim make her a dangerous opponent.

Due to the circumstances of her "birth", she sees [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] as something of an uncle-figure and [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] as the sibling she never had. She devotes most of her efforts, however, to taming the wild yet gentle [[Tigatron]]. She shares his love for the beautiful planet on which the Maximals are stranded, and it is on this planet where their destiny will be forever intertwined.

{{bigquote|She stoops to conquer!|Airazor|"[[Call of the Wild]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Toy bios===
Airazor was an "aerial reconnaissance expert" who could spot Predacon activity from 30,000 feet above. With her internal radar transmitters, Airazor could relay information to her Maximal comrades, including 3D "virtual reality maps" that pinpointed enemy locations. In terms of offense, she possessed [[cyberblade]]s and a [[photon rifle|photon cannon]]. However, her preferred method of attacking was slashing with her titanium-plated talons in beast mode. {{storylink|#Beast Wars|Airazor bio}}

With her [[Transmetal]] body after the [[quantum surge]], Airazor had become a warrior that inspired absolute fear in the Predacons, thanks to her deadly armor-ripping talons. Her post had been adjusted to sea reconnaissance, in light of her vehicle mode. {{storylink|#TM1|Transmetal Airazor Bio}}

After becoming a [[Transmetal|Metals]], Airazor's power surged! Airazor's dominion of the air became second to none, but the air warrior still preferred to avoid violence when possible. {{storylink|#TM1|Metals Airazor}}

===''Beast Wars'' cartoon continuity===
====''Beast Wars'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Pauline Newstone]] (English), [[Tetsuya Iwanaga]] (Japanese)|[[Liu Li]] (Chinese), [[Denise Reis]] (Portuguese), [[Rebeca Manriquez]] (Latin American Spanish), [[Olga Cano]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Caterina Rochira]] (Italian)}}

[[File:The Spark Airazor.jpg|left|upright=1.55|thumb|The Maximals' Yellow Ranger.]]

Her [[stasis pod]] damaged upon crashing to [[Earth]], Airazor was able to come online due to the genius of [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] and the bravery of [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]]. Rhinox deftly operated the stasis pod's controls and Cheetor offered up his [[locking chip]] to repair it. Immediately out of the pod, she outmaneuvered and destroyed [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]]. Her aerial [[beast mode]], at the time, made her the only Maximal other than [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus]] who could fly. {{storylink|The Spark}}

[[File:Airazortigatrontrigger.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|And the lady shall ride a tiger.]]

She and Tigatron started to team up more frequently, a prospect Airazor seemed to welcome, but Tigatron preferred to work alone. Their first big adventure together came when a flying island paradise was discovered. The island, however, was covered in booby-traps which were triggered by the use of energy weapons. Airazor rescued Tigatron when he was ambushed by Predacons on the island, but she was damaged badly. {{storylink|The Trigger, Part 1}} Tigatron carried her on his back, refusing to leave her behind, and the pair worked together to avoid and overcome the island's traps. The island was ultimately destroyed, much to the sadness and outrage of Tigatron, and he would have secluded himself from the other Maximals further if not for Airazor's concern. {{storylink|The Trigger, Part 2}}

Soon after, the Predacons beat Tigatron to another stasis pod, reprogramming it and unleashing [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]]. Airazor and Tigatron took turns helping each other, but once again, Tigatron insisted that he work alone. Airazor commented that sometimes you can be too alone. She was right, because after he tracked down [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] and destroyed the stasis pod, Tigatron got shot up a lot. Nearing death, Tigatron was saved by the arrival of Airazor and Optimus Primal. {{storylink|Spider's Game}}

During a Predacon attack on the ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'', Airazor saved Optimus from plunging to his doom, but was herself so badly damaged she had to spend several days in the [[CR chamber]]. She emerged to find that the other Maximals had succumbed to their beast instincts through having to stay in beast mode constantly, as a result of the Predacons stealing the ship's [[rectifier coil]]. While Tigatron helped the Maximals, Airazor was able to infiltrate the largely deserted Predacon base and retrieve the rectifier coil. {{storylink|Call of the Wild}}

[[File:BeforetheStorm Airazor dropping off Rattrap.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.34|If you barf, you're walking home.]]
After the Maximals were expelled from their base by the Predacons, aided by a [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]-possessed [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]], Airazor alerted Tigatron to the situation. The pair joined in a ploy to retake their base, which involved an assault on the ''[[Darksyde (BW)|Darksyde]]'' under Starscream's leadership. {{storylink|Possession}} Airazor was part of the reinforcements provided when [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] and [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] were trying to find a cure for the [[energon discharge virus]] Rhinox was afflicted with. For some reason she felt the need to pose provocatively by Optimus's leg as the Maximals appeared on the scene. {{storylink|The Low Road}}

After the realization that the aliens who seeded their planet with traps and energon were returning to destroy it, the Maximals and Predacons entered a truce. Optimus Primal used Airazor to try to sneak Rattrap into the Predacon base to find out what [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] was up to, but Megatron, of course, found them on his scanners and politely asked them to leave. Unbeknownst to Megatron, the ploy was a decoy for Tigatron's infiltration. {{storylink|Before the Storm}}

[[File:Airazoraftermath.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb]]
The aliens arrived and a new [[Bio-Dome|alien structure]] was built, trapping Airazor, who was tortured. Optimus Primal forced his way inside, with the help of the Predacons, and traded himself to the aliens for Airazor. Rattrap dragged her from the structure, only for them to find themselves at gunpoint — the truce was over. The pair were able to use the activation of the structure's "termination sequence" to deal with the Predacons, before fleeing with the escaping Optimus. {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 1}} As one of the planet's moons was revealed as an [[Planet Buster|alien weapon]], the Maximals retreated to their base. There, Airazor and Rattrap caught [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] working on a stasis pod in the ship's hold, and Optimus was able to use it to destroy the Planet Buster, though at the cost of his own life. {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 2}}

[[File:OtherVists1 Airazor in vines.jpg|thumb|left|280px]|Hey look it's someone's fetish.]]
Airazor and Tigatron escaped [[Transmetal]]ization by the [[quantum surge]]. They attempted to stop Blackarachnia escaping, but were both knocked offline by Megatron. {{storylink|Aftermath}} After repairs, the duo left together to find the rest of the missing stasis pods scattered across the planet. {{storylink|Coming of the Fuzors (Part 1)}} While on their search, the two Maximals discovered not only a remarkably beautiful valley, but a strange plant. As the two looked into each other's eyes and held hands in quiet celebration, the plant transformed into another [[Vok]] device, and as they clasped hands, declaring their love to exist beyond the throes of death, the two were absorbed and shot into space. Cheetor arrived, but was too late, and loudly protested the loss of two of his best friends. {{storylink|Other Visits (Part 1)}}

[[File:OtherVictories BirthofTigerhawk.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Know that I am [[Razorclaw (Universe)|Razorclaw]]! Well, part of him. From another universe. It's complicated.]]

Airazor and Tigatron were kept in a form of stasis until near the end of the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]], when they were merged into the powerful being [[Tigerhawk]]. Tigerhawk returned to Earth as the emissary of the Vok to stop the deterioration that the Beast Wars were causing to the timestream, his first act being to destroy the [[Darksyde (BW)|Darksyde]], sending the Predacons scrambling. Tarantulas managed to capture Tigerhawk and removed the Vok's influence from his frame (and absorbed it into himself), letting Airazor and Tigatron's [[spark]]s inhabit Tigerhawk's body. Tigatron's voice was dominant, but Tigerhawk's personality and mannerisms were an amalgam of Tigatron and Airazor's. {{storylink|Other Victories}}

Shortly afterward, however, Tigerhawk was killed in a standoff with the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'' after Megatron retrieved it from the ocean floor. {{storylink|Nemesis Part 2}}
{{-}}

====3H comics====
[[File:Groundzero-airazorbeastmode.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]
Somewhere near the end of the first year of the Beast Wars, before the Planet Buster ignited the planet's energon, Airazor, Rhinox, and Cheetor overheard a battle between [[Fractyl]] and [[Packrat]]. Airazor ended up having to rescue Cheetor, who had darted off ahead of them and gotten blasted. After the battle was resolved, she and the other Maximals fled, pretending to be beaten by the timid Fractyl to increase his standing in Megatron's eyes. {{storylink|Ground Zero}}

[[File:TransmetalAirazor2.jpg|right|upright=0.85|thumb|WINGS UP WINGS DOWN WHO GIVES A CRAP]]
After the Beast Wars were over, [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]], presumed destroyed, existed in a new, undead form that was fueled by his new Vok powers. The remaining Vok assembled warriors to end this threat, creating [[Primal Prime]] and giving new [[Transmetal]] bodies to the extant Sparks of Airazor and Tigatron. {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 1}} {{storylink|Primeval Dawn II}}

After awakening a stranded stasis pod containing [[Ramulus]], opening a second pod triggered an ambush by [[Spittor (BW)|Spittor]], [[Iguanus (BW)|Iguanus]], [[Razorclaw (BW)|Razorclaw]], and a reborn Transmetal 2 [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]]. Airazor immediately saved Tigatron's life, knocking Spittor aside before Tigatron would have unwittingly come in contact with Spittor's body, covered entirely in [[cyber venom]]. This maneuver left her vulnerable to Ravage's gunfire, which knocked her out of the air. {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 2}}

The battle ended catastrophically, and Ramulus, Airazor, and Tigatron were forced to carry a critically-wounded Primal Prime back to the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' after Tarantulas ripped the [[Matrix of Leadership]] from his chest. As Airazor and Tigatron conferred with the seemingly absent Vok, Airazor experienced great pains due to her battle wounds. But before she could explain, the ''Ark'' was under attack by Ravage and the Predacons. {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 3}}

{{note|Due to [[3H Productions]] loss of the convention license, "Primeval Dawn" was never completed. It is telling, however, that Airazor was not present in the subsequently-placed "[[Transformers: Universe (comic)|Wreckers]]" storyline. "[[Wreckers: Finale Part II]]" even has Tigatron awkwardly not answering Rattrap's query as to where Airazor is now. In "[[Ask Vector Prime/Sideways src#July 6.2C 2015|Ask Sideways]]", [[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]] claims that, as part of a long con, he saved her life by bonding her back into Tigatron.}}
{{-}}

====Razorclaw continuity====
In one splinter timeline of [[Primax 496.22 Alpha]], [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]]'s stasis pod landed far from the ''Axalon'', and without the aid of Silverbolt, Megatron slaughtered the Maximals. Left as the sole survivors, Tigatron and Airazor were then abducted by the Vok and then dispatched as Tigerhawk to end Megatron's machinations which threatened the Vok. Tigerhawk slew Megatron, but in the ensuing [[timestorm]] destroyed the universe anyway. Subsequently, [[Unicron]] abducted Tigerhawk to become one of his [[Minion of Unicron (Universe)|Minion]] generals. The renamed [[Razorclaw (Universe)|Razorclaw]] became one of Unicron's most feared Heralds; however, the noble influence of Tigatron and Airazor at times posed a problem for the evil Razorclaw. {{storylink|Abduction|Razorclaw's profile}} {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/07}}

====IDW ''Beast Wars'' comics====
At the tail-end of the Great War, both [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] met their demise on the battlefield. In response, the [[Primal Council]] sought to broker peace negotiations with their enemies, enlisting Tigatron to this end. The 'bot who would one day call herself "Airazor" was one of the many soldiers tasked with guarding the Autobot peace officer as he headed into enemy camps on his mission.

Unfortunately, the first camp the group made contact with was headed by a renegade soldier going by the name "[[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]]". Rejecting the talk of peace outright, Megatron unleashed [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] onto his visitors, along with the other units under his command. "Airazor" was accosted by [[Waspinator (BW)|two]] [[Terrorsaur (BW)|fliers]], though she quickly defeated them both before rescuing Tigatron from Predaking. As the rest of the Autobots with them were slain, Tigatron argued with his rescuer over which one of them should head off to warn the Council of Megatron's incoming attack. Convincing him that she didn't need rescuing herself, and promising that she'd see him again someday, "Airazor" sent Tigatron on his way. But she stood little chance against Predaking by herself, and soon found herself in the giant's grip. Before Predaking could finish her off, [[transmatter]] started raining down on the battlefield, converting whoever it touched into a protoform. "Airazor" was one of the many affected by the transmatter, though her form was retrieved and safely stored within a stasis pod after hostilities had ended between Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|Dawn of the Predacus}}

As [[Magmatron]] surveyed the timestream, he witnessed several key moments in the Beast Wars. Among them was Airazor being helped up by a concerned Tigatron. {{storylink|The Gathering issue 1|The Gathering #1}}

After Tigerhawk's body was destroyed, the two sparks contained within split, regaining their individuality. The Vok then proceeded in bestowing upon Airazor a new Transmetal form utilizing a blank protoform. {{storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook}}

====''Timelines''====
[[File:Airazorbwdawn.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Tiger, you just hit the jackpot.]]

Her name was Wing Saber. A routine reconnaissance mission went awry when Wing Saber was captured by the Predacon torturer, [[Steelgrave]]. Despite his array of fiendish devices and Bond-villain mentality, Wing Saber was able to elude Steelgrave and fight her way through his henchmen before retreating to her cloaked starship, the ''[[Chromia 10]]''. Although she escaped, Wing Saber bore the physical and mental scars from her encounter with Steelgrave for some time.

Later, she was assigned to rendezvous with a pair of Maximals named [[Crossblades (BW)|Crossblades]] and [[Stiletto (BW)|Stiletto]] for a new mission. In violation of the [[Pax Cybertronia]], a group of Predacons had been rampaging through the [[J'kozian sector]] and set up a troop manufacturing factory on the conquered world of [[Nibari]]. Holographically posing as barmaids, the trio inebriated most of Steelgrave's troops into stasis lock before proceeding into the factory. Their infiltration was cut short by a raid on the factory by the native Nibari population, led by [[Ritash]]. Wing Saber's group was forced to divert their mission in order to keep the organics from being completely slaughtered. They were actually doing well...at least, until the true leader of Steelgrave's Predacons made his presence known... '''[[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'''!

Wing Saber's crew evacuated with all due haste, taking Ritash of the Nibari with them. A reassessment of the situation was clearly called for. After a review of the history records, Wing Saber decided that the frequent quotations of "No Known Weaknesses" overlooked Megatron's infamous arrogance, and THAT was what they needed to exploit. The crew of the ''Chromia 10'' challenged Megatron to combat in full view of his subordinates, forcing him to agree in order to save face. During the ritualized combat, Crossblades noticed that the Mighty Megatron was nowhere near as invulnerable as history records indicated. Sensing a ruse, the Maximals concentrated their firepower and revealed "Megatron" was little more than an exo-suit run by his ex-lieutenant, [[Flamewar (G1)|Flamewar]]. With Flamewar revealed, and the drone troopers brought under the control of Ritash and his rebels, Nibari was well on its way to being freed.{{storylink|The Razor's Edge}}

[[File:Trazorsedge prologue.jpg|thumb|"I'm gonna deck you in the schnoz!"]]

Later, the Predacons who stole the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]] on Cybertron were being pursued by [[Tigatron|Unit 2]], who was granted clearance from the [[Maximal Defense Command Center]] to commandeer transport. Wing Saber was boarding the ''Chromia 10'', when Unit 2 approached and demanded use of it. Wing Saber at first refused, but suggested she was open to... persuasion. The call of adventure captured her interest, and instead of handing over the ''Chromia 10'' to Unit 2, she allowed him to hitch a ride, piloting it herself.

The ''Chromia 10'' intercepted the Predacons' ship, the ''[[Darksyde (BW)|Darksyde]]'', which was engaged in battle with the ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'' and guarded by a [[Buzzsaw and Laserbeak's ship|mysterious third ship]]. During the ensuing firefight, the ''Chromia 10'' was badly damaged. [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] had Wing Saber and Unit 2's [[spark]]s remotely [[Spark core transfer|uploaded]] to [[blank]] [[protoform]]s in the Axalon's cargo hold, which saved their lives, but severely damaged their core mainframes. {{storylink|Dawn of Future's Past}}

Two weeks after Airazor was reborn on [[Earth]], she foiled a Predacon plot to launch an orbital platform despite Megatron's best efforts. {{storylink|The Razor's Edge}}
{{-}}

===''Beast Wars Metals'' manga===
[[File:AirazorBWMetalsManga01.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|The manga kinda made it pret-ty dang clear where it stood on what gender Airazor should be.]]

Following the [[Quantum surge]], Airazor became a [[Transmetal]]. However, she was separated from the rest of the [[Maximal]]s and was locked outside of their base during [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]]'s counterattack. As she flew in, [[Sentinel (BW)|Sentinel]]'s defenses began to fire at her. [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] attempted to shut Sentinel down, only to be stopped by [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], who warned him that Sentinel was the only thing protecting them from Quickstrike's [[Cobra Corps]] and [[Scorpion Corps]]. Rhinox brushed him aside and shut Sentinel down, anyway. Airazor, who had been shot by Sentinel, swooped in for a crash-landing. Rattrap, feeling somewhat guilty, dove to soften her landing. Not long after this, [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] breached their defenses and took out both Rattrap and Airazor without effort. Rhinox saved her some time and appeared to shoot himself in the head. Feeling her job was done, Blackarachnia left as Quickstrike destroyed their base.

From a small section of the base that had been protected by a forcefield, Airazor aided Rattrap and Rhinox in pulling [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]]'s [[spark]] from [[transwarp|transwarp space]]. As Rhinox brought his spark out from oblivion, Rattrap funneled it through a ray device while Airazor positioned a reflective dish. Primal's spark bounced off the dish and connected with his body (which was being held by [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] at his base, the ''[[Hindenburg]]''), resurrecting him as a Transmetal. Airazor, still injured from before, began to plummet to the ground. Primal rescued her, destroyed Megatron's drone army, and carried her off on his flying surfboard. Recovering, Airazor began to wonder where her "[[Tigatron]]-sama" was. {{storylink|Beast Wars Metals issue 1|Beast Wars Metals #1}}

Airazor next accompanied Rattrap and Optimus in investigating the remains of the ''Axalon''. She was attacked by [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]], but escaped. Following Primal's orders, she and Rattrap used the ''Axalon''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s weapons to ignite undersea volcanoes that blasted Rampage into the sky. {{storylink|Beast Wars Metals issue 2|Beast Wars Metals #2}}

Later, she decided to search for Tigatron on her own. {{storylink|Beast Wars Metals issue 3|Beast Wars Metals #3}} She soon found him, but his mind had been taken over by Tarantulas. She linked her mind with Tigatron's and, after defeating Tarantulas in cyberspace, was able to free Tigatron's consciousness. Unfortunately, she wasn't quite fast enough, and Tigatron's mind-controlled body delivered a fatal blow that killed her. Seeing what he'd done, Tigatron held her in his arms and wept with grief. {{storylink|Beast Wars Metals issue 4|Beast Wars Metals #4}}

Tigatron eventually committed ritual suicide over what he'd done, only to be revived by the energies of the sparks released by the obliterated Rampage. Airazor was also among the revived, but as a mindless zombie. {{storylink|Beast Wars Metals issue 5|Beast Wars Metals #5}} She did battle with Tigatron, who did not want to fight the robot he loved. With no other option, Tigatron gave the evil Airazor one of his katana and knelt down. As the zombie-Airazor struck him with the [[sword]], Airazor's spark entered Tigatron's body. In cyberspace, the two embraced and vowed never to be apart again. As their sparks merged, they became [[Tigerhawk]]. {{storylink|Beast Wars Metals issue 6|Beast Wars Metals #6}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers Legends'' anthology===
When [[human]] archaeologists uncovered a cave filled with primitive language, [[Mini-Con]] [[Laserbeak (Armada)|Laserbeak]] translated it for them. The markings told of a time when the Maximals and Predacons crash-landed on prehistoric Earth, though the stranded Transformers were seen by the protohumans as gods. When one of the archeologists, [[Jessica Theist]], later touched one of the markings, she was bestowed a vision of the Maximals' and Predacons' battles. Among them, she noted a "falcon." {{storylink|Fire in the Dark}}

===''Q-Robo Transformer''===
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Q-Robo Transformer}}}}

===''TransTech''===
[[File:Airazorwhitheredhope.jpg|thumb|How Robin would have looked in Batman Beyond...]]

Airazor, sporting a purely Cybertronian form, became a resident of [[Axiom Nexus]] at an unknown point in time and the timelines. She joined the offworlders' [[Freelance Police Legion]] and also forged ties with their parallel organization, the [[Axiom Nexus Security Administration]] run by the planet's native Cybertronians, the [[Transcendent Technomorph]]s. Airazor eventually received authorization as an inspector in the Security Administration, giving her the rare (if not ''unique'') status as an officer for BOTH police forces in Axiom Nexus. Despite her official status, Airazor still enjoyed her vices, and was a frequent customer of the [[Widow's Cafe Cybertronian]] at the edge of the [[Heap]].

Airazor was involved in the first detaining of [[Jackpot (G1)|Jackpot]] and [[Hubcap (G1)|Hubcap]], after the assassination of [[Gutcruncher (G1)|Gutcruncher]] sent Axiom Nexus into chaos. She and [[Stungun (TransTech)|Stungun]] stood guard over the duo while awaiting [[Cheetor (TransTech)|Commander Cheetor]]'s arrival. As is often the case with femmes, she had absolutely no tolerance for Jackpot's sweet-talk. Upon his arrival, Cheetor dismissed Airazor to keep an eye on three "[[Transcendent|units of interest]]" who had recently come through Processing Central. He casually suggested she recruit some Freelancers as well to keep the surveillance less official, since it was technically out of their jurisdiction. Her departure served a double purpose, leaving a viable exit for the lowtech Autobots to flee and draw out the ''real'' assassin for the Security Administration. Once [[Black Shadow (Victory)|Black Shadow]] and his shell were deactivated, Airazor swooped in and took Jackpot into custody again immediately. Despite his claims of having found a real connection, she was thrilled when Commander Cheetor expedited his deportation to [[Primax 207.0 Epsilon|a universe]] similar to his home universe. {{storylink|Gone Too Far}}

Shortly after her promotion to Inspector Airazor, the Maximal had occasion to drop in on her old friend [[Crystal Widow]] at the Widow's Cafe. It was hardly a social call, however, as Security Administration had been requisitioned by [[Demolishor (TransTech)|General Demolishor]] of the [[Military Police]] to conduct a serious investigation into some courier murders and the theft of unauthorized TransTech technology. One of Crystal Widow's regulars, [[Escargon]], had been pegged for the matter. Airazor tried to execute a quiet arrest, but General Demolishor's attention span and flair for the dramatic turned it into a decidedly UNquiet raid of the premises. Demolishor also executed Escargon on the spot while Airazor was attempting to gain control of the suspect.

In his zeal, however, General Demolishor hadn't thought to check if Escargon had the stolen property before shooting him. Sure enough, a thorough search by Inspector Airazor appeared to turn up no traces of the property on his person. Dejected, General Demolishor turned his frustrations on the clientele, particular several "mechanoids of interest" called [[G1 GoBots|GoBots]] who had arrived around the same time as Escargon. With some fast legalese, Airazor managed to talk Demolishor out of doing further damage to the bar or Crystal Widow's customers. After the good general departed, Airazor explained the seriousness of the situation — Escargon had stolen a set of [[transit pass]]es, official letters for TransTech black ops work that allowed unmolested access to any transwarp platform facility. Literally a "Get Out of Axiom Nexus Free" Card.

General Demolishor was not so easily deterred, though, and soon wound up battling Crystal Widow and the GoBots in the [[Heap]] until Airazor and Commander Cheetor arrived with the Security Administration. The general was quickly deflated when Cheetor told him he had informed [[Megatron (TransTech)|Commander Megatron]] personally about the issuance of these ''unauthorized'' transit passes, and the fact that Demolishor had lost them. Because the Heap was outside of Security Administration jurisdiction, the collar officially went to Airazor as a representative of the Freelance Police Legion.

As Demolishor was being led away, Commander Cheetor requested a private word with Inspector Airazor. In no uncertain terms, he ''very loudly'' did not say he knew she had swiped the passes while frisking Escargon, and did not tell her to make sure the passes were handed over to the GoBots. Reluctantly, Airazor did as she was not ordered to do and gave up her meal tickets. {{storylink|Withered Hope}}

===''Legends'' comic===
[[File:Legends Manga Xmas Airazor.jpg|thumb|left|150px|we're sorry about everything on the right.]]

Airazor and [[Nightscream (BM)|Nightscream]] were hired by Optimus Primal to work as office ladies at the [[Axalon Trading Company]]. Their tight skirts and overall cuteness mesmerized Rattrap... at least until Rhinox reminded him that they had no women on the payroll. {{storylink|Legends Vol. 4#The Gender Gap|The Gender Gap}} Later, Optimus Primal and [[Lio Convoy]] swooned over Airazor's cuteness as he fetched them tea for their meeting. Rattrap and Rhinox merely continued to curse the fact that Airazor was a man. {{storylink|Legends Vol. 5#The Gender Gap Part 2|The Gender Gap Part 2}} Hoping to get to the bottom of Airazor and Nightscream's genders, Rattrap and Rhinox proceeded to follow them to see which bathroom they'd use. Much to their confusion, they learned that their building had no ladies' room but an ''[[w:otokonoko|otokonoko]]'' room. {{storylink|Legends Vol. 9#The Bathroom Gap|The Bathroom Gap}}

For [[Christmas]], Airazor joined [[T-AI|Ai]] in donning skimpy Santa outfits and handed out toys to all the good little Transformers. {{storylink|Merry X'mas!!}} At another point, old man Rhinox's nostalgia became so powerful he was able to will the '80s back into existence, retrograding all modern technology into clumsy '80s counterparts. In the madness, Airazor's computer turned into a cruddy micro-computer that couldn't even connect to the [[Internet]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 3|Bonus Edition Vol. 3}}

At work, Rattrap found himself emasculated at every turn, even by Airazor, who was bigger and stronger than he was. This led Rattrap to seek comfort in a dream sequence involving [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] and [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 8|Bonus Edition Vol. 8}}

When the amnesiac [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] used her charms to squat at [[Tigatron]]'s home, Airazor took issue with it, and the three ended up in a bed together, with Airazor trying to push Windblade away from Tigatron. {{storylink|Windblade Sequel}}

Following the destruction of their old office because of [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], the Axalon employees took it in stride and made Metroplex's city mode their new office. Airazor and Cheetor got scared when their [[Alpha Trion (G1)|mysterious janitor]] claimed to be from "the other world", assuming he meant the world of the dead. {{storylink|LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue#The Mysterious Knowledgeable Grandpa Chapter|The Mysterious Knowledgeable Grandpa Chapter}}

Airazor was dressed up as a nurse and ready to go to a [[Halloween]] party with Tigatron and Windblade when they were interrupted by the trick-or-treating [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]], [[Slipstream (Animated)|Slipstream]], and [[Nightbird (G1)|Nightbird Shadow]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 17|Bonus Edition Vol. 17}}

Airazor also worked at a "little brother cafe" and was there when the manager, [[Starscream (BWII)|Starscream]], explained to another worker, who was [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|another Starscream]], just what kind of cafe it was. While thinking back to the good times she'd had in the Legends Universe, Windblade remembered a time she'd hand-fed Tigatron at the cafe, something Airazor hadn't liked at all. {{storylink|LG-18 Armada Starscream Super Mode Prologue}} Following the hiring of the Autobot [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] from another dimension, Airazor told [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] that he still had to answer calls from customers despite being trapped in [[Butla]] at the time. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 22|Bonus Edition Vol. 22}}

Airazor was among the coworkers bothered by Chromedome flying around the office on Moguru, {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 32|Bonus Edition Vol. 32}} and was seen on the sidewalks of [[Akihabara]] after it was rebuilt as Neo Akihabara City. {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Prologue}} When [[White Leo]] turned the people of the Legends World into [[Beastformer]]s to recruit them into his army, Airazor ended up with some [[#TM1|familiar armor]] and the name "Lucky Razor". {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 51|Bonus Edition Vol. 51}}
{{-}}

====The Beast Wars Road Map====
When Rhinox was countacted by his [[Rhinox (TransTech)|counterpart]] from [[Axiom Nexus]], Airazor interrupted their conversation to point out [[A Change to the Agenda|new developments]] happening in a branching timeline. {{storylink|The Beast Wars Road Map}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
:*''First Appearance:'' [[All That Remains|Transformers: Windblade vol. 2 #3]]

[[File:IDWAirazorcharactermodel.jpg|thumb|right|175px]]

Airazor was a native of the planet [[Eukaris]], and was born from the [[hot spot]] inside the [[Titan (IDW)|Titan]] [[Chela]]. She abandoned [[Cloud Walkers|her tribe]] long ago so that she could be with her love Tigatron.

[[File:CombinerWars5-Eukaris.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

When battling [[combiner]]s from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] briefly touched upon the planet, Airazor and Tigatron witnessed [[Optimus Maximus (G1)|Optimus Maximus]] battling against [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]. {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 6|Windblade vol. 2 #6}} They later investigated the huge footprints the combiners left behind. Tigatron wanted to report their discovery to the others, while Airazor disagreed. {{storylink|All That Remains}} They eventually sought out the advice of the seer Blackarachnia, who foresaw the reappearance of true Cybertronians on their planet. A week later, Airazor was present when the leaders of Eukaris's tribes convened outside the space bridge, although Dinobot didn't take kindly to the "tribe of two." The tension was quickly defused when Rattrap sneaked through the space bridge and onto the planet, only to receive a less-than-warm welcome from Dinobot.

A month later, Airazor was present when the first real representatives from Cybertron arrived - [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] and Starscream. Before negotiations could get underway, Chela awoke and burst from the ground, intending to destroy all Cybertronian intruders. After Chela was killed by Starscream, the citizens of Eukaris agreed to join the nascent [[Council of Worlds]]. Blackarachnia appointed Tigatron and Airazor as delegates to Cybertron, believing that their independence from Eukaris's competing tribes would make them impartial diplomats. {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 6|Windblade vol. 2 #6}} Upon emigrating to Cybertron, Airazor was amazed to find that she and Tigatron were being welcomed in spite of their romance, a feature she felt could potentially attract more Eukarians. {{storylink|The Chosen One}}

Approximately two weeks later, Airazor was present for the ceremony inducting [[Vigilem|Carcer]] delegates [[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]] and [[Strika (BM)|Strika]] into the Council of Worlds. {{storylink|The Will of the Few}} She and Tigatron began operating regularly on Cybertron, interacting with the local citizens and the other colonists. {{storylink|Choose Me}}

After [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] announced his intent to annex [[Earth]] into the Council of Worlds, Airazor attended the first council meeting discussing this sudden change of events. {{storylink|New Worlds Order}} In-between Council meetings, the two Eukariens continued adjusting to life on Cybertron, quietly hoping that one day the growing number of immigrants could expand beyond the borders of Iacon. When the Council re-convened to discuss a string of mysterious [[Mnemosurgery|mnemosurgical]] assaults and the growing distrust of the [[Badgeless]], the two Eukarian delegates were in attendance. The Committee moved to have [[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] investigate the crime spree. {{storylink|07:00:00}}

[[File:ApplicableSkills-fangsandfur.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

Things turned sour following the death of [[Drunkatron|an inebriated Decepticon]] which most chalked up to police brutality. Airazor and Obsidian observed an angry mob advancing on Starscream's office, as the two commiserated over their dismay with the fractured Cybertron. Shortly afterwards, Airazor attended the emergency meeting to try and sort out what could be done, a meeting that ended with Ironhide becoming the new head of Cybertronian security. {{storylink|Applicable Skills}} Airazor later attended a meeting where Ironhide reported on the progress of the new recruits. {{storylink|Things We Said We'd Never Do}} When [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] attacked Iacon, Airazor and the other Council delegates were temporarily evacuated. {{storylink|The Line Between Us}}

The Council later met with Optimus to hear his side of the story. Although Prime insisted that his intentions were pure, its members unanimously voted against allowing Earth a seat on the council. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 3: The Medium and the Message|The Medium and the Message}} When Optimus raised a holy [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Titan]] from the ground, however, public opinion began to shift back towards Optimus, and the Council began re-considering their ruling. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 6: No Fair Fights|No Fair Fights}}

[[File:DesperateTimes-anythingforyou.jpg|thumb|right|250px|And the man shall ride a falcon.]]

Months later, [[Vigilem|Carcer]] detected a fleet of [[zombie]] Titans rapidly approaching Cybertron and intent on scouring the planet clean. The Council attended an emergency meeting to discuss the threat, and wound up preparing for an all-out war against the army. The Titans soon made planetfall; Airazor and Tigatron fought together on the front lines and used their [[beast mode]]s to tear through enemy armor. {{storylink|Ping}} When it became clear that they couldn't win, the two retreated back to the Council [[Spire]] to discuss a last-ditch moves. As a result, both Airazor and Tigatron joined Windblade's strike team, aiming to invade Carcer and seize control of the Titan from its reluctant leader [[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]]. {{storylink|Desperate Times}}

Airazor stood by Starscream as the strike teams attacked making odd faces at the Chancellor's odd habit of [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|seemingly talking to himself]]. {{storylink|Desperate Measures (Till All Are One)|Desperate Measures}} After Windblade and Carcer had triumphed, she joined Starscream and [[Knock Out (G1)|Knock Out]] in cheering. {{storylink|Rubicon}} It transpired however that "Carcer" was in fact, Vigilem, the Titan of [[Liege Maximo]] who had managed to free his master before he died. The Council was informed of the Prime's inevitable return but only after half of them had already voted to keep it secret and forced the other half to do the same, much to Airazor's discomfort. {{storylink|The Chosen One}}

When the crisis had passed, the Council reconvened to meet with Optimus Prime as the Autobot leader discussed sharing Transformer technology with the [[Junkion (species)|Junkion]]s, who had recently arrived on Earth. Starscream shot down the proposal; as Earth was not yet a member of the Council, it would be a violation of the [[Tyrest Accord]]. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 3: Behind My Bleeding Back|Behind My Bleeding Back}}

Airazor was present during Earth's induction ceremony into the [[Council of Worlds]] when [[M.A.S.K.]] and [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] was brought before the Council where Elita One ordered them executed. When Knock Out supported the notion owing to the looming threat of Liege Maximo and the short [[human]] lifespan, Airazor protested owing to the fact that, regardless of lifespan, the humans were still living creatures. {{storylink|First Strike issue 4|First Strike #4}}

Following the invasion, Windblade was due to retake her position on the Council only to learn that Liege Maximo's freedom was still being kept under wraps prompting her to inform Circuit and Longtooth of it which resulted in public elections. After the Camien had announced her intent to run for office, Airazor visited Windblade in [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]] where she extolled the values of Cybertron's acceptance of 'bots from all walks of life and how that feature could attract more Eukarians (assuming of course Iacon could last five minutes without being half destroyed). She and Tigatron later attended the electoral debates and took part in Windblade's subsequent victory party. {{storylink|The Chosen One}}

The Council later assembled to receive an [[Ore-13]] from Optimus Prime before [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Onyx Prime]] and [[Liege Maximo]] made a dramatic return aboard the [[Nemesis (BWII)|''Nemesis'']]. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 1: Surfeit of Primes|Surfeit of Primes}} Joined by [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], the Council granted the Primes an audience. After an explosion ripped through the [[Spire]], Airazor helped up Tigatron only to learn Alpha Trion was killed by the blast. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 2: Another Mine|Another Mine}}
{{--}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
[[File:Derailment Parliament.jpg|250px|thumb|left]]

Airazor of [[Nuon City|Nuon]] was a champion of the Games who eventually came to sit on the [[Maximal High Council]]. She sat on the Council when the [[Maximal Nation]] declared themselves independent from [[Builder of Cybertron|Builder]]s and the [[Resistance]] alike. When the [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon]] threat arose and consumed Nuon, however, Airazor advocated abandoning neutrality and entering the war against the Builders. She frequently clashed with the pacifist [[Santon]]. When the Council received an audience by First Resistor [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] and [[Preditron]] to hear first hand about the Vehicons, the vote soon swayed in Airazor's favor, and the Maximal Nation went to war.

In the battles to come against the Vehicons and the [[Grand Mal]] fortress, Airazor fought as part of [[Magnaboss (BW)|Magnaboss]], joining with her fellow Councilbots as a battlefield general. They fought alongside the [[Micromaster]] Builder combiner [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] against all odds.

After the war, the [[Cybertronian Parliament]] was founded to govern the planet. The Maximal Nation remained an independent body, and the High Council elected Airazor to serve as their representative at Parliament along with Cheetor and [[Optimal]]. {{storylink|Derailment}}
{{-}}

==Games==
===''Beast Wars: Transformers'' video game continuity===
====''Beast Wars: Transformers'' video game advertising comic====
Upon arriving on "[[Earth|Planet Energon]]", the dangers of Energon radiation forced the six surviving Maximals and their Predacon adversaries to take on beast alternate forms. {{storylink|Beast Wars: Transformers video game advertising comic}}

====''Beast Wars: Transformers'' video game====
{{voiceactor|??? (English), ??? (Japanese)}}
=====Maximal campaign=====
{{Note|Airazor is a playable character for "rescue missions" gameplay.}}
Airazor was absent from the main conflict with both Predacons and the [[Skriix]]; instead, she flew rescue missions, using her flight capabilities to rescue captured Maximals from the Predacons' prison ships.

Upon having eliminated the Predacon threat, Airazor was part of Optimus Primal's roll call when he announced that the galaxy was now at peace. {{storylink|Beast Wars: Transformers (video game)|Beast Wars: Transformers}}

===''Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals'' (N64)===
[[File:N64 Airazor.jpg|frame|Airazor was having second thoughts about this new backpack.]]
{{voiceactor|[[Janet-Laine Green]] (English), ??? (Japanese)}}

Airazor played a critical role in the Maximals' victory over the Predacons. However, when their enemies had all been taken prisoner, Airazor and Tigatron decided not to join their comrades in their journey to Cybertron. The two sparkmates would reside on prehistoric earth, observing as the planet recovered from the war. They nonetheless sometimes wondered about the other Maximals' fates and whether or not true peace could finally be found between Maximals and Predacons. {{storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals (N64)}}
{{note|Each character possessed an alternate ending, displayed if the game was beaten with said character. Each character has only their own ending listed on their pages, see the other characters' pages for Airazor's fate in those outcomes.}}
{{-}}
===''Transformers: Battle Tactics''===
[[File:Battle-Tactics-Airazor-Transmetal.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Transmetal Airazor actually comes first in this game.]]
[[File:Battle-Tactics-Airazor-(BW).jpg|thumb|right|400px]]
Airazor participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of her! She appeared in two different bodies:
*''Airazor Transmetal'' — This Epic character first appeared in the "Transmetals: Beast Wars - Episode 2" event, and could be recruited by collecting 500 units of Cybermetal, 250 units of Transmetal, 100 event cores, and 50 cores of this character.
*''Airazor (BW)'' — This Super Rare character was available as a reward to 1000 players in the "Beast Wars: Episode 4" event.
{{storylink|Transformers: Battle Tactics}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===Beast Wars===
[[File:Airazorbwtoy1.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
*'''Airazor''' (Basic, 1997)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-10'''
**''Accessories'': Blaster

: Part of the first wave of year-two ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' product, Airazor transforms into a somewhat generic falcon (or some other bird of prey) with opening beak. Unlike first-year Basics, Airazor's transformation is entirely manual, rather than spring-loaded. Pulling on the yellow-plastic feathers near her tail activates a spring-loaded wing-movement gimmick. Each wing also has a flip-out blade. Her tail hides both a heat-sensitive "[[rubsign|energon chip]]" and a non-firing blaster that can be hand-held or mounted on the underside of either forearm.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1997/Maximal/Airazor/airazor.htm More information on Airazor at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|BasicVid}}
[[File:BW-toy Airazor-video.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|This took forever to photograph because the damn thing's ankles are looser than the WWE's drug policies.]]
*'''Airazor''' (Video pack-in, 1997)
**''Accessories'': Blaster

: The original Airazor toy was given a similar but darker [[redeco]], and packaged with a VHS tape containing the episodes "[[Aftermath]]" and "[[Coming of the Fuzors (Part 1)]]". She retains all of her previous [[gimmick]]ry.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1998/Maximal/Airazor/airazor.htm More information on video Airazor at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|BasicVs}}
*'''Aerial Showdown: Airrazor vs Kuwagaigar''' (Basic, 1997)
**''ID number'': '''VS-10'''
**''Accessories'': Blaster

: For her (his) [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] release, Airazor was available both as an individually-boxed toy, and in an "Aerial Showdown" Vs-pack with [[Insecticon (BW)|Insecticon]]. Both toys were identical to their individual releases.

{{-}}{{anchor|TM1}}
[[File:Airazorbwtfmtoy1.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|First American toy designed to be a girl from the start. Seriously.]]
*'''Airazor''' (Deluxe Transmetal, 1998/1999)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-45'''

: [[Transmetal]] Airazor transforms into a mechanical falcon, with a third "seaplane" mode with fold-down pontoons. In robot mode, the chromed beast-mode backplate can fold around it for a "shield" mode. Some early releases of the [[Hasbro]] Airazor have much more lavender-hued chrome than the normal blue of later versions.

: The Japanese version of this toy has the yellow plastics replaced with a bright orange and the opaque white replaced with a translucent white plastic. The "AIRAZOR" [[tampograph]] on its chromed shields was also changed to "CYBERTRON" with the Maximal [[insignia|faction symbol]].

: This mold was also used to make ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' [[Airazor (Armada)|Airazor]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1998/Maximal/TMAirazor/tmairazor.htm More information on Transmetal Airazor at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|MetalsVs}}
*'''Heatwave Showdown: Airrazor vs Quickstrike''' (VS set, 1999)
**''ID number'': '''VS-45'''

: In Japan, ''Metals'' Airrazor was available both as an individual and in a "VS" pack with [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]]. Both toys are identical to their individual releases.

{{-}}{{anchor|TMFK}}
*'''Airazor''' (Deluxe Transmetal, 2000)
[[File:Fox Kids Transmetal Airazor.jpg|thumb|right|upright=2.0]]
: One of the final releases of the normal ''Beast Wars'' line, Airazor's Transmetal toy was given a tweaked deco and released as part of the so-called "[[Fox Kids]]" assortment of Deluxe Transmetal redecos. This redeco was not as drastic a change from the original as the others in the series, mostly making her a little darker and more desaturated.

: This version of Airazor was made available in Japan as a [[JafCon]] convention [[exclusive]] along with the "Fox Kids" versions of Transmetal [[Cheetor (BW)/toys#TMFK|Cheetor]] and [[Rattrap (BW)/toys#FK|Rattrap]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2000/Maximal/FKTMAirazor/airazor.htm More information on Fox Kids! Transmetal Airazor at TFU.info]''

{{-}}

===Timelines===
{{anchor|Club07}}
[[File:Airazortimelinestoy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|I am a symptom of the retroactive ruination of ''Beast Wars''.]]
*'''Airazor''' (Club exclusive, 2007)
**''Accessories'': Missile

: The second members-only exclusive to [[Fun Publications]]' [[Transformers Collectors' Club]], Airazor (referred to as "Chromia 10 Pilot" in her bio) is a redeco of ''[[Transformers: Energon (franchise)|Energon]]'' [[Slugslinger (Energon)|Slugslinger]] with a [[retool]]ed head, transforming into a Cybertronic twin-cockpit jet. Her jet mode has an under-slung spring-loaded missile launcher (which flips over her shoulder in [[robot mode]]), plus she also has flip-out (non-firing) blasters as well.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2007/Maximal/Airazor/airazor.htm More information on Airazor at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Generations===
[[File:BotCon2016toy-Airazor.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Because one toy of Airazor from before she was born wasn't enough!]]
*'''Airazor''' (BotCon 2016 exclusive, 2016)
**''Accessories'': 2 arm-mounted photon cannons

:Sold individually at [[BotCon 2016]], Airazor is a [[redeco]] of ''[[Transformers Legends (franchise)|Legends]]'' [[Slipstream (Animated)#Legends|Slipstream]], who in turn is a retool of [[Windblade (G1)#Generations|Windblade]]. She comes with two photon cannons that clip on her arms in a different orientation in each mode. Her jet mode fuselage contains a flip-down landing gear and her VTOL wing fans can flip up on a hinge and spin. Unlike the toy-based colors of her previous [[Fun Publications]] toy, this iteration takes its cues from her cartoon appearance.

:This mold also served as the basis of the non-toy ''[[Beast Wars: Uprising]]'' version of [[Stiletto (BW)#Beast Wars: Uprising|Stiletto]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2016/Maximal/BCAirazor/airazor.htm More information on Dawn of the Predacus Airazor at TFU.info]''

{{--}}

==Merchandise==
[[File:Airazormutatingcard.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
*'''Beast Wars Transformers Mutating Card Game''' (1997)
:Airazor was one of the 24 beast warriors to receive a battle card representation for the Beast Wars [[Beast Wars Transformers Mutating Card Game|card game]].
{{--}}

==Gender==
[[File:AirazorJapan1.jpg|right|175px||thumb|[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ShesAManInJapan She's a man in Japan]]]

Airazor's gender in the [[Hasbro]] line is due to ''Beast Wars'' story editors [[Bob Forward]] and [[Larry DiTillio]]'s insistence. The original Airazor toy wasn't developed with a specific gender in mind, and Bob & Larry wanted a larger female presence in the show, and the Airazor toy seemed as good a choice as any. They requested the change early enough that the toy's packaging bio could have its pronouns changed to female. The later Transmetal version of Airazor was the first American-released Transformer mold created to represent a female character.

In the Japanese dub of ''Beast Wars'', Airazor was made male. The exact reason for this has never been made known; it could have been for the sake of sales (girl characters tend to sell poorly in boys toylines) or [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] could have simply been working from outdated material provided by Hasbro in which Airazor was still regarded as male. We may never know.

Initially, the dub skirted around any possibility of romance between Airazor and Tigatron, altering all flirtatious dialogue to change the intent (Tigatron's line in "[[The Trigger, Part 2]]" about how "the lady shall ride a tiger" was rewritten to a more generic command for them to get moving). To explain the closeness of their relationship, Tigatron was humorously portrayed as a "samurai retainer" and Airazor acted as his "ward"; intimating a "brotherly" sort of bond.

Things remained as such all the way until "[[Other Visits (Part 1)]]" when the scripting and animation could no longer allow for any vagaries regarding their relationship. Beginning rather randomly in that episode, Airazor flirtatiously starts calling Tigatron by the nickname "Ti-chan", leaving Tigatron to get flustered and anxiously call for him to stop. When the pair are attacked, they both express their love for one another in dialogue primarily unchanged from the English version. Their romantic attraction was a very spontaneous change in the Japanese version of the series and Japanese magazine editors, responding to letters from confused young fans, gently explained the situation. From the letters page of the ''Beast Wars Club'' magazine:<ref>[http://netatama.net/lite/image/2263677 Scan] of the letters pages from a Japanese ''Beast Wars Club'' magazine</ref>

[[File:BWM 4 title page.jpg|left|thumb|175px|Except when she isn't.]]

:'''Question:''' "If Tigatron and Airazor are both boys, how come they were flirting when the [[Vok|Aliens]] abducted them?"
:'''Answer:''' "Even among humans there are boys who both love (like) each other. In the case of Tigatron and Airazor, they had been fighting together for a long time and as their emotions increased, their friendship turned to feelings of love. 'Transform', indeed!"

In the case of the ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Metals (manga)|Beast Wars Metals]]'' manga, however, Airazor's female gender was retained, as was her heterosexual romantic relationship with Tigatron. This was due to the fact that Airazor's [[Transmetal]] toy had an indisputably feminine build. Additionally, there was never a manga for the original ''Beast Wars'' cartoon in Japan, so the backstory for ''Metals'' could be whatever writer/artist [[Shōji Imaki]] wanted it to be (the manga has numerous irreconcilable divergences from the show's events right out of the gate).

Though Airazor's gender was "restored", her ''personality'' underwent an overhaul, not in any way resembling her self-assured Western characterization. Since Japanese entertainment for young boys does not cotton to female warrior characters (these are the people who turned [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] into a go-fer), Airazor was reduced to a helpless damsel in distress with a subservient and single-minded devotion to her "Tigatron-sama". Commence puke.

The ''[[Transformers Legends (comic)|Transformers Legends]]'' manga would poke fun at Airazor's gender bender from time to time. Airazor is portrayed as looking highly feminine and cute, however, it is revealed to the confusion of the cast that "she" is male. The same joke is extended onto [[Nightscream (BM)|Nightscream]], who was portrayed as a flaming homosexual in the dub of ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)#Japanese release|Beast Machines]]'', and is seen as a "cross-dresser" in the ''Legends'' manga. This is apparently supposed to be "funny".

{{--}}

==Notes==
*An [[Bitch Wars|unproduced ''Beast Wars'' episode concept]] would have seen Airazor and Blackarachnia join forces as a "third faction" for a bit. It went unproduced as the writers couldn't see where to go with the idea.
*Like most characters in the Japanese dub of ''Beast Wars'', Airazor was given an "amusing" verbal tic to run into the ground. When in battle or transforming, [[#Gender|he]] would shout ''haya'' in imitation of a falcon's cry (''hayabusa'' also being the Japanese word for "falcon").
*Somewhat inexplicably, a number of the Italian toyline-specific names for various ''Beast Wars'' characters were only printed on the cardback for the Italian "video-pack" release of Airazor; the names do not even appear on the cardback for "video-pack" [[Razorclaw (BW)|Razorclaw]], who was presumably released in proximity to her, if not at the same time. The Italian names only printed on "video-pack" Airazor were: Insector ([[Powerpinch]]), Rapax ([[Lazorbeak]]), Vortex ([[Drill Bit (BW)|Drill Bit]]), Anfibius ([[Spittor (BW)|Spittor]]), Diablo ([[Snarl (BW)|Snarl]]), Cannibal ([[Manterror]]), Tenax ([[Retrax]]), Dingo ([[K-9]]), and Bison ([[Bonecrusher (BW)|Bonecrusher]]).
*The name of Airazor's ship in "[[Dawn of Future's Past]]", the ''[[Chromia 10]]'', is a reference to her original toy's Japanese ID number.
*The "Dawn of Future's Past" Club exclusive toy is only technically the second Club exclusive toy. She was actually shipped at the same time as [[Astrotrain (Cybertron)|Astrotrain]], but he was the first toy advertised.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Airrazor''' (エアラザー ''Earazā'')<ref>Sources consistently Romanize the name as such.</ref>
*''French:'' '''Aérolame''' (Canada, "Aero Blade"), '''Serres D'Acier''' (Canada cartoon and Transmetal, "Talons of Steel")
*''Italian:'' '''Falcon''' (original toy), '''Falcon Lady''' (cartoon), '''Metal Falcon''' (Transmetal), '''Falco''' (video-pack release)
*''Mandarin:'' '''Fēi Jiàn''' (China, 飞箭, "Flying Arrow") '''Shén Yīng''' (Taiwan, 神鷹, "God Hawk"), '''Yīng Nǚ''' (Taiwan, 鷹女, "Hawk Woman")
*''Polish:'' '''Brzytwozora'''
*''Portuguese:'' '''Falcúria'''
*''Russian:'' '''Orlona''' (Орлона)
*''Spanish:'' '''Airazor''' (Spain), '''Aguila''' (America, "Eagle"), '''Cuchilla''' (Canada toy packaging)

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Beast Wars Maximals]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Maximals]]
[[Category:Combiner Wars]]
[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Convention exclusives]]
[[Category:Council members]]
[[Category:Eukaris]]
[[Category:Fan Club exclusives]]
[[Category:Female Transformers]]
[[Category:Gender-switch characters]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 Transformers]]
[[Category:Law enforcement]]
[[Category:Legends Maximals]]
[[Category:Pilots]]
[[Category:Reconnaissance specialists]]
[[Category:Security officers]]
[[Category:Timelines characters]]
[[Category:Toys "R" Us exclusives]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]
[[Category:Transmetals]]
[[Category:TransTech Maximals]]
[[Category:Universe Maximals]]

Metroplex (G1)

2018-09-02T11:38:08Z

Holomanga:

{{factions|autobot|autobotg2|decepticon}}
{{featured}}
{{disambigm|Metroplex (disambiguation)|Scramble City (disambiguation)}}
:''Metroplex is an [[Autobot]] [[cityformer]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:Metroplex-UK.jpg|325px|thumb|We built this city on rock and roll!]]
'''Metroplex'''’s poor, slow, and infrequent efforts to support his brave comrades and forward the Autobot cause are never enough. Sure, he's the Autobots' ultimate weapon, their greatest and final defense. Yes, he's a gigantic, towering warrior, capable of channeling awesome energies. Strong beyond belief, versatile, clever, brave and self-sacrificing, Metroplex is willing to give everything he has to the Autobot cause and defend it to his last [[Units of time|astrosecond]]s of life. Despite all this he’s wracked to the core of his being with the belief that he could and should be doing more. It’s a self-deprecating attitude that stuns many of his fellow Autobots, most of whom take immeasurable comfort in his very existence and the knowledge that regardless of what evil comes, Metroplex is out there to back them up.

This [[Titan (IDW)|Titan]]'s great modesty about his power and achievements together with a boundless patience necessitated by his size and [[alternate mode]] are apparent to anyone who pierces his normally less than talkative demeanor, and in the optics of many, these traits only raise his already high standing.

Metroplex's long-standing nemesis is the equally-gargantuan [[Decepticon]], [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. He has three "normal"-sized components: [[Six-Gun]], [[Slammer]], and [[Scamper]], to help patrol and defend his territory. The extent of that territory varies; sometimes Metroplex is an independent base, and other times he's part of (or all of) [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], aka '''Scramble City'''.

{{bigquote|Metroplex is my kind of town!|[[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]] on Metroplex|"[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Bud Davis]] (English), [[Osamu Saka]] (Japanese)|[[Xia Zhiqing]] (Chinese), [[Manfred Schmidt]] (German, Most of Season 3), [[Thomas Rau]] (German, "Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5"), [[Franz Rudnick]] (German, "The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1"), [[Ulf Jürgen Söhmisch]] (German, Generation 2 Dub of "Ghost in the Machine" & "The Ultimate Weapon")}}

[[File:FFOD5 Metroplex Trypticon.JPG|left|upright=1.2|thumb|No [[Jason David Frank|Tommy]], snap out of it!]]

By the year 2005, Metroplex had been installed as a sub-section of the larger [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], now the main base of operations for the Autobots on [[Earth]]. During the [[Battle of Autobot City|Decepticons' attack on the city]], the [[Transformation cog|transforming cog]] which allowed Metroplex to transform to [[robot mode]] was destroyed, preventing him from participating in the battle, although he was manually converted to battle station mode by the Autobots inhabiting him. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}

Following the defeat of [[Unicron]] and the Autobots' reclamation of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] built a new transforming cog for Metroplex, and entrusted its delivery to [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]]. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}} While they were busy suffering numerous setbacks (including nearly getting killed by [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] and being stranded on Jupiter's moon [[Io]]), the immobile Metroplex was attacked by the Decepticons' new mobile battle station, [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], who had been created expressly to serve as Metroplex's opposite number. Metroplex was again manually transformed to battle station mode by his inhabitants in hopes of mounting some form of a defence, but things were not looking hopeful. At the height of the battle, Blurr and Wheelie was safely brought to Earth by [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]], and quickly handed the transforming cog off to [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] to install. Pipes carried out the task with all due haste, and Metroplex promptly transformed to robot mode, thrashed Trypticon, and hurled him into the ocean. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}}

[[File:ThiefNight Metroplex Kremlin.JPG|upright=1.2|thumb|"Why won't you accept our love?"]]

Although the Autobots figured this to be the end of Trypticon, in actuality, the saurian city survived and started stealing national monuments to pay off [[Octane]]'s debt to [[Abdul Fakkadi (G1)|Abdul Fakkadi]]. When [[dinosaur transform static]] was found at the crime scene, Metroplex and his subordinates questioned all the Autobots with dinosaur electrons in their circuits, but when Trypticon was finally revealed to be the culprit, Metroplex battled him in [[Russia]] over the [[Kremlin]]. Unfortunately, Metroplex was then left holding the building, and the [[Soviet Union|Soviets]] blamed the Autobots for the thefts and expelled them from the country. Fakkadi, however, summoned the Autobots to his country of [[Socialist Democratic Federated Republic of Carbombya|Carbombya]] to help oust the Decepticons that had taken over, and Metroplex delivered another sound defeat to Trypticon, tossing him into the ocean yet again and returning the stolen buildings to their rightful place. {{storylink|Thief in the Night}}

[[File:Gitm where are my eyes.jpg|left|upright=1.2|thumb| This is why you shouldn't eat Slag's cooking.]]

As part of his deal with Unicron to ensure their mutual resurrection, the ghost of [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] was charged with stealing Metroplex's eyes in order to restore Unicron's sight. Possessing [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], Starscream invaded Metroplex and started removing the giant's optics, only to wind up breaking the first one when he was caught off-guard by [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]]. Just as he was successfully removing the second eye, Metroplex detected the presence of intruders within his brain vault and awoke. Scourge came crashing out of Metroplex just as he transformed to robot mode, and beat a hasty retreat as the giant discovered that he was blind and went into a maddened rage, firing upon all the Transformers in the vicinity. Metroplex landed a shot on [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] before his rampage was cut short by the detonation of a [[photon charge]] Scourge had placed in his head, and he fell unconscious, transforming back into city mode. After the villains' plan was foiled, new eyes were constructed for Metroplex. {{storylink|Ghost in the Machine (G1)|Ghost in the Machine}}

[[File:Ultimateweapon metroplex hefts trypticon.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb]]

After coming under attack from a [[Eurythma]]n sonic weapon, {{storylink|Carnage in C-Minor}}, transforming cog troubles returned to plague Metroplex when [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] stole the component right out from under [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]]'s nose. With Metroplex trapped in city mode, the Autobots retaliated by stealing Trypticon's cog and using it as a replacement; the Decepticons proceeded to use Metroplex's cog in place of Trypticon's, but the incompatibility of the cogs in each of the giant robots led to an unsteady battle with both combatants partially transforming back and forth constantly. First Aid proceeded to enter Metroplex's body during the fight and aligned the cog properly, allowing Metroplex to fully transform and, yet ''again'', fling Trypticon into a body of water. {{storylink|The Ultimate Weapon}}

When the [[Hate Plague]] swept the universe, [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] realized the danger that an infected Metroplex would pose, and reluctantly decided to deactivate him. Metroplex understood and agreed with his decision. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1}}
{{--}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
{{note|The events of the Generation 1 cartoon occur in Japanese continuity as detailed above, except instead of taking place over 2005/6, the events of season 3, in which Metroplex appears, are moved back to 2010. Japanese continuity inserts many new stories into the gaps in the cartoon timeline, several of which focus on Metroplex and the story of how he was created, which went unexplained in the American cartoon.}}

=====''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' manga=====
[[File:FSRLTF6 Trypticon vs Metroplex hologram.jpg|right|thumb]]
Metroplex was constructed in the late 1980s as part of the Autobots' "Scramble City" initiative to develop a powerful battle station. During the early stages of the project, however, when the Autobots were conducting an outdoor test of the unfinished city's transformation to mobile fortress mode, [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] and [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] were able to monitor the process. The information they acquired allowed Megatron to decipher whether or not Metroplex would be able to stand up to Trypticon. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 3|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #3}}

Trypticon was ultimately completed before Metroplex, and was successfully activated on a small island. The Autobots went into action to save the island and stop the giant, but without a city-bot of their own, they had to resort to some cunning: Perceptor magnified a [[hologram]] of Metroplex projected by [[Hound (G1)|Hound]], creating a huge image of the giant Autobot that Trypticon charged at and passed through, crashing into the ocean below. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 6|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #6}}
{{-}}

=====''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' story pages=====
[[File:ScrambleCityPoster1.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

{{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (story page)#Part 7|FSRL Part 7}} {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (story page)#Part 8|FSRL Part 8}}{{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (story page)#Part 9|FSRL Part 9}} {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (story page)#Part 14|FSRL Part 14}}

{{charstubfiction}}

{{--}}

=====Scramble City: Mobilization=====
[[File:Metroplexstanding.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|As a sensitive new-age guy, Metroplex was one of the few Autobots who did not have issues with the size of his gun.]]
To complete the Scramble City project, the Autobots moved their operation to a secret underground cavern, but the Decepticons' [[Mini-Cassette|spy cassettes]] located the subterranean base, and an all-out Decepticon attack was initiated. [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] and [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] had [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] outnumbered, but the heroic combiner was able to hold the line long enough until Metroplex's construction was finally completed.

Emerging fom his underground birthplace, Metroplex transformed from city to battle station mode and took off for the battleground. Crushing all in his path, the titanic Autobot transformed to robot mode and took out the Decepticon combiners with one colossal blast. However, as the Autobots celebrated their victory, the ocean nearby parted and Trypticon emerged for his first battle with Metroplex. {{storylink|Scramble City: Mobilization}}
{{-}}

=====''Legends'' comic (1)=====
During their first battle, Metroplex had his transformation cog ripped out by Trypticon. He fought back with a powerful [[antimatter]] projector beam that destroyed Trypticon and his commander, [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]], but the recoil was so great that Metroplex himself was left heavily damaged. {{storylink|LG-43 Trypticon Project Chapter}} His injuries and loss of his cog rendered him unable to transform into robot mode during the [[Battle of Autobot City]] years later. {{storylink|LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue#The Mysterious Knowledgeable Grandpa Chapter|The Mysterious Knowledgeable Grandpa Chapter}}

=====Full Throttle Scramble Power!=====
[[File:Fullthrottle metroplex arrives.jpg|left|thumb|Able to leap with tall buildings in a single bound...]]
Crafting a new diabolical scheme, [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] began to threaten humanity with his latest weapon: the [[Omega Whip]]. After [[Jenny (G1)|Jenny]], [[Toru]], and [[Hound (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hound]] located the Decepticon base and disabled the super weapon, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] ordered up reinforcements: ''every single Autobot''. Carrying the entire army in his mobile battle station mode, Metoplex, er, ''hovered'' onto the scene and transformed to robot mode. Accepting defeat, Megatron and the Decepticons scurried off as fast as they could. {{storylink|Full Throttle Scramble Power!}}
{{-}}

=====''The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers''=====
[[File:Manga metroplex.jpg|thumb|225px|Metroplex struggles against the inexorable pull of the dreaded "page fold".]]
On a bright and sunny day in the year 2010, the [[Autobot]]s invited a group of [[human]] families to come take a tour of Metroplex. They were all very impressed and everything was going great... until [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] attacked. Preoccupied with keeping everyone inside him from dying, Metroplex was left to take all of Trypticon's attacks on the chin, including his Dual Plasma Cannons and Dino-Head Attack. With [[Scamper]] quickly taken out by [[Full-Tilt]], it looked as though Metroplex would be felled by a blast from the [[Brunt (G1)|Brunt tank]].

Luckily, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] deployed [[Six-Gun]] just in time. Six-Gun took out Full-Tilt and then proceeded to turn the Brunt tank around on Trypticon, blasting the Decepticon with his own drone. The blast destroyed Trypticon's Head Controls, forcing [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] to call a retreat. With the day won, Metroplex returned to City mode. {{storylink|The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers issue 3|The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers #3}}

=====''The Great Transformer War''=====
After rescuing the alien scientist Doctor [[Dalton]] from the clutches of the Decepticons, the Autobots brought him to Metroplex for safe-keeping. There, he agreed to help upgrade the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]] so they could counter the upgrades he was forced to install in the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]]. Little did any of them know, Metroplex had been infiltrated by [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]], who observed the entire upgrading process in secret. {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 1|The Great Transformer War #1}}

In 2011, as part of his massive assault to retake [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] unleashed Trypticon on Metroplex, the battle thoroughly occupying the [[Earth]] forces of the Autobots, keeping them from coming to Cybertron's defense. {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 3|The Great Transformer War #3}}

=====''The Headmasters'' cartoon=====
{{voiceactor|[[Osamu Saka]] (Japanese), [[Rik Thomas]] (English, [[Omni Productions]] dub)}}

[[File:Hm4 metroplex vs madmachine.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|Mwa ha ha ha ha! The power of [[Dark Energon]]!]]

In 2011, one year after the curing of the Hate Plague, the Decepticons launched a major offensive to take control of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. To prevent Autobot reinforcements reaching the planet, a large garrison of Decepticon troops were deployed to keep the Autobots on Earth occupied. As the battle moved to the vicinity of Autobot City, Metroplex flew into action and aided his comrades by blasting the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] out of the sky. He then transformed into battle station mode and transported the [[Trainbot]]s back to the city itself, where they took the [[space bridge]] to aid their allies on Cybertron. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} As the battle to control Cybertron continued to rage, Metroplex was among the Autobots deployed to help search Earth for the missing [[Matrix of Leadership]]. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}}

Observing Trypticon making his way towards an oil field, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] ordered Metroplex into action. The two city-bots engaged in another round of their endless dance, but Metroplex soon discovered that he had been lured into a trap when the Decepticons' newest invention, the [[Madmachine]], burrowed its way out of the sand nearby. An electromagnetic blast from the Madmachine sent Metroplex's systems into chaos, and he was forced to retreat. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}} Soon after, Metroplex joined the Autobot [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] in traveling to [[United Kingdom|Britain]] and [[New York City|New York]] to investigate attacks by a mysterious blackmailer. {{storylink|Terror! The Six Shadows}}

A little later, the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]] launched from Metroplex to back up a contingent of Autobots on [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], but found their way barred by Trypticon. Metroplex immediately went into action against his perennial foe and kicked him into a mountainside, but then he had to deal with [[Sixshot]]. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}}

[[File:Hm24 metroplex must watch.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|"If only I could reach Ultra Magnus... then I could beat you over the head with him!"]]

When the Autobots and Decepticons left Earth to go on an interplanetary energy quest, Metroplex (logically enough) did not go with them, and so disappeared off the radar for a while. When they returned to Earth, Sixshot launched an attack on Autobot City, leading to a violent battle between him and Ultra Magnus. Metroplex attempted to aid his commander, but was kept busy by Trypticon, and so, Ultra Magnus died by Sixshot's hand. After the Autobot Headmasters disposed of Sixshot, funeral arrangements were made for Magnus, and Metroplex requested that rather than launch his body into space, the Autobots should bury Ultra Magnus on Earth to symbolize the great love he had for the planet. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}}

Decepticon attacks only intensified in the wake of Magnus's death, and Metroplex, seeking revenge for the death of his commander, insisted that he be allowed to join in the fight. [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress]] and the Autobot Headmasters encouraged him to remain at Autobot City, pointing out that his databanks contained all their collected information and that he was too valuable to lose, but reports began pouring in from different Autobot installations that only seemed to prove how necessary Metroplex entering the fray was. Fortress explained that all available Autobots had come to help, and Metroplex grudgingly agreed to stand down, with one condition: when Sixshot showed his face, he would be Metroplex's to deal with. This time came quite soon, as Metroplex accompanied the Autobot Headmasters to [[Alaska]] and engaged Sixshot in an aerial battle while the Headmasters dealt with Galvatron. When the young warriors destroyed the Decepticon leader with the power of their [[Head Formation]], Sixshot retreated, depriving Metroplex of his revenge. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}}

[[File:Hm26 metroplex vs sixshot.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|"So yer a giant city-bot! Big whoop! Wanna fight about it?"]]

It wasn't long before Metroplex got another shot at Sixshot when he and Trypticon attacked Autobot City again. Metroplex dealt with Trypticon quickly and focused his fury on Sixshot, but the revenge-hungry Autobot was mistaken in his belief that Trypticon had been defeated. As the saurian titan leapt at Metroplex from behind, Spike Witwicky moved into the open to shout a warning to the giant Autobot, and was hit by a stray laser blast. Seconds later, the Trainbots arrived to help Metroplex overpower Trypticon and send him packing, but Spike had been grievously wounded by the blast and had to be taken to [[Athenia]] for medical attention. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}} Metroplex stayed put on Earth. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)}}

When the Headmasters departed Earth to follow the Decepticons to planet [[Master (planet)|Master]], Metroplex was left in command of the Autobots on Earth. Some time later, just as the Headmasters were returning to Earth, Decepticons began springing up all over Earth, and Metroplex contacted the approaching Headmasters to let them know of the sudden change in the situation. He greeted them when they arrived on the planet, updated them, and was commended for the good job he had done in their absence. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}} Metroplex continued to help gather data on the Decepticons' activities on Earth, which involved raising mysterious "[[crysmagnetal|Death Towers]]" at strategic points around the globe, helping out where he could. After supervising the transportation of humans injured in a Decepticon attack, Metroplex sped to [[Egypt]] to aid Fortress Maximus after he was wounded battling [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. Finally, Metroplex participated in the colossal climactic battle between the entire Autobot and Decepticon armies at the [[Arctic|North Pole]], which culminated in the Decepticons' defeat, and the withdrawal of all Transformers from Earth. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}
{{--}}

=====''15 Go! Go!''=====
After their [[human]] groupmates in the [[Kiss Players (singing group)|Kiss Players]] disappeared, [[Rosanna (KP)|Rosanna]], [[Glit (KP)|Glit]], and [[Sundor]] panicked in Metroplex, but they were soon contacted by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] about another mission. {{storylink|Sparkbots Volume 2}}

=====Wars manga=====
In a cataclysmic battle in the midst of an ongoing energy crisis, Metroplex fell to [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]]. After the battle's conclusion, Metroplex was rebuilt into a larger form by the Autobots with the help of [[Nebulan]]s. When the Decepticons attacked again, the Autobots were reluctant to activate the reborn Metroplex due to energy concerns, but the large robot pressed through and transformed into robot mode, taking Metrotitan by surprise. Metroplex banished the traitorous Metrotitan from the Autobots and attacked with his [[antimatter]] projector. Having enough, Metrotitan and the Decepticons retreated; Metroplex was unable to follow, as he was drained of energy. {{Storylink|Metrowars}}

Some time later, Metroplex's alarms went off, indicating that there was a Decepticon intruder within him. With Scamper's help, he discovered that the intruder was Metrobomb, out to steal data from Metroplex in order to upgrade Metrotitan into a form that would rival his. Just as Metrobomb was making his escape, Metroplex managed to capture him, wiping out all of the data he had stolen in the process. {{storylink|Metrowars 2}}

When [[the Fallen]] attempted to consume the power of [[Vector Sigma]] for himself, Metroplex gathered the Autobot trains in defense of Cybertron. In the final strike, [[Goshooter]] wielded [[Shouki]] in his new "train bazooka" mode, and Metroplex provided his energy to supercharge the attack. {{storylink|Train Wars 2}}

=====''Unite Warriors''/''Legends''=====
With the the discovery of [[Nucleon (substance)|unlimited energy]], Metroplex hoped the war over resources would end and peace would reign, but [[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]] refused to lay down his arms and sent Metrotitan at him again. After Metroplex defeated his rival once and for all and returned his comatose body to [[Titan (moon)|Titan]] in hopes that he would someday recover, things were peaceful for a while until the [[Cybertron Alliance]] collapsed and he was thrown into a new war. During one battle, he was pulled through dimensions to the [[Legends World]] by [[Rattrap (BW)#Transformers Legends comic|Rattrap]], {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Metroplex)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}} who'd used the Legends World's [[Chōkon Power|innate power]] to make dreams come true to summon someone who could save his universe from [[Windblade (G1)#Transformers Legends comic|Windblade]]. Once he had subdued Windblade, he transformed into city mode on top of the [[Axalon Trading Company]] office building in [[Akihabara]], destroying it. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 12|Bonus Edition Vol. 12}} The employees of Axalon made the best of their situation and dubbed Metroplex their new office, albeit they weren't sure who he was. [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], disguised as the company's janitor, helpfully filled them in on Metroplex's background. {{storylink|LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue#The Mysterious Knowledgeable Grandpa Chapter|The Mysterious Knowledgeable Grandpa Chapter}}

When [[Slipstream (Animated)|Slipstream]] entered the Legends Universe to cause trouble, Metroplex and the other visiting Autobots defeated her with a barrage of missiles and lasers. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 16|Bonus Edition Vol. 16}} When extradimensional visitor [[SARA]] grew to a gigantic size, Metroplex's city mode was one of the buildings she loomed over. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Deadlock)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}} The ghost of [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] later possessed [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] and set out to conquer Metroplex for himself. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Waspinator)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}} Though he felled several of the Autobots and Maximals defending the city, he was himself defeated without realizing his goal. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Rhinox)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}} Metroplex was later tied up in special keep-out tape by [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], who intended to send him and all other dimension-hoppers back to their home universes, though in the end he changed his mind and let them stay. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 20|Bonus Edition Vol. 20}} [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] later caused chaos just outside of Metroplex. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 23|Bonus Edition Vol. 23}}

The Axalon Trading Company ended up selling Metroplex to [[Tera-Kura Co.]] to cover the expenses of rebuilding [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress]]'s battleship Maximus. Metroplex was fine with this as it meant his friends could return home on the Maximus, but Ultra Magnus, Alpha Trion, and [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] changed companies so they could remain with him. Using a control device, [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] then took control of Metroplex's body and used him to attack the Maximus, but Fortress transformed the base into Fortress Maximus and pierced the device with the [[Master Sword]], freeing Metroplex from mind control. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 31|Bonus Edition Vol. 31}} Metroplex remained the Tera-Kura Co. office and Decepticon base, serving as the location for [[Devil Z]]'s takeover {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 31|Bonus Edition Vol. 35}} and ensuing rage at [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]]'s betrayal, {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 36|Bonus Edition Vol. 36}} and the construction of a Decepticon [[Godbomber]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 42|Bonus Edition Vol. 42}} The Decepticons were left to stew in Metroplex when the [[Dimensional Patrol]] took their transtectors away. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Black Convoy 2)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}}

A rival Decepticon faction led by [[Weirdwolf (G1)|Weirdwolf]] attacked Metroplex for his transformation cog, intending to use it to rebuild Trypticon. Metroplex deployed Scamper to defend him and used a crane arm to attack [[Full-Tilt (G1)|Full-Tilt]], but Full-Tilt was nevertheless able to infiltrate his insides and steal away with the cog. {{storylink|LG43 Trypticon Mobilization Chapter: Decepticon Civil War|Decepticon Civil War}} Metroplex was thus stuck in base mode and unable to help when Trypticon came calling, but the Autobots were able to get him a replacement cog taken from Fortress Maximus before Trypticon could reach him. While Trypticon was stunned by an attack from [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]], Metroplex used an antimatter projector beam to defeat his rival once again. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 43|Bonus Edition Vol. 43}} His city mode remained part of Akihabara as it was rebuilt as Neo Akihabara City, {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Prologue}} and briefly became the property of the newly rich [[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 52|Bonus Edition Vol. 52}} When [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] attempted to conquer the world using [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]]'s gigantic transtector, Metroplex took him on but was defeated. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 53|Bonus Edition Vol. 53}}

The Autobot [[Clone (subgroup)|Clones]] appeared in front of Metroplex when they arrived in the Legends World. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 58|Bonus Edition Vol. 58}} Metroplex later witnessed [[Ginrai (human)|God Ginrai]] wield [[Chōkon Power|Shinchōkon]] and recognized it as the same energy that had brought him across dimensions. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 60|Bonus Edition Vol. 60}} After serving as Neo Akihabara City's mayor's office for a while, Metroplex requested that the mayor, Megatron, let him go so that he could enjoy being free in this peaceful world. He then traveled to an uninhabited area and enjoyed some time together with Scamper, Slammer, Six-Gun and the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]], {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Metroplex)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}} the latter group even arranging a Energon barbecue party on his city mode. {{storylink|Unite Warriors Offshot|Energon BBQ Today!}} After they'd departed, Metroplex happened upon [[Pinpointer (G1)|Pinpointer]], [[Spoilsport]] and [[Peacemaker]] in a nearby crater. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. EX (Metroplex)|Bonus Edition Vol. EX}} The three Targetmasters were then claimed by [[Pounce]] and [[Wingspan]], who used them to defeat Metroplex. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 61|Bonus Edition Vol. 61}}

Remaining near the crater, Metroplex was swarmed and taken down by an army of [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] clones during [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]'s plan to destroy the Legends World. Unable to stop him, the Transformers evacuated the world's population and returned to their own dimension. {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two|Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two}} In the 2030s, Metroplex was stationed on Earth. The Aerialbots took off from his city mode to deal with the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]], who were causing trouble in a nearby city. {{storylink|Unite Warriors Offshot|Today Is Us Stunticons' Annual Holiday Demolition Race!}}

===Toy pack-in material===
Metroplex participated in a tumultuous battle on a moon base, wherein he joined forces with [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] and [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]]. Together, they tried to slay [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|Decipher the Decepticon}}

===Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics===
[[File:Spacepirates metroplex emerges.jpg|thumb|The prospect of free stickers brings Metroplex to life, and the [[Quintesson]]s are none too happy about it.]]

====Marvel UK future timelines====
Metroplex was the largest Autobot on record at just under 700 feet in height. Entirely too large to wander Earth freely, Metroplex accepted without complaint the role he was assigned: that of the "living core" of Autobot City. Built into the very fabric of the city upon its creation in 2003, Metroplex lay dormant beneath its surface, endowing it with the ability to transform from city mode into a heavily-armed battle station.

In 2008, when the [[Quintesson]]s invaded and took control of Autobot City as a part of a complex, multi-pronged plan to take over Cybertron, only a few Autobots were able to avoid capture. [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Rodimus Prime]], temporarily reverted to Hot Rod, was one of the lucky few, and managed to activate Metroplex. The towering Autobot tore his way out from beneath the city and, already in a bad mood over being so rudely awakened, immediately began smashing and blasting the Quintessons that started attacking him. The fight was distinctly one-sided, and before long, Metroplex had successfully driven the invading aliens off. Alas, as Autobot City was largely gutted when Metroplex emerged, it was something of a pyrrhic victory for the Autobots. {{storylink|Space Pirates!}}
{{--}}

===Marvel coloring books===
Metroplex acted as the Autobots' city and home base on Earth. {{storylink|The Lost Treasure of Cybertron}}

===''Big Looker'' storybooks===
Many Autobots were working in Metroplex when [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] and [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] decided to go watch a car show at the Coliseum instead. {{storylink|Car Show Blow Up}}

===Find Your Fate Junior===
{{notemultipath}}
====Autobot Alert!====
[[File:AutobotAlertMetroplex.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
Metroplex was the Autobots’ metropolis headquarters on Earth, housing Energon Cube production lines and a space shuttle docking bay and take-off station. {{storylink|Autobot Alert!}}

====Project Brain Drain====
Metroplex continued his role as the Autobots' central base of operation on the planet Earth. {{storylink|Project Brain Drain}}

====The Invisibility Factor====
In one possible scenario, wherein the Decepticons gained control of an [[Invisibility Device]] and mastered its controls, they attacked Metroplex, bombarding it and the Autobots stationed within with volley after volley of invisible missiles. Unable to fight back against an opponent they could not see, the Autobots fell in combat, and Metroplex was reduced to a great junkyard.

In another scenario, where the Autobots gave up searching for a ship with invisibility capabilities, Metroplex and all the Autobots inhabiting him were caught by surprise by a fleet of identical ships swooping down upon them. The Autobots were all destroyed as Galvatron gloated of his victory. {{storylink|The Invisibility Factor}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
[[File:Routeofallevil metroplex hologram.jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.85|"The lost city of gold! I must not let [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] know about this!"]]

After deposing [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], and leaving the planet in [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus's]] command, [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] and a large number of Autobots returned to Earth to begin construction on a vast complex known as [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]]. [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] was seen projecting a hologram of Metroplex during construction, presumably as a blueprint. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}}
{{-}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
:*''First Appearance:'' [[Spotlight: Metroplex]]

[[File:OmegasConundrum-Metroplex.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66]]
Metroplex was a truly ancient Transformer, believed to be the very first of the [[Titan (IDW)|Titans]] from the time of the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. {{storylink|The Reluctant Specialist}} Legends claimed that he, [[Chela]] and [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]] had once fought alongside [[Primus]] himself, {{storylink|Origin Myths}} and he was said to have defeated the monster known as [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] and watched as it was sealed away in the depths of Cybertron. {{storylink|The Illusion of Control}} {{storylink|The Transformers: Salvation|Salvation}} After disappearing for some time, the three Titans resurfaced during a battle between the armies of [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] and [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Onyx Prime]], rejoining civilization in time for the rise of the [[Thirteen|Thirteen Primes]]. {{storylink|Origin Myths}} Metroplex was approached by [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], and together they explored the entire surface of Cybertron. {{storylink|Omega's Conundrum}} Along with [[Chela]] and [[Caminus]], Metroplex presided over the banishment of both [[Vigilem]] and his master [[Liege Maximo]] during the [[First Cybertronian Civil War]] giving their brother the alias of "Carcer" before sending him adrift in the stars. Metroplex hoped that that would be the end of Vigilem but wondered if he'd been too merciful. {{storylink|Rubicon}}

Metroplex later witnessed the departure of his brethren: the thirteen "Colony Titans", including Caminus. {{storylink|Windblade issue 4|Windblade vol. 1 #4}} As the last functioning Titan on Cybertron, Metroplex disappeared into legend, with some claiming he left the planet while others believed he never existed at all. [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], however, believed Metroplex was still on Cybertron, and attempted to use Alpha Trion to find him so that the Decepticons could make use of the [[space bridge]] technology possessed by all Titans. {{storylink|Omega's Conundrum}}

[[File:Rise-Metroplex.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|I can feel the heartbeat underneath the concrete.]]

In truth, Metroplex had gone dormant beneath the city of [[Nyon]], and the part of him sticking out of the ground had become known as the '''[[Acropolex]]'''. The origins of this building were long forgotten, though legends remained claiming that it was once a capital during Cybertron's [[Golden Age]]. {{storylink|Ruins}} When Nyon was destroyed early in the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], Acropolex felt the deaths of its inhabitants and mourned them. Drawn to the ruins of Nyon by the [[Matrix of Leadership]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] used the Matrix to call out for Acropolex, causing him to fully awaken and transform to [[robot mode]]. Prime announced to his shocked allies that the giant was no longer "Acropolex", ruin of a forgotten age, but "Metroplex", the symbol of a better future. {{storylink|Homecoming (IDW)|Homecoming}} {{storylink|Rise}} Metroplex chose to help the survivors of the attack on Nyon before he could aid the Autobots, but told Optimus Prime that he would answer any call the Autobot leader would make. He claimed to have known someone much like Optimus Prime in the past, as history repeats itself and always someone will be there to fight the chaos. {{storylink|Broadcast}} Metroplex arrived during the battle of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] to take out Megatron's [[vamparc ribbon|vamparc annihilator]] which was pinning down the Autobots. He managed to smash the cannon, the [[Citadel]] and every Decepticon that went in his path. After the battle, he became Iacon's new capital by transforming into city mode over the ruins of the Citadel. {{storylink|Endgame}}

As the new capital of Iacon, Metroplex served as the main Autobot headquarters {{storylink|Primacy issue 1|Primacy #1}} and meeting place of the [[Grand Convocation]]. {{storylink|Derelicts}} Following the [[Toraxxis mega-refinery]] disaster, Optimus Prime held a eulogy for the victims at Metroplex. {{storylink|Fallout (issue)|Fallout}} When the threat of Trypticon reemerged, Prime asked Metroplex to fight the beast again, but the Titan was regrettably unable to help as the ongoing energon crisis had left him without the energy he needed to transform into robot mode. {{storylink|The Illusion of Control}} Trypticon was taken out by other means, but was soon revived by the Decepticons and sent to destroy Metroplex by dropping onto him from orbit. This time, Optimus Prime had Iacon's energy rerouted into Metroplex, giving the Titan the strength to transform and fight his nemesis. {{storylink|Primacy issue 2|Primacy #2}} A heated battle ensued between the two city-sized warriors, and though he took several injuries, Metroplex endured the pain and defeated Trypticon by grappling him to the ground and curb-stomping his head. However, Trypticon had merely been a distraction: as Metroplex stood victorious, he was impaled and pinned to the ground by Megatron's incoming starship, knocking him offline. {{storylink|Primacy issue 3|Primacy #3}}

A couple of million years later, the Decepticons launched an all-out assault on Metroplex even as the Autobots defended the massive Transformer with their lives. The battle ended with Metroplex departing for the stars, Optimus Prime convinced by Alpha Trion that this was the best way to end the conflict and keep Metroplex and his secrets out of Megatron's clutches. Alpha Trion left with his old friend, as the two intended to combat [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]]'s mysterious [[Regenesis|machinations]] out in the cosmos. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|Hello Cruel World}} {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 5: I Dream of Wires|I Dream of Wires}}

[[File:Metroplex The Hunting Party.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|left]]
During his journey, Metroplex had to make several stops to refuel on energon-rich planetoids due to the energy-consumptive nature of his internal space bridge. As he lay dormant on one such planetoid, slowly absorbing the nearby pseudo-energon, he was tracked down by [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]], one of the Decepticons still searching for him on behalf of Megatron. However, Thundercracker realized that letting the Decepticons have Metroplex would only lead to harm and departed without reporting his finding, creating a sonic boom that splashed energon all over the sleeping giant in the process. Thus refueled, Metroplex awoke and teleported away to continue with his mission. {{storylink|The Hunting Party (IDW)|The Hunting Party}} Despite this setback, the Decepticons were eventually able to find Metroplex and copy his space bridge technology, which was later integrated into Megatron himself. {{storylink|Spotlight: Megatron}}

[[File:SpotlightMetroplex-Metroplex.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|He. Is. Metroplex.]]

Some five hundred thousand years after leaving Cybertron, Metroplex had been charged with protecting an unidentified object of great value on the planet [[Salvvatan VIII]]. He remained hidden in plain sight in [[alternate mode]], posing as merely another section of a sprawling mechanical complex on the planet's surface. His proximity to [[Orvus Base]], the Autobot research facility orbiting [[Salvvatan VI]], seems to be too convenient to be a coincidence, but any direct connection between Orvus Base and Metroplex or whatever he was guarding was unknown.

Metroplex's cover was compromised when Orvus Base was attacked by the devastatingly powerful Decepticon known as [[Sixshot]]. Nearly the entire crew was wiped out, except for six [[Throttlebot]]s who escaped to Salvvatan VIII, with Sixshot hot on their heels. Their running battle at the complex led the combatants to Metroplex's hiding spot, and a sharp turn sent [[Rollbar (G1)|Rollbar]] and Sixshot through Metroplex's outermost wall. His defensive perimeter breached, Metroplex transformed to robot mode, taking the opportunity to squash Sixshot under his boot in the process. With his position compromised, Metroplex's first priority was immediate relocation of himself and, presumably, the object he protected. He directed the Throttlebots to where they could find an escape shuttle and medical supplies before transforming into a space-faring mode and rocketing out into the cosmos. {{storylink|Spotlight: Metroplex}}

[[File:IronInTheBlood-Metroplex.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Don't be racist. I am a building.]]

Metroplex returned to Cybertron, where he served as a base of operations for Alpha Trion while he began his endeavours to restore the damaged planet to habitability. Despite his prodigious strength and size, Metroplex was of little use in battle against the [[Insecticon swarm]] that had overrun Cybertron (the swarm was simply too great in size, and would eat their way inside his systems before he could destroy them all), so instead, Alpha Trion resurrected the deceased [[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] to carry out the task. Once Ironhide had reduced the swarm's numbers to a mere two hundred, Alpha Trion had Metroplex transform to robot mode and crush the remaining Insecticons beneath his massive palms. Subsequently, Alpha Trion and Metroplex left Cybertron for parts unknown, off to put into motion the next move in the great, enigmatic game Alpha Trion was playing. {{storylink|Any Old Iron}}

Several years into his journey through space, Metroplex picked up a sample of [[Ore-7]], one of Shockwave's Regenesis ores. When Shockwave sent an army of [[Ammonite]]s to reclaim the ore, the Titan infused it into part of his thumb which he then jettisoned into space, leaving the Ammonites to try to kill him using [[Ore-2]]. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} Having contracted an [[alchemical virus]] from exposure to the deadly ore, Metroplex went into hiding beneath the oceans of [[Hydrophena]], where the water would slow the effect of the virus, then detached his vulnerable [[brain module|brain]] to hide it from further attacks. Being too busy to help, Alpha Trion recruited the aid of [[cityspeaker]] [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] and her comrades [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] and [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]], sending them to Hydrophena to protect Metroplex. Though the weakened Titan was unable to speak, Windblade alone had the ability to communicate with him by "reading" patterns of light on his brain. {{storylink|Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Burning Bright}}

[[File:IntoTheAbyss-metroplex.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.3]]

Metroplex's discarded thumb impacted with the ''[[Lost Light]]'', where it was almost stolen by [[Lockdown (G1)|Lockdown]]'s [[Titan Hunter]]s. {{storylink|The Reluctant Specialist}} Eventually he began pulling the lost body part back towards him, knowing the Ore-7 within it would cure him of the disease. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} On seeing the thumb push itself toward a homing signal, the crew of the ''Lost Light'' chose to follow the signal and traveled to Hydrophena, {{storylink|Winners & Losers: Dark Cybertron Chapter 3|Winners & Losers}} where they discovered Metroplex himself. {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}}

Ultra Magnus led a team in the [[Rodpod]] past Metroplex's missing eye and down his retinal cavity, looking for signs of life. Upon reaching his brain chamber, however, the Autobots discovered Metroplex's brain module had been surgically removed. {{storylink|Finest Hour: Dark Cybertron Chapter 5|Finest Hour}} Exiting the Rodpod in a drydock, the Autobots attempted to locate when Metroplex's brain module had gone, but were nearly killed in an explosion set off by one of the attacking [[Ammonite]]s. {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|No Exit}} Miraculously surviving, the crew realized that Metroplex was still alive, and more, rearranging the internal structure of his corridors and hallways. His last rearrangement was done deliberately to put some bulkheads between them and the explosion. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|The Dead Are Not Enough}} The crew met up with Windblade's team, who had hidden Metroplex's brain module in his shoulder. By hooking Metroplex up to the ''Lost Light's'' quantum drive, Ultra Magnus and his crew gave the Titan enough juice to reactivate himself and Space Bridge back to Cybertron. {{storylink|Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Burning Bright}}

[[File:RID26 MetroplexPunchingNecrotitan.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Property wars.]]

On Cybertron, Metroplex leapt into battle immediately to defend New Iacon from the corrupted [[Necrotitan]] that Shockwave had brought back to half-life. As he reached for the ''Lost Light'', Megatron and Bumblebee realized he needed the ore hidden away inside his missing thumb. Entering the storage bay, Megatron used his own integrated Titan tech to teleport Metroplex's thumb back to him. Metroplex then used Ore-7's power of change to restore himself and reduce the Necrotitan's death plague to a benign state, saving the populace of New Iacon. {{storylink|Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|Finis Temporis}} As the Necrotitan was destroyed, Metroplex settled himself to continue recuperating, but soon an army of 70 billion Ammonites lay siege to Cybertron on Shockwave's command. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}}

[[File:BlackPlanet-bigfight.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

At Ultra Magnus's urging, Metroplex got back on his feet and helped the Cybertronians fend off the Ammonite invasion. Literally billions of opponents swarmed over the Titan's armor as he fought alongside Autobots, Decepticons, Prowl-Devastator and the ''Lost Light''. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} When a strike team infiltrated Crystal City and destroyed Shockwave's chronal drive, the Ammonites riding the crest to the end of time were destroyed...70 billion attackers dispersed in a single act. Windblade reported that Metroplex's brain module was lighting up as she had never seen it before: the Titan was laughing. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

[[File:TowardsPeace-metroplex.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

With Iacon in ruins after the attacks by the Necrotitan and Ammonites, Metroplex transformed into city mode and integrated himself with the remains of the city, providing housing and infrastructure for any Cybertronian in need, including Starscream's [[NAIL]] government and the Autobots. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|Hello Cruel World}} {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 4: Full Fathom Five|Full Fathom Five}} Optimus Prime later launched the ''Ark-7'' off of Metroplex. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard|Detonation Boulevard}} In time, a "ghetto" of Decepticons and Decepticon sympathizers sprung up outside of Metroplex, with the Decepticons tapping some of Metroplex's power. {{storylink|The Transgressors}} {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 4|Windblade vol. 2 #4}}

[[File:ABotAndHerCity-metroplexsbrain.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"What have you done with Spock's brain?"]]

Though he was cured, Metroplex was still badly damaged and only operating at 50% capacity. {{storylink|A Long Way Down}} His priorities lay with restoring the city, and so his own body recovered slowly and remained incapable of communicating with anyone but Windblade. He was plagued by mysterious blackouts, prompting Windblade to investigate and find that his power was being diverted somewhere. Metroplex's internal problems were compounded by a bomb detonating in the [[Acrolight District]], which had secretly been planted by Chromia. {{storylink|A 'Bot and Her City}} {{storylink|Windblade issue 4|Windblade vol. 1 #4}}

While he recuperated, Metroplex was able to locate several of his Titan brethren on their distant colonies, including [[Navitas]] on [[Velocitron]], [[Chela]] on [[Eukaris]], and the remains of the Titan on [[Devisiun]]. Windblade briefly visited Metroplex's brain again to try and pinpoint some of the Titan's many malfunctions. Windblade met up with [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]], and the duo headed toward the Titan's filtration systems. Windblade came to the conclusion that Starscream was trying to recover remnants of Shockwave's Regenesis ores. {{storylink|A Long Way Down}} A bit of sleuthing revealed that although Starscream had been trying to harvest the ores, he wasn't trying to kill the Titan... but Chromia had been tampering with Metroplex, using the blackouts to divert power to Metroplex's personal space bridge to try to get Windblade safely home. {{storylink|Windblade issue 3|Windblade vol. 1 #3}} {{storylink|Windblade issue 4|Windblade vol. 1 #4}}

[[File:Windblade4-metroplexcomfortswindblade.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

Starscream, Chromia, and Windblade all wound up fighting inside Metroplex's brain chamber. Out of desperation, Windblade plugged her mind into Metroplex's brain module to restrain Starscream. Mentally merged, Metroplex revealed the real culprit behind the trouble to Windblade, as well as revealing the existence of many more lost Transformer colonies. Misguidedly trying to reach out to Caminus, Windblade/Metroplex warmed up their space bridge, even though such a jump would destroy the entire city. With a little mental coaching from Metroplex, Windblade managed to disengage the spacebridge and disentangle herself from Metroplex's mind. {{storylink|Windblade issue 4|Windblade vol. 1 #4}}

Repairs on Metroplex's space bridge continued, with Windblade and a recently revived [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] working together. {{storylink|The World of Tomorrow}} Eventually, they succeeded in their endeavor and brought the bridge back online, allowing Cybertron to re-contact Caminus and the other lost colony worlds. {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}} Following a disastrous [[combiner]] invasion on Caminus, the two planets formed an [[Council of Worlds|official alliance]]. {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}} The fragile peace was interrupted by the arrival of [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], who attacked the space bridge in an attempt to cut Cybertron off from the galaxy. After being driven off Caminus and back into Metroplex, Prowl's plan was narrowly foiled by [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] and [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]]. {{storylink|Mistakes and Mayhem}}

Soon after, [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] spearheaded a Decepticon riot and sparked another combiner brawl in the process. A stray laser blast from [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] destabilized the space bridge; Metroplex tried to simultaneously reach out to ''all'' of his far-flung kin, sending Devastator, Superion, Defensor, Menasor, and [[Optimus Maximus (G1)|Optimus Maximus]] bouncing from planet to planet as they battled. The situation was eventually defused, with Devastator and Menasor defeated and the fledgling Council of Worlds still intact. {{storylink|All That Remains}}

[[File:Windblade4-metroplexdescribesvelocitron.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]

Starscream posted a detachment of [[Badgeless]] soldiers to guard Metroplex's space bridge, with traffic between worlds heavily regulated. Tensions grew between a recent wave of Camien colonists and Decepticons from the ghetto; the Camiens accused the Decepticons of sacrilege by siphoning off some of the Titan's energy to power their own homes. When Cybertron made contact with [[Velocitron]], Windblade consulted Metroplex for information about Navitas. Although Windblade found his cryptic comments about Velocitronian society upsetting, she and a small group of Autobots illicitly bridged to Velocitron anyway. By this point, Metroplex had located a total of five Titan colonies. {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 4|Windblade vol. 2 #4}} Starscream and Superion also used Metroplex's space bridge to travel to Devisiun, and then both Starscream and Windblade together used it to travel to [[Eukaris]]. {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 6|Windblade vol. 2 #6}}

When the two returned from Eukaris, Windblade confessed that their actions had led to the death of Chela, Titan of Eukaris. Metroplex remembered Chela as a stubborn being and assured her that there was little either of them could have done to change his mind. Windblade later consulted Metroplex for information about the final and most recently discovered colony, a deep-space Titan that Metroplex identified as [[Tempo]]; once again, Windblade and Starscream used his space bridge to make the trip. When Windblade returned however, she informed Metroplex that the Titan had been renamed Carcer, a name she'd seen inside Metroplex's head and questioned him about it. Realizing that he had been tricked by Vigilem, Metroplex lied and said Carcer and Tempo were separate Titans. {{storylink|The Will of the Few}} {{storylink|Rubicon}}

Windblade later told Metroplex about Navitas's repairs, although Metroplex noted that Windblade still seemed troubled. She assured him that the improving political situation among Cybertron and its colonies was the only thing that mattered. {{storylink|07:00:00}}

Seeking information to steal power from Starscream, Windblade and Chromia visited Metroplex to ask him for security footage of the Space Bridge riot. Unfortunately that footage had been deleted and Chromia's back up cache of data had been corrupted. After weeks of work, Chromia managed to unscramble the file and find what she wanted. {{storylink|Things We Said We'd Never Do}}

[[File:TAAO5-MetroplexOnline.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.0]]
When Carcer detected a fleet of undead Titans bearing down on Cybertron, Starscream ordered Iacon evacuated so that Metroplex could transform. With a new voicebox and optics, Metroplex transformed and began slaughtering his undead brethren as Windblade rerouted power to his combat systems. While he held his own for a while, his foe's superior numbers eventually overwhelmed him and he was tackled to the ground. {{storylink|Ping}} Though he managed to break free, his brain module was disconnected by Windblade and Lightbright to save his life in order to trick his undead brethren into thinking he was dead. {{storylink|Desperate Times}} The plan worked as the undead summarily ignored him and proceeded to demolish Iacon instead. {{storylink|Desperate Measures (Till All Are One)|Desperate Measures}}

[[File:Ping-MetroplexVsZombies.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.0]]
Though he was still, Metroplex was able to detect Vigilem's reactivation and reflected on their past deciding that he should have killed his evil brother long ago and questioning why [[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]] would keep him online. When Vigilem made planetfall and began attacking the undead horde, Metroplex commented that he hadn't lost any fighting skill but swore to not let Vigilem do any harm to Cybertron or Windblade. Metroplex accessed the prison where Chromia was held and directed her to free Windblade from Vigilem. When the last of the undead fell, Vigilem taunted Metroplex and swore the last thing Metroplex saw would be the Liege Maximo's awakening. {{storylink|Rubicon}}

In anticipation for [[Earth]]'s official induction ceremony into the [[Council of Worlds]], Metroplex erected a forcefield around his city mode and pumped oxygen into it for weeks. {{storylink|First Strike issue 1|First Strike #1}} Seeking to destroy Cybertron via the [[Talisman (G1)|Talisman]], [[Joe Colton]]'s alliance made their way to Metroplex's central vent to access the core. {{storylink|First Strike issue 2|First Strike #2}} Colton's insistence on setting traps allowed Metroplex to locate the [[Iron Ring]] and the Titan reconfigured his internals in an attempt to crush them. [[Shazraella]] was able to physically impair the transformation sequence allowing the villains to make their way to the last point of his city mode. [[Sunstreaker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sunstreaker]] caught up with the invaders but was unable to stop them from leaving Metroplex. {{storylink|First Strike issue 4|First Strike #4}} Unlike Windblade, Metroplex had faith in Optimus Prime's ability to handle the situation. {{storylink|First Strike issue 5|First Strike #5}} When the Talisman was detonated in Cybertron's underground, Metroplex isolated his systems from the planet's and tracked Cybertron's "scream", decoding the scream into two words "Welcome. Death." {{storylink|First Strike issue 6|First Strike #6}}

When Windblade secured her position as a candidate for rulership of Cybertron, she confessed to Metroplex that while she wanted to rule and help people, she was unsure of whether or not her desire to do so was hers or a lingering remnant of [[Vigilem]]. With great effort, Metroplex spoke "normally" to Windblade and told her that Vigilem listened to to no one but Liege Maximo. If Windblade were to listen to others and take their needs into account, then she would know herself to be free of his evil brother's impulses. {{storylink|The Chosen One}}
{{--}}

===''Lil Formers''===
For a "City-bot Tip of the Month" column, Metroplex suggested to keep an eye out for, and not to step on any humans; they were really difficult to pick out from between one's toes afterwards. {{storylink|Lil Formers}}

===''Transformers: All Spark''===
{{charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|Another Episode, Part 2}}

===''Knights of Unicron''===
The Autobot City Metroplex, located on Earth, was the second venue for the [[Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron]] on their 2014 "Till All Are One" tour. {{storylink|Knights of Unicron}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
Defeated during [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s conquest of Cybertron, Metroplex suffered trauma and was trapped in city mode, but remained mobile and began acting as the roving city of the subjugated Autobots. A number of [[G.I. Joe (team)|Joes]] captured by Autobot troops were brought there to face the justice of the Autobot king, [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]. {{storylink|Funeral for a Friend}} After a truce was agreed upon, Metroplex opened up so the Autobots and Joes could reunite with their comrades outside. {{storylink|Form Follows Function}} Unhappy with their alliance, Megatron and his own [[Cobra]] allies decided to stomp out the Autobots once and for all and attacked Metroplex, using Cobra spy [[Zartan]] to infiltrate his walls and open the gates to allow Cobra troops entry. Metroplex himself was then assaulted by [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], but despite [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]]'s orders and Megatron's annoyance, he still wouldn't transform to robot mode and fight back. Fortunately [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] joined the fight and kept Trypticon busy, giving Metroplex the chance to slink away. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}} The Autobots then used Metroplex to travel to the face of [[Primus]] in the depths of Cybertron. {{storylink|Earth: R.I.P.}}

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Escape from Primus}} {{storylink|Transformers vs. G.I. Joe issue 12|Transformers vs. G.I. Joe #12}}}}

===''Prime Wars Trilogy'' cartoons===
{{voiceactor|[[Michael Green]] (''Combiner Wars'', English), [[Nolan North]] (''Titans Return'', English)}}
[[File:MetroplexPoster.jpg|left|thumb|250px|''Mighty Morphin Power Rangers'', Too hot to handle.]]
[[File:Machinima-Titans-Return-Ep3-MetroplexWindblade.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Big guy and Rusty the Geisha Robot.]]

As one of the original [[Titan (IDW)|Titans]], Metroplex's purpose was to travel to new planets and help sow Cybertronian life, sleeping in city mode until the time came to move on to the next one. Such is how he eventually worked his way to Cybertron, with Metroplex City being built around him. {{storylink|Our Heroes Respond}} He would commune with the [[Cityspeaker]] [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]], but when the [[Combiner Wars (event)|Combiner Wars]] began, she abandoned her duties and took up arms against the Combiners. {{storylink|Prelude to Transformers: Combiner Wars - Windblade}}

As Windblade was attacked by the automatic defenses during her siege on the [[Council of Worlds]]' control tower, she heard Metroplex's voice telling her not to "let this happen." {{storylink|Homecoming (CW)|Homecoming}} After being knocked out by the [[Enigma of Combination|Enigma]]-powered [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], she began telepathically communicating with Metroplex. Windblade pleaded for help, but Metroplex pointed out her aggressive actions and abandonment of him. As Windblade apologized, she awoke and her Cityspeaker link with Metroplex activated. Using their link, Windblade ordered Metroplex to crush Starscream with his hand, allowing [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] to defeat the rampaging super-[[Combiner]]. {{storylink|Destruction's Dawn}}

In the aftermath of the Combiner Wars, Windblade and Metroplex continued to maintain a strong bond during Cybertron's reconstruction, and were both together to witness the resurrection of [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. {{storylink|Aftermath and Rebirth}} The two communed as Windblade noted from reading his systems and spark that he had been planning to leave Cybertron. Metroplex explained his origins and announced that he would fight Trypticon himself, as he had promised Optimus Prime that he would keep [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] safe. Windblade attempted to stop him, saying he was too injured, but Metroplex ignored her and began approaching Trypticon. {{storylink|Our Heroes Respond}} The two Titans finally engaged in combat and seemed evenly matched, but Trypticon began to gain the upper hand. {{storylink|The Fight Begins}} Unexpected aid arrived in the form of the [[Titan Master]] [[Emissary (Generations)|Emissary]], who granted Metroplex the power to fire concentrated optic blasts, but a moment of weakness allowed Trypticon to rip out the Titan's arm. {{storylink|Overlord and Emissary}} Eventually, Trypticon overwhelmed Metroplex and knocked him to the ground. Aware that he was out of time, he ordered Emissary to eject from his systems, just before Trypticon jumped up and came crashing down on top of Metroplex, finally killing him. {{storylink|At the Last Second}}

{{-}}

==Commercial appearances==
Metroplex was driving through a ravine when he found his path obstructed by the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]]. He briefly assumed his battle station mode before transforming into a robot and trying to blast [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] out of the skies. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Bruticus and Metroplex|Bruticus and Metroplex commercial}}

==Games==
===Transformers G1: Awakening===
[[File:Gluawakening metroplex.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.85]]
Metroplex was one of the many Autobots aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] when it left [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and was subsequently shot down over [[Earth]]. After spending four million years in stasis, the first few Autobots awoke, including Metroplex. The more damaged members of their group were stored inside Metroplex, while energy was gathered to bring them back online. He was soon able to revive [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and joined the Autobot leader in defending a number of human power plants. When the creation of a Decepticon [[space bridge]] was revealed, Metroplex was among the Autobots who pursued [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] and his men back to Cybertron. Unfortunately in their absence, [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] had conquered their home world, and Metroplex and the others were promptly captured and imprisoned. After escaping, the Autobots fled back to Earth, where they arrived in time to aid [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] in a battle, and later repelled a Decepticon assault against the Ark. When Optimus decided that they needed to return to Cybertron and free the enslaved Autobots there, Metroplex aided in the capture of the Decepticon space bridge, to allow a team to use it to return to their home world. {{storylink|Transformers G1: Awakening}}
{{--}}
===''Transformers Legends''===
In the early days of the war, [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] attempted to conquer Iacon, believing doing so would secure him a quick victory in the war. However, the battle that ensued awoke Metroplex. Transforming from his city mode and engaging the enemy, the Autobots emerged victorious due to Metroplex's intervention. {{storylink|Assault on Iacon}}

When [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] brought [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] in an attempt to turn the tide of battle, [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus]] countered with Metroplex. The titan was unable to withstand the assault. {{storylink|The Colossus War}}

Later, Trypticon was once again threatening the Autobots, but Metroplex was unable to intervene due to him missing his transformation cog. When [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] and Fireflight managed to deliver and instal the component, Metroplex transformed to robot mode and sent Trypticon tumbling into the sea with one mighty punch. {{storylink|Monstrosity}}

As part of a plan to supply [[Unicron]] with new parts, [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] attacked Metroplex while under [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]'s control and made off with one of the giant's eyes. [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] and [[Slingshot (G1)|Slingshot]] happened to be carrying out a routine inspection on Metroplex at the time, and gave chase. {{storylink|Unicron Returns}}
===''Transformers: Frontiers''===
{{charstubgame|{{storylink|Transformers: Frontiers}}}}

===''Transformers Operation Omega''===
In every battle between the Autobots and Decepticons, Autobot forces were deployed from Metroplex's city mode to march towards the Decepticons, who were in turn deployed from Trypticon on the opposite side of the battlefield. Whenever Metroplex sustained too much damage, the Autobots lost the battle. {{storylink|Transformers Operation Omega}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[File:G1Metroplex toy.jpg|upright=2.2|thumb|Yeah, I saw ''Big'' and I went against it.]]
*'''Metroplex''' (Autobot City, 1986)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-70'''
**''Accessories:'' Scamper, Scamper's arms/cannons (x2), Scamper's small laser pistol, Slammer, Slammer's turret, Sixgun's body/tower, Sixgun's chestplate/tower top, 2 red cannons/Sixgun's legs, 2 black cannons/Sixgun's arms, Sixgun's laser pistol, double-barreled cannon, rear tower, shoulder antenna, 2 fists, 2 kneecaps, 3 missiles

: Metroplex transforms from a large robot to a multi-leveled "city" mainly for use with the smaller Generation 1 toys. This mode includes a service bay with launching mechanism, a helipad, and "parking" for four vehicles in whatever his legs fold out to be. He also has a third mobile battle station mode; a more compact wheeled form that incorporates his many weapons. Additionally, his weapons are all moulded with universal-sized pegs that allow them to attached in several different configurations and locations (for example, in the otherwise-pointless holes in his kneecaps in city mode). Metroplex came with [[Six-Gun]], [[Slammer]], and [[Scamper]]; the first two formed various parts of Metroplex's [[alternate mode]]s. Metroplex's kneecaps also connect in various places in slots on his legs, both in mobile mode, and in city mode on the opposite side (near the knee joint).

:Metroplex was apparently designed as part of the aborted [[Diaclone]] line, ''Jizai Gattai'' ("[[Free-Combination|Free Combination]]"), given the high degree of interactivity he has with other toys confirmed as part of it—namely, the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]], [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]], [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] and [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]]. Each of the smaller "limb" robots from these four groups (and those that came after using their basic design, like the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]], [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] and [[Seacon (G1)|Seacons]]) can plug into ports in Metroplex's shoulders and knees in [[robot mode]], while the base modes of the four leaders—[[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]], [[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]], [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]], and [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]]—can connect to him in city mode. While the former feature was included in the Hasbro instructions, the latter was omitted (For the curious, Onslaught and Silverbolt use the slots on his knees, Hot Spot and Motormaster use the protruding slots on the sides of his legs). The peg-size of Metroplex's weapons also allows them to be wielded by the leaders (minus Silverbolt) and super-robots these teams create. This interactivity was played up greatly for his Japanese release, where he was part of the ''[[Scramble City (toyline)|Scramble City]]'' sub-line.

: As a third-year piece, Metroplex was one of several items to undergo "materials changing". Initial versions of Metroplex used rubber tires, and the fronts of his upper legs were fully-chromed silver. After a time, though, the tires were replaced with single-piece hard-plastic tires, and his legs changed to white plastic with a silver factory-applied sticker at the top. However, the plastic tire version also possessed a waist reinforced with two screw points instead of one, in an effort to prevent Metroplex literally snapping in half as so many of the original versions did due to a weak spot on the waist.

: Metroplex suffers from a large number of weak and breakable points. Apart from the aforementioned waist, the launcher inside his chest, the peg on his back, his extendable shoulder antenna, Scamper's shoulder hinges and Scamper's arm pegs are all very fragile and break or fail in various ways.

: This mold was also [[redeco]]ed to make [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]], with some [[retool]]ing for ramps compatible with the various [[Micromaster]]/Micro Transformer bases.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1986/Autobot/Metroplex/metroplex.htm More information on Metroplex at TFU.info]

===Transform Jr===
[[File:Metroplex junior.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
*'''Metroflex''' (1987)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''C-70'''
**''Accessories:'' Black gun

:The ''[[Transform Jr]]'' version of Metroplex shrinks and simplifies the original toy, omitting his city mode, all of his partners, his antennae, and his entire armament save for one black rifle. Toy be ''plaaaaain''.
{{--}}

===Encore===
*'''Metroflex''' (2008)
**''Encore number:'' '''12'''
**''Accessories:'' Scamper, Scamper's arms/cannons (x2), Scamper's small laser pistol, Slammer, Slammer's turret, Sixgun's body/tower, Sixgun's chestplate/tower top, 2 red cannons/Sixgun's legs, 2 black cannons/Sixgun's arms, Sixgun's laser pistol, double-barreled cannon, rear tower, shoulder antenna, 2 fists, 2 kneecaps, 3 missiles

:In September 2008, Metroplex was reissued in Japan in [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s [[Transformers Encore|Encore]] line. This version features a minor retool to allow Slammer's gun turret to become the top of a building in city mode. The Encore version also has the chromed upper thighs and rubber wheels of the initial 1986 Hasbro releases.
{{-}}

===Generations===
[[File:Generationstoy-MetroplexTitanClass.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|He really wants your money. Big time. (Hasbro version pictured.)]]
[[File:Generationstoy-TakaraTomy-T30Metroplex.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|Hear that? That's the sound of your bank account having a conniption. (TakaraTomy Generations/Legends version pictured.)]]
*'''Metroplex''' (Titan Class, 2013)
**''Japanese release date:'' '''2013-[[September 28|09-28]]'''
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''TG23'''
**''Accessories:'' [[Scamper#Generations|Scamper]] figure, Scamper's blaster, 1 gun & [[missile]] (Hasbro version only), 2 guns & missiles (TakaraTomy version only), 2 shoulder cannons, repair claw

: Holy [[Frijoles]], dudes.

:The centerpiece of Hasbro's ''[[Thrilling 30]]'' anniversary campaign, ''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' Metroplex stands around 24 inches tall in robot mode, snatching the title of "tallest Transformers toy ever produced" from the original [[Fortress Maximus (G1)#Generation 1|Fortress Maximus]] toy by a two inch margin. His packaging is a wonderful testament to this fact, sporting numerous "Over 2 ft. tall!" call-outs, a measuring scale down its edge, and the statement of "BIGGEST EVER!" in huge letters. He'd maintain the title of largest Transformers toy ever for a mere three years, when he was edged out by a new Fortress Maximus (which was actually a resculpt of this toy).

:His robot mode is highly [[Articulation|articulated]], even featuring individually-jointed fingers, as well as ''articulated pupils'' that can move from side-to-side when a lever behind his head is moved. He also has a [[Show-accuracy|cartoon-accurate]] visor which flips down when his antennae are twisted forward, and can be flipped back up when the antennae are twisted back, or when one pushes the visor up with their fingers.

:He comes with a large, spring-loaded, missile-firing gun that can be held by his hands, or mount onto a [[5mm post|5mm port]] on his back to serve as a shoulder-mounted weapon. The gun itself is so large that it's sculpted with a bridge and numerous tiny turrets to resemble a ''starship'', and its barrel tip is cast in orange plastic [[for safety reasons]]. He also comes with two smaller cannons which are meant to peg onto the cannons on his shoulders, but can also be hand-held. Metroplex is covered with numerous 5mm peg-holes for weapons mounting, and his weapons also feature 5mm pegs.

:When the center portion of his chest is pressed down, his eyes and chest [[Light-emitting diode|light up]], and he plays [[Soundbox|an alternating series of seven voice clips and five sound effects]] of him eliminating a Decepticon threat, all from the [[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|''Fall of Cybertron'' video game]]. Batteries are not included.

:He can transform into either a multi-wheeled aircraft carrier or a city mode, and both modes are specifically designed and scaled to interact with the ''Thrilling 30'' [[Legends Class]] toys. For both modes, Metroplex's head transforms into a turret with 5mm handles, and a ramp extends from the right side of his chest. His aircraft carrier mode is armed with the (now-extended) cannons on his shoulders, has an articulated repair claw arm attached via 5mm post at the end of the runway, and has both a flip-out double-barreled turret and a mini heli-pad on the left shoulder. Meanwhile, his city mode has numerous roadways, ramps, and compartments, is armed with a flip-out turret on his right forearm, and the left side of his chest opens up, revealing hidden sculpted weaponry at the bottom half, as well as a larger heli-pad and two flip-out pillars of unknown purpose at the top half.

:To complete his deco, Metroplex comes with a [[sticker]] sheet composed of over 100 stickers depicting, among other things, computer terminals, readouts, and interfaces, hazard-striped caution signs (for his moving parts), and stickers for the windows on his chest, which depict Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, Ultra Magnus, and Arcee. Many of these stickers contain Cybertronian text, such as signs that indicate rooms as being used to store ammo and energon cells, an Autobot symbol with [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'s name graffitied over, a schematic of Scamper labeled as "Slammer", and even a sign that says "INTERLOCK, DYNOTHERMS, MEGA THRUSTERS" in an apparent reference to ''Voltron''. Unfortunately, the sticker sheet swaps the numbers of stickers 31 and 77, while the sticker instructions list sticker 13 twice, with "13" being located on both a runway panel (which is correct) and on the repair claw (which isn't).

:He comes with Legends Class Scamper. In order for this version of Metroplex to fit in his [[packaging]], he is packaged with his right arm detached. Some assembly required. The version released in various [[multilingual packaging]] variants (notably in Canada and the UK) has a different soundbox, omitting all of Metroplex's voice clips. Oddly, the front and back of the packaging is lacking the ''Generations'' moniker, instead being simply branded ''Transformers''. The top and bottom of the packaging do sport the ''Generations'' logo, however, as do the [[instructions]].

:The [[TakaraTomy]] version, part of the ninth wave of Japanese ''Generations'' toys, has two guns and missiles. Among other deco changes, he also replaces much of his black plastic (such as his runways and city compartments) with white, features a [[Vacuum metallizing|vacuum-metallized]] face, replaces the "safety orange" on his guns with black, and features a slightly different shade of red. He gains numerous additional [[paint operation]]s, mostly for his guns and robot mode, which are either meant to replace stickers on the Hasbro version, or are meant to mirror details on the original G1 toy. As a result, he has fewer stickers overall, although they are metallic, and he does have some additional sticker details not on the Hasbro version. The [[instructions]] are also more thorough and complete, telling one about the features of the toy, and how to attach the two guns and shoulder cannons for all three modes. His soundbox is the unchanged English version with the voice clips, and he comes with his arm assembled in the (much larger) box. The [[package art]] has also been modified, altering Metroplex's deco, and removing the various Autobots moving around on his person. If purchased in Asian countries outside Japan, this version also included an [[exclusive]] Metroplex-themed cord/cable holder.

:Several features included in the original control art were not included, such as a flip out claw and spring-loaded launchers in the feet. However, the feature of flipping down the knees to form seats for other figures to sit in was retained despite its exclusion from the instructions. The tabs on the bottom of the knee covers slot into the runways underneath to hold them in place. The 5mm post holes in the knees pass through completely, allowing a weapon to be pegged in from the back when positioned this way.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2013/Autobot/GenMetroplex/metroplex.htm More information on ''Generations'' Metroplex at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|SDCC}}
*'''Metroplex''' (Titan Class, 2013)
**'''01 OF 30'''
**''Accessories:'' [[Scamper#SDCC|Scamper]] figure, Scamper's blaster, 2 guns, 2 missiles, 2 shoulder cannons, repair claw, 12 figurines ([[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#SDCCMetroplex|Orion Pax]], [[Megatron (G1)/toys#SDCCMetroplex|Megatron]], [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#SDCCMetroplex|Bumblebee]], [[Thundercracker (G1)/toys#SDCCMetroplex|Thundercracker]], [[Trailbreaker (G1)#SDCCMetroplex|Trailcutter]], [[Hoist (G1)#SDCCMetroplex|Hoist]])

: A [[Hasbro Toy Shop]] [[exclusive]] version of Titan Class Metroplex was made available at [[San Diego Comic-Con]] 2013, and later also sold via the Hasbro Toy Shop website. Having a designated number as part of the ''Thrilling 30'' line, this version differs from the Hasbro retail release mainly by having a [[vacuum metallizing|vacuum metallized]] face and thighs similar to the first release of his Generation 1 toy, having two guns and missiles, as well as metallic stickers. The second gun can mount onto the underside of his left arm strut in city mode, and can sort-of loosely slide onto the corner at the end of the runway in carrier mode.

:He also comes with 12 small, non-transforming figurines of Orion Pax, Megatron, Bumblebee, Thundercracker, Trailcutter, and Hoist, all in both modes. The figurines are based on their Thrilling 30 ''Generations'' Deluxe Class toys, and similarly to [[Decoy]]s, the Autobot figurines are cast in red plastic, and the Decepticons in purple.

:He comes in a massive box that is held together by Velcro patches, and can split open to free the toy inside. The box itself is covered by a large, handled sleeve depicting, on both sides, package art of Metroplex and some other Autobots. The art was drawn by [[Phil Jimenez|Phil Jiminez]] and colored by [[Romulo Fajardo Jr.]]

{{picsneeded}}
{{-}}{{anchor|HKACGCON}}
[[File:Generationstoy-T30-Metroplex-HKACGCON.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|If you really love me, you'll buy all four versions of me.]]
*'''Metroplex''' (Titan Class, 2013)
**'''05 OF 30'''
**''Accessories:'' [[Scamper#HKACGCON|Scamper]] figure, Scamper's blaster, 2 guns, 2 missiles, 2 shoulder cannons, repair claw, 12 figurines ([[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#HKACGCONMetroplex|Orion Pax]], [[Megatron (G1)/toys#HKACGCONMetroplex|Megatron]], [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#HKACGCONMetroplex|Bumblebee]], [[Thundercracker (G1)/toys#HKACGCONMetroplex|Thundercracker]], [[Trailbreaker (G1)#HKACGCONMetroplex|Trailcutter]], [[Hoist (G1)#HKACGCONMetroplex|Hoist]])

: Another exclusive version of Titan Class Metroplex was made available at [[Animation-Comic-Game Hong Kong]] 2013. The figure itself is identical to the SDCC version, but has normal glossy stickers, and casts the Autobot figurines in gold plastic, and the Decepticons in silver. The [[packaging]] has also been altered from the SDCC release, lacking the SDCC stickers in favor of an HK ACG-CON sticker, (despite retaining the printed SDCC logo on the [[instructions]]) and having a ''different'' number designating him as part of the ''Thrilling 30'' line. Because hey, why settle for just one?

{{-}}

===Legends===
[[File:TF-Legends-LG-EX-Metroplex-boxart.jpg|upright=2|thumb|Yup. I'm the same as the TakTomy ''Generations'' toy. Buy me again, for the ''fifth'' time!]]
*'''Metroflex''' ([[2018]]-[[January 27|01-27]])
**''ID number:'' '''LG-EX'''
**''Accessories:'' [[Scamper#Legends|Scamper]] figure, Scamper's blaster, 2 guns & missiles, 2 shoulder cannons, repair claw

:The Takara ''Generations'' release of Metroplex was reissued as a [[TakaraTomy Mall]] exclusive under the ''[[Transformers Legends (franchise)|Legends]]'' line, to commemorate the release of [[Trypticon (G1)#Legends|''Legends'' Dinosaurer]].
{{--}}

==Merchandise==
===Transformers Gum===
[[File:Tfgum metroplex.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
*'''Metroflex''' (1986)
**''Accessories:'' 2 red cannons, 2 black cannons, double-barreled cannon, rear tower, 2 shoulder antennae, 2 fists, 2 kneecaps

:A snap-together model kit of Metroplex was available as part of the fifth wave of [[Kabaya]]'s ''[[Transformers Gum]]'' [[candy toy]] series. A much-shrunken version of the original Metroplex toy, the kit can only transform into battle station mode, and does not come with any of Metroplex's partners, but does retain some of the features of the larger figure, such as the opening garage door and flip-down missile rack. Moulded from black, red and grey plastic, Metroplex has stickers for detail rather than paint operations, and came with a stick of gum.
{{-}}

===Transformers Ramune===
[[File:Metroplex keshigomu.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
*'''Metroflex''' (1986)

: While no figure of Metroplex was released by Hasbro as part of their [[1987]] [[Decoy]] promotion, a soft rubber figure crafted in his image was released as part of the second series of wave of figures released by [[Kabaya]] exclusively in [[Japan]] as part of the ''[[Transformers Ramune]]'' line. Like the other figures in this series, Metroplex was sold in a [[blindpacking|blindpacked]] box and was available in red, blue and yellow colors. Unusually, the figure was based more upon preproduction artwork for the Metroplex toy than on the character's finalized appearance, lacking the distinctive shoulder and "ear" antennae that give Metroplex his unique silhouette and instead sporting an over-the-shoulder double-barreled cannon.

===Forms Robo===
*'''Metroflex''' (1987)

: Metroplex was also part of the small ''[[Forms Robo]]'' collection of larger "Decoy"-style figures, with this version of the character standing at around twice the height of a regular Decoy. Like the other figures in this wave, Metroplex was packaged in an individual baggie and was available in red, blue, green and yellow versions.
{{-}}
===Soft Robo===
[[File:Metroplex soft robo.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
*'''Metroflex''' (1987)

:This large, vinyl figurine of Metroplex was packaged with an Autobot [[insignia]] badge.

*'''Water Gun Set''' (1987)

:The large vinyl figure of Metroplex was also available in a "VS" figurine set, along with a Decepticon insignia badge, a water pistol and two randomly-packed peach-colored Autobot [[Decoy]]s. The text below VS states that it is "Exciting".
{{-}}

===Collegeville Costumes===
[[File:Metroplex halloween costume.jpg|thumb|Eeeeeiiigh!]]
*'''Metroplex Halloween costume''' (1986)

:Given the small number of ''Transformers'' costumes produced by [[Collegeville Costumes]], it was perhaps an odd choice to base one on a comparatively lesser-known character like Metroplex. Nonetheless, this two-piece costume adhered to the crappy time-worn tradition of consisting of a sculpted thin plastic mask held over the wearer's face with elastic, and a smock with a picture of Metroplex and his name on it.
{{-}}
[[File:Metroplex mask.jpg|thumb|[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)#Quotes|GIVE ME YOUR FACE.]]]]
*'''Metroplex mask''' (1986)

: Collegeville evidently liked Metroplex, as they also immortalized him in their line of ''Transformers'' masks. Made from flat styrofoam, the mask featured a hinge that allowed the wearer to lift it up and down, transforming from kid to robot in the blink of an eye!

{{-}}

===Super Collection Figure===
*'''Metroflex''' (2001)
[[File:HOC Metroplex.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb]]

: Metroplex was the "Build-A-Figure" in fourth wave of [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s ''[[Heroes of Cybertron|Super Collection Figure]]'' line of non-transformable PVC figurines. Available in eight out of every ten cases, Metroplex was divided into six parts, each one packaged mostly with one of the silver metallic "pewter" versions of the other six figurines in the line. His head and guns came with Ultra Magnus, his body with Arcee and Daniel, his left arm with Optimus Prime, his right arm with Megatron, his left leg with [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] and his right leg with Rodimus Prime. Metroplex's parts were available in two versions, at an equal ratio: full-color and clear plastic, making two versions of the figure to collect.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2003/Autobot/HoCMetroplex/metroplex.htm More information on ''Super Collection Figure'' Metroflex at TFU.info]''
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2001/Cybertron/ClearMetroflex/metroflex.htm More information on clear Metroflex at TFU.info]''

===Heroes of Cybertron===
*'''Metroplex''' (2003)

:''Super Collection Figure'' Metroplex was later made available as part of ''[[Heroes of Cybertron]]'' line, again packaged as a "Build-A-Figure" for the line's fifth wave. As the ''Heroes of Cybertron'' figures did not feature variants and were not blindpacked, it was a lot easier to assemble a Metroplex figure; the head and guns came with Optimus Prime, his body with [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], his left arm with [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], his right arm with Megatron and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]], his left leg with Starscream and his right leg with [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]].

:Like all of the initial releases of the ''Heroes of Cybertron'' line, Metroplex's parts were cast in a transparent plastic with the colour based upon their faction (blue in Metroplex's case). He was almost completely painted, leaving his eyes and the back of his head unpainted for a [[light-piping]] effect.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2003/Autobot/HoCMetroplex/metroplex.htm More information on ''Heroes of Cybertron'' Metroplex at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

===MyClone===
[[File:Myclone metroplex.jpg|100px|thumb]]
*'''Metroplex''' (2003)
**''ID number:'' '''MTF015'''
**''Accessories:'' White display stand
:Released in the third wave of the ''[[MyClone]]'' line of Transformers PVC figures, this adorable little Metroplex comes with a hexagonal white display stand, which can link up with the identical stands included with other MyClone figures. His modular design allows his parts to be mixed and matched with those of any other MyClone figure.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2003/Cybertron/MyCloneMetroflex/metroflex.htm More information on ''MyClone'' Metroplex at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

==Notes==
[[File:G1 Autobot City.JPG|thumb|upright=1.4|Of course, if you look closely, he's sort of magically floating ''above'' the city, but hey, points for trying!]]
[[File:Metroplex character models.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Metroplex is on the right, and his grandpa is on the left.]]
*Metroplex's relationship to [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' and [[The Transformers (cartoon)|the cartoon series]] is ill-defined at best. He is not actually mentioned by name in the movie, while ''[[Five Faces of Darkness]]'' uses the terms "Autobot City" and "Metroplex" interchangeably, suggesting they are the same thing. The confusion seems to originate with the design history behind Autobot City: designer [[Floro Dery]] has described how he created [http://boltax.blogspot.com/2010/04/ark-addendum-autobot-city-concept-art.html his own concept for the city], but was then instructed to redesign it, adding elements of the Metroplex toy (evidenced in the film itself by the city's shift from orange to white as it transforms and the appearance of a turret that is quite blatantly [[Slammer]]). The series would very rarely show Metroplex and Autobot City onscreen at the same time, using only one or the other as the episode demanded. The closest it would usually come to unifying the two would be to show the occasional leftover orange building remaining at Metroplex's feet when he transforms to [[robot mode]]. The episode "[[Thief in the Night]]" offered the best answer to the conundrum, by clearly presenting Metroplex to be a smaller sub-section of the city (see right).
*''Scramble City'' features a different [[character model]] for Metroplex compared to the one used for his appearances in the Generation 1 cartoon. The ''Scramble City'' model is more [[show-accuracy|toy-accurate]], featuring individual eyes, more robo-wrinkles and "stubble." When the model was updated for the cartoon, it went through at least two further design revisions; the earlier of these revisions gave him slender shoulder-antennae that were replaced with more toy-accurate ones for the finished model. The earlier model, with the skinny antennae, was used for Metroplex's appearances in the Marvel comics.
*"Fortress Maximus" was likely a considered name for Metroplex. The [[Transformers: The Movie (Marvel comic)|Marvel comic adaptation]] of the [[The Transformers: The Movie|1986 Movie]] even refers to [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] as "Fortress Maximus" in a caption.
*The Japanese book ''[[Transformers Generations]]'' contains concept art for an unmade [[Action Master]] version of Metroplex.
*In ''[[Transformers The Game]]'', the video game tie-in for the [[Transformers (film)|2007 movie]], a [[Tranquility Mall|suburban mall]] was called the Metroplex Mall as an homage to the character.
*Unusually for the G1 cartoon, Metroplex retains his red optics. This is in contrast to the cartoon's typical practice of colouring Autobot optics blue and Decepticon optics red.
*No instructions show this, but in a bizarre case of convergent engineering, Grandus in transport mode can combine with Metroplex in transport mode via the pegs on the former's shoulders, and the fist holes on the latter. ''[[Free-Combination|Jizai Gattai]]'' indeed.
*The tower formed with Slammer boasts a peak that is ''very'' similar to the Scramble City connection pieces sported by all smaller limb pieces, but is too large to be used in the same manner.
[[File:Scaleseason3.jpg|thumb|Scale chart for cartoon's third season featuring Rodimus Prime, Predaking, Trypticon and Metroplex]]
*In [[Dreamwave Armada issue 8|issue #8]] of the Dreamwave ''[[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|Armada]]'' comic, there is a statue of what looks like Metroplex carrying Cybertron on his shoulders.
*Metroplex' actual size fluctuates between franchises with confusing variation; however, his probably smallest incarnation is that in the Sunbow cartoon, which stands at about 100 meters (as indicated when he lifted the St.Vasily's cathedral) whereas his largest features in the IDW comics series where he is described as 'several miles tall' by Cityspeaker Windblade (and she should know) while his earthbound fellow Metrotitan was described as 'two miles tall' by Marissa Faireborn.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Metroflex''' (メトロフレックス ''Metorofurekkusu''), '''Metroplex''' (メトロプレックス ''Metoropurekkusu'')
*''English:'' '''Philip''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub)
*''French:'' '''Métroplex''' (Canada)
*''Italian:'' '''Guardian'''
*''Mandarin:'' '''Tà Tū-huèi''' (Taiwan, 大都會, "Grand Metropolis"), '''Mǒng Dà Shùai''' (China, 猛大帅, "Fierce Grand Marshal")

[[Category:Autobot bases]]
[[Category:City Transformers]]
[[Category:Convention exclusives]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 cities]]
[[Category:Generations]]
[[Category:Legends Autobots]]
[[Category:Multi-component Transformers]]
[[Category:MyClone]]
[[Category:SDCC exclusives]]
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[[Category:Unite Warriors Autobots]]

Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity

2018-09-02T11:38:06Z

Holomanga:

{{faction|autobot}}
{{suite}}
[[File:OptimusPrime-OriginalIDWTransformersPromo.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|Meet the cop that can't be stopped.]]
Born as '''Orion Pax''', the robot eventually known as '''Optimus Prime''' would rise slowly but surely to fame–first as a law officer unafraid to stand up for justice, then as a great and powerful military leader who held the line against Megatron's Decepticons on Cybertron and across the galaxy. As the first legitimate Prime in many ages, heir to the [[Matrix of Leadership]], Optimus Prime is revered by many and reviled by some, but always a powerful presence, in or out of battle.

After the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] came to a close and Cybertron contacted its long-lost colonies, Optimus discovered that the isolated worlds saw the [[Prime (rank)|Primes]] as living gods. While at first attempting to use this faith to keep an optic on Chancellor Starscream, some close friends worry that the worship may be going to his head and is leading him to repeat his predecessors' corrupt deeds. Of particular note is his annexing the [[Earth]] into the [[Council of Worlds]], an act which he claims is for Earth's protection but which others view as the foundation of a new Cybertronian empire...

:*''First Appearance:'' [[Infiltration issue 6|Transformers: Infiltration #6]]

{{bigquote|What Prime had... what made him great, it wasn't that he was so strong — even though he was — it was that he could '''talk'''... and what he said, it made you feel as strong as he was.|[[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]]|[[Pax Cybertronia (issue)|Pax Cybertronia]]}}
{{TOCclear}}
==IDW Generation 1 continuity==
{{ongoing}}
===Orion Pax: Supercop===
[[File:ChaosTheory2 sorry bunch.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.45|My name's Orion Pax, and I'm here to make Robocop look like a bitch!]]
Optimus Prime was forged under the name '''Orion Pax of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]'''. He excelled in intellectual pursuits, graduating from the [[Institute for Higher Programming]] and enrolling in the [[Academy of Science and Technology]], while in the religious quarter he proved a skeptic, doubting the existence of the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2|Chaos Theory #2}} {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} He went on to become a rising star in Cybertron's police force who served as an inspiration to his fellow officers, eventually becoming captain of the [[Rodion]] police force. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory #1}} He was notably liberal in his duties, even convincing his old Academy friend [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] to run a free clinic in the city's [[Dead End (place)|Dead End]]. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}}

[[File:ChaosTheory2 orion addresses senate.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"I see you've already arrested the whole planet." "...Not exactly."]]
When the manual class miner [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] was arrested for assault, Orion was intrigued by his treatise on non-violent resistance. After doing some investigation and discovering he wasn't guilty, Orion had Megatron released and told him that he had read his work and to keep working for change. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1}} In addition, Orion had his officer [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] locked up for abusing Megatron while he was in jail—an action that made the [[Senate]] ''very'' unhappy, as they had actually orchestrated Megatron's arrest in order to silence his voice of dissent. A gang of Senate thugs tried to coerce Orion into releasing Whirl, and when he refused, they returned to break Whirl out and kill Orion. Convinced now that Megatron's belief in the corruption of the Senate was true, Orion took his attackers down with a mix of righteous fury and tactical skills, and then forced his way into the [[Grand Imperium]]. There, he made a defiant speech to the Senate, saying his eyes had been opened by Megatron, only to be forcibly removed from the building. But Orion's speech had succeeded in reaching one of the Senate's members: [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Senator Shockwave]], who had for some time been searching for prospective new candidates to help free Cybertron from the Senate's corrupt stranglehold. Arranging for Orion's release, Shockwave had his injuries repaired and a cavity for the [[Matrix of Leadership]] added to his body, and the pair began working together in secret. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}}

[[File:Shadowplay2 no frikkin way.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|"You. Are ''over''. The ''SPEED LIMIT.'' NOW '''PULL OVER!'''"]]
In the dark times that followed, as the Senate initiated the [[Clampdown (event)|Clampdown]], and the [[Decepticon]] movement inspired by Megatron's writings grew in strength, Orion continued to do his duties the best he could. After saving the derelict [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] from some thugs and delivering him to Ratchet's clinic, Pax witnessed a news report on the death of the current Matrix bearer [[Nominus Prime]], allegedly the victim of a rust infection. Calling a meeting with Shockwave, Orion learned from him that the Senate were truly responsible for Nominus's death, and that a plan involving the Decepticons was currently in motion. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} With Decepticon sympathizer [[Sherma|Senator Sherma]] having recently been murdered, Shockwave feared that fellow sympathizer [[Momus]] was in danger, and Pax rushed into action. Unfortunately, he arrived too late, and found Momus dead and officers [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] and [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Tumbler]] fighting his [[Streaker|murderer]]. Pax took out the killer, and upon discovering that he had been using a borrowed body from a [[Relinquishment Clinic]], sent the other two officers to follow the lead. Pax himself, meanwhile, responded to a summons from [[Garrus-1]], where an imprisoned Whirl, seeking revenge against the Senate that had abandoned him, informed Orion of a bombing plot [[Proteus|Senator Proteus]] was masterminding. Regrouping with Prowl and Tumbler—who had discovered the [[Institute]] that the Senate was using to brainwash troublemakers—Pax and his allies realised that the Senate had planted a bomb inside Nominus Prime's corpse, intending to blame the destruction on the Decepticons, thereby allowing the Senate to send them all to The Institute to be corrected. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}}
[[File:Shadowplay3 pax saves shockwave.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|He likes to make an entrance...through your '''TORSO'''.]]
Recruiting some super-powered "[[Outlier]]s" from Shockwave's [[Jhiaxian Academy of Advanced Technology|Academy of Advanced Technology]] to lend their powers to the effort, Pax led his team in removing the bomb—hidden in the form of a fake Matrix—from Nominus's body as it lay in state, though Pax had to defer to Ratchet in the actual bomb removal, which was wired in with complex locks. The theft successfully completed, the team departed, but, having not been contacted by [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] at the appointed time, Pax sped on ahead to investigate, returning just in time to find that Senate thugs [[Kroma]], [[Macabre]] and the [[Heavies]] had attacked their safehouse to capture Shockwave. Pax took out one of the Heavies, but Shockwave agreed to surrender when Kroma threatened Roller's life. The remaining Heavy, Anvil, stayed behind to finish off Pax, but Pax used the Matrix-bomb to destroy his attacker. Believing that Shockwave would have been taken to the Institute, Pax had Tumbler lead him there, but they discovered the facility deserted: merely one of many Institutes, with no way of knowing in which Shockwave was being held. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}} When next Orion saw Shockwave, he had undergone not only [[empurata]], but a complex form of [[Shadowplay]] that stripped him of his emotions. Though Pax believed that Shockwave could overcome what had been done to him, the "new" Shockwave told him that he was not the same 'bot who had befriended him, and to give up on him. It would take some time for the truth to sink in that Shockwave really didn't care any more. {{storylink|Shockwaves}}

===Orion and Zeta===
[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]], the Senate's chief enforcer and part of the senatorial faction who'd whacked Nominus, wanted Orion Pax dead for interfering. Pax, Roller, and the outliers went on the run. Luckily, he'd made contact with one of Shockwave's other allies and disciples: [[Zeta Prime|Zeta of Sistex]], who became his newest mentor and backer. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|All Our Parlous Yesterdays}} {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

In 1st cycle 502, Zeta and Pax got wind of a new [[reproduction|spark "hot spot"]] in the [[Alyon]] region: one the Senate were keeping secret as it was in the shape of a [[Guiding Hand|''hand'']], the mythical digits of [[Primus]] pressing the planet into shape. Rather than allow the religious [[Functionist Council]] to use that for a power grab, the Senate were likely to kill the newborns. Pax and his crew fought to stop that, beating the snot out of the [[Cybertron Elite Guard|Elite Guard]] troops Sentinel kept sending. He requested reinforcements from Zeta and got... well, [[time travel]]ers pretending to be Zeta's men. In the process, Orion found himself unwittingly talking to a future Megatron. He was confused by the maudlin talk and, when asked why he didn't try to tear down the Senate he knew was corrupt, he told Megatron he believed reform was the answer of revolution: they needed to course-correct. (Megatron found that very funny)

Pax's "reinforcements" informed him that a Senate ship was bombarding the hot spot with radiation as part of an experiment (one that would kill many sparks). His team went out to prevent that and secretly transport the sparks to somewhere safe. In the process, Roller was badly wounded and MIA. An enraged Pax ended the threat by having Trailbreaker put a forcefield round him and [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] ''throw him'' at the Senate ship. Unfortunately, when the time travelers erased everyone's short term memories to cover their tracks Pax forgot that Roller had gone missing. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|All Our Parlous Yesterdays}}

[[File:AHM13 let him speak.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|You start wearing the blue and brown You're working for the clampdown!]]
After the Decepticons killed Sentinel and most of the Senate with him, {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 4|Megatron Origin #4}} Zeta became Zeta Prime and formed the New Senate. Orion Pax stood by him as a friend and loyal soldier: he believed things were slowly changing for the better under Zeta. Together, they reformed the former senate's security forces into an army to combat the Decepticon insurgency; Orion named them the "[[Autobot]]s", having previously decided to "reclaim" this pejorative term that other alien races used refer to Cybertronians. {{storylink|Omega's Conundrum}} {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} While reviewing new recruits gathered for the Autobot forces by [[Kup (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Kup]], Orion was called out by an ornery veteran civil militia soldier named [[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]], who didn't believe that a highly decorated police officer knew anything of ''real'' warfare, and had no business leading an army. Pax invited the old warhorse to teach him. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 13|Old Ways}}

[[File:SLOrionPax new body.jpg|thumb|upright=1.45|"My face feels so... naked."]]
When Ratchet was captured by the Decepticons, Zeta had Orion upgraded into a new body so that he could carry out a prisoner exchange, though he lamented the loss of his [[mouthplate|lucky faceplate]]. Guided to the exchange point in the [[Rust Sea|Rust Spot]] by [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], Pax and hostage negotiator [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] fended off an attack by the [[Slicer (group)|Slicer]]s; the battle broke Pax's trailer open, revealing that the hostages they were carrying were two grunts named [[Rack'n'Ruin|Rack and Ruin]], who Orion encouraged to abandon the Decepticon cause. Proceeding to the Decepticon base, the team discovered that the whole exchange had been a ruse by [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] to capture Alpha Trion. Pax fought back long enough for to allow the others to escape, and as punishment, Bludgeon strapped him to a shuttle and launched it at the nearest population center. Orion improvised by using an "instantaneous transformation" trick picked up from Rack and Ruin to break his bonds, allowing him to take control of the shuttle and crash it into an unpopulated area. {{storylink|Omega's Conundrum}} Despite Orion foiling their plot, the Decepticons did get something out of the whole ordeal; confirmation through Alpha Trion that the ancient Titans were real. {{storylink|The Hunting Party (IDW)|The Hunting Party}}

Some time later, still in his upgraded form, Orion Pax, Kup, Ironhide and their team were on a mission to thwart an assassination attempt on Zeta Prime. Disenchanted racer [[Blurr (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Blurr]] stumbled into the midst of a firefight between the two units; as the Decepticon unit pulled out to continue its mission, Orion petitioned Blurr for help, asking him to use his speed to get word to Zeta before it was too late. The former celebrity balked, but ultimately the young soldier helped Blurr find what really drove him to race, and thus recruited him to the Autobot cause. Curiously, Kup was heard to refer to Orion as "Optimus" during this adventure. {{storylink|Spotlight: Blurr}}

Back in his original body, Orion would be approached by [[Tappet]] over the alleged killing of [[Hefter]] by [[Outback (G1)|Outback]]. While Orion assured Tappet that the investigation would run its course and adhere to the law, the civilian disagreed. Orion was then approached by Zeta Prime and the two's subsequent discussion led Orion to wonder if Zeta was any different a Prime than his predecessors. Orion later confronted Outback in a bar, which produced no meaningful leads on the case. Orion then took Hefter's body to the [[Ultirex]] Technoversity for Ratchet to perform an examination, where the medic found that the corpse's injuries did not match the official report. When Ratchet introduced Pax to [[Jetfire (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jetfire]], the jet attacked Pax who quickly subdued him and revealed his Decepticon badge. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}} Promptly arresting the scientist, Orion took him to [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] for an interrogation. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 2: A Lonely Pillar on the Plain|A Lonely Pillar on the Plain}} The trio went to see the one who had recruited Jetfire into the Decepticons: [[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]]. The Outlier refuted Pax's allegations and claimed that the Decepticons had made moral compromises for their goals but were not involved with off-world weapon imports. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 3: Behind My Bleeding Back|Behind My Bleeding Back}}

Orion later watched a PSA with Zeta regarding the integrity of the police force, reaffirming Orion's doubt about his friend, who claimed Orion might one day bear the Matrix. Orion later met Prowl and Jetfire at the [[Cosmic Carnival]], where the latter gave Orion the weapon that ended Hefter's life and revealed he knew when the next shipment of guns would arrive from off-world. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 4: Dance Among the Shadows|Dance Among the Shadows}} Fitting Jetfire with a wire, Pax and Prowl sent him on his way to gather the evidence they needed. Upon learning that Soundwave had lied to him, all sympathy Orion had for the Decepticons evaporated and he swore to bring them down. Whatever the cost. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 5: Future Glories Lost|Future Glories Lost}} The two cops broke in on the weapons trade, with Orion killing one of the Decepticons before all the weapons were remotely detonated by [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]]. Orion and Prowl cordoned off the crime scene, only to be joined by Outback, whom Jetfire tried to attack before Orion stopped him. Jetfire then renounced his allegiance to the Decepticons and Orion invited him to join the police in stopping them. Jetfire declined, saying that not everything the Decepticons had done was bad. Orion disagreed, feeling violence was the only way to stop them, something which would leave a profound impact on Jetfire for years to come. {{storylink|New Cybertron End: Feel Safe Without Regrets|Feel Safe Without Regrets}} Orion later spoke to an angry Jetfire about the Decepticon philosophy and whether or not violence was a legitimate means of achieving change. {{storylink|What It's Really Like}}

The trio was soon approached by [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]], who confessed to bombing the Tygun factory after being assaulted by voices in his head. Jetfire discovered that a foreign signal was entering Bumblebee's processor and causing his dreams. Orion and Prowl tracked it to its source, followed by Bumblebee. The signal was the work of [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]], who was using Soundwave's telepathic abilities to broadcast hypnotic signals. Though the Decepticons escaped, Orion was impressed by Bumblebee's bravery. The young bot then requested to join Orion's unit. {{storylink|Ghost Stories}}
{{--}}

===Becoming Prime===
[[File:Autocracy1 pax security forces.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Orion soon became the commander of his own six-bot counter-insurgency unit working directly under Zeta Prime, though he had grown angry and detached from his experiences. During a mission to arrest the arms dealer [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] in [[Nyon]], he lost his temper and almost beat the Decepticon to death in front of horrified onlookers. {{storylink|Law and Disorder}} He later admitted to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] that he was frustrated with his own failures and uncertain if they were really on the right side, since so many civilians seemed to hate them and the government. {{storylink|Parasites}} Dispatched by Zeta Prime to hunt down the spy [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]], Orion succeeded in defeating the Decepticon in spite of [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]]'s attempts to turn the fear and paranoia of bystanders against him. Before he could capture him, however, several other Decepticons arrived, taking his subordinate [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] hostage and telling him Megatron wanted an audience with him. {{storylink|The Hunt for Soundwave}} Brought to a [[Jump Joint|bar]] in [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]], Orion listened as Megatron tried to talk him into siding with the Decepticons, claiming that Zeta was planning to drain energon from civilians, and had only sent Orion's team into Nyon in the hopes that they would die, giving him an official reason to attack the city. Orion stalled the conversation long enough that his allies could break in and rescue him and Bumblebee, then returned to Iacon and confronted Zeta with Megatron's claims. Zeta only told him not to question his motives before sending him on his next mission to capture the insurgent [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod]]. {{storylink|Cause and Effect}}

[[File:Autocracy6 pax vs zeta.jpg|thumb|upright=1.45]]
Tracking Hot Rod to the [[Acropolex]] in Nyon, Orion Pax and his men followed him into the depths of the building, where they discovered tanks of energon drained from the city's population by Zeta Prime, just as Megatron had claimed. Having seen the truth with his own eyes, Orion decided to turn on the corrupt government just as Zeta began attacking Nyon with his [[Guardian robot|Omega Destructor]]s. {{storylink|Ruins}} Leaving Hot Rod to evacuate the city, he and his unit tried and failed to defeat one of the Destructors. As they tried to escape, Nyon began to explode, and Orion realized that Zeta had set everything up to force Hot Rod's insurgents into self-destructing their own city. As Zeta arrived in person, Orion tried to fight him but was quickly dispatched by his [[vamparc ribbon]]. {{storylink|Purge}} Before Zeta could execute them, Orion and his team were saved by none other than Megatron and his Decepticons, who brought them back to Kaon for repairs. Though he still didn't trust Megatron, Orion Pax now knew he had told the truth about Zeta and agreed to join forces against him. {{storylink|Choices}}

[[File:Autocracy9 pax becomes prime.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.45|"I've summoned you here for a purpose." "Nobody summons Orion Pax!!" "Then it pleases me to be the first."]]
As their soldiers invaded Zeta Prime's [[Citadel]], Orion Pax and Megatron were air-dropped into his [[Primacy Auditorium|chamber]] and confronted him in person. Though Orion lost an arm in the battle, he managed to destroy Zeta's weapon, and the corrupt Prime was finally killed by Megatron. As soon as everything was over, however, Megatron betrayed the Autobots and shot Orion in the back, casting him into the [[Undergrid]] beneath the citadel. {{storylink|Overthrown}} Left for dead, Orion was drawn towards a distant light which turned out to be the hiding place of the long-missing Matrix of Leadership. As a voice called out for him to take the artifact, he did so and was suddenly overcome with the pain, fear, and loneliness felt by all living Cybertronians. Imbued with new clarity and wisdom, he realized that the Autobots were not meant to fight for unity—since in the eyes of the Matrix, [['Til all are one|all were one]]—but rather for the freedom of all sapient beings. As the Matrix repaired his body, Orion Pax declared that he was giving up his identity for his people: he was now Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Transformation (issue)|Transformation}} Guided by the Matrix back to the ruins of Nyon, Optimus reunited with his allies amidst the wreckage. Revealing the Matrix and his new goals and desires to his friends, he then used talisman to awaken an ancient, slumbering life force he could sense beneath the city: [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. {{storylink|Rise}} {{storylink|The Hunting Party (IDW)|The Hunting Party}}

[[File:Autocracy12 prime vs megatron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3]]
To raise the army he needed to defeat Megatron—who had seized control of Cybertron in his absence—Optimus recruited the aid of news broadcaster [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], who put out a rallying call for aid across [[Iaconian Newsfeed Service]]. Joined by thousands of freedom-seeking Transformers, Prime marched on Iacon. {{storylink|Broadcast}} While Metroplex handled Megatron's "vamparc annihilator" weapon, Optimus engaged Megatron himself in a [[The Transformers: The Movie|duel]] and emerged victorious with some timely aid from Hot Rod, though Megatron escaped with the vow that the war was just beginning. Vowing not to make the same mistakes as Zeta, Prime ordered a cache of illegal weapons discovered in the Undergrid destroyed, and thanked Hot Rod for his help. The younger 'bot was unsure if he deserved the gratitude, given his destruction of Nyon, but Prime assured him of his heroism, speculating that even he could bear the Matrix one day. {{storylink|Endgame}}

In the wake of the Decepticons' defeat, Optimus Prime inaugurated the [[Grand Convocation]], calling on representatives of all the planet's various guilds and groups to work together toward peace. Former senator [[Dai Atlas (Zone)|Dai Atlas]] loudly objected to his leadership based on his past as a combatant, and a weary Optimus conferred with Alpha Trion on how best to proceed. {{storylink|Derelicts}} Pax called Dai Atlas to a private meeting to hash out their differences, {{storylink|Faces of Darkness}} but news of an attack on the [[Toraxxis mega-refinery]] interrupted their discussion, and both 'bots responded to the alarm. At the refinery, they discovered [[Grimlock (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Grimlock]]'s [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] facing off against the Decepticons, now under the command of [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. Losing control of his monstrous [[alternate mode]], Grimlock was ready to blow the entire refinery to destroy himself and all present, but Optimus was able to talk him down, only for Scorponok to trigger the explosion instead. {{storylink|Rage (IDW)|Rage}}

[[File:Monstrosity5 prime atlas argue.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Though Prime and his men survived the refinery explosion, thousands died in the blast. Prime delivered a eulogy for the fallen, but the catastrophe was a turning point for Cybertron, as, under Dai Atlas's leadership, huge portions of the planet's population evacuated to seek new worlds. Optimus refused to abandoned his homeworld, and sent a science team to explore the refinery blast crater in hopes of finding a new [[energon]] source. {{storylink|Fallout (issue)|Fallout}} Prime himself then called Kup in for information on the Dynobots, reviewing classified files that revealed that, on their last missions, they had adopted monstrous new alternate modes based on creatures they discovered in the caverns beneath Toraxxis. {{storylink|Underworld (IDW)|Underworld}} The science team soon returned to report their own meeting with these beasts, along with a reservoir of tainted energon and a [[Trypticon (G1)|colossal reptilian Transformer]] guarding it. {{storylink|Prey (issue)|Prey}} Prime presented these findings to the Grand Convocation upon their next meeting, they were not enough to sway Dai Atlas from his course. To make matters worse, a riot erupted amongst the evacuating civilians at [[Starsreach Spaceport]] that Prime had to quell in person; no sooner had he done so, and the exodus resumed, than the Decepticons launched an attack. {{storylink|Massacre}} The attack caused Grimlock, who had come to turn himself in to Prime, to loose control and adopt his feral beast form; after he drove the Decepticons back, Optimus calmed the Dinobot down and got him under control. The Dinobots were impressed with Optimus, but despite his pleas, they still insisted on leaving the planet. {{storylink|Unleashed}}

[[File:Monstrosity11 prime vs trypticon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Returning to his quarters to vent some of his anger, Optimus was soon summoned by Bumblebee with more bad news: the Decepticons had activated the giant beast from Toraxxis. Prime asked Metroplex for his aid, but the city-bot had become so long on energy that he could not transform, and could merely offer Prime information, such as the beast's name: Trypticon. Prime organized a heavy weapons assault against Trypticon, {{storylink|The Illusion of Control}} but the barrage failed, and when Prime tried to intimidate the giant with the sight of the Matrix itself, it simply stomped on him. As Prime watched, however, the Dynobots came dropping out of the sky to join the battle, followed quickly by Megatron, returning from a recent off-planet escapade of his own. Prime passed out before he could see Megatron and Grimlock be swallowed by Trypticon, {{storylink|Annihilation}} and so did not witness them deactivating it from within. During the battle, Bumblebee and Ultra Magnus went to Prime's aid, replacing the Matrix—knocked from him by Trypticon's attack—in his chest. {{storylink|Belly of the Beast (issue)|Belly of the Beast}}

Taking advantage of a temporary lull in the war, Optimus Prime took a brief sabbatical and travelled to the Grav-Haraan glacier with Ironhide. They eventually picked up an unusual energy signature, and discovered that it belonged to an [[Guardian robot#IDW Generation 1 continuity|Omega Sentinel]], who claimed to be awaiting the return of Nova Prime. Optimus revealed that Nova had long since vanished and that he now bore the Matrix. Although saddened, the Sentinel offered to carry the two Autobots back to civilization, and introduced himself as [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. {{storylink|Primacy issue 1|Primacy #1}} Prime informed Alpha Trion about his discovery, but Trion warned him that Omega Supreme might feel out of place after spending so much time in isolation. Things took a turn for the worse after Optimus and the Autobots detected a mysterious object approaching Cybertron, which turned out to be a reinvigorated Trypticon, heading straight for Metroplex! Optimus ordered an evacuation and then commanded Metroplex to transform, so as to meet Trypticon head on. {{storylink|Primacy issue 2|Primacy #2}} Although Metroplex was able to outfight Trypticon, the other Autobots were unprepared for the army of Junkions and a sudden flood of coolant, turning the battleground into a [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticon]]-infested deathtrap. Optimus ordered Omega Supreme into battle; the Sentinel revealed that he was waiting to kill Nova Prime for disgracing the legacy of the Primes, but confided to Optimus that would stand alongside Optimus. {{storylink|Primacy issue 3|Primacy #3}} Optimus rolled out to take on Megatron, and easily ran Motormaster off the road along the way. He finally confronted Megatron, who begged Optimus to kill him so as to spare him the mental torture of [[Pentius]], the Quintesson who had fused his spark to Megatron's. Optimus instead used the Matrix to purify Megatron's spark and destroy the Quintesson presence. Megatron swore that he still hated Prime even after the Autobot leader saved his life, forcing the saddened Autobot leader to knock out Megatron with a single punch. Megatron was left imprisoned and Optimus broadcast the news across Cybertron, calling for an end to the fighting and promising to hunt down the surviving Decepticon troops. {{storylink|Primacy issue 4|Primacy #4}}

===War without end===
Megatron would later incorrectly claim that his and Prime's first meeting took place during the [[Rorsha Campaign]], when they battled on [[Sherma Bridge]]. Prime's side lost 5000 men but he sliced off the tyrant's cannon arm with his energon axe before he lost and got thrown off the bridge. Every Autobot and Decepticon stopped fighting to witness their duel. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1}}

[[File:TheIronAge i dont know.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
As the war bore on, Optimus and Ironhide's student-and-teacher relationship evolved. Prime grew willing to go against Ironhide's counsel, once doing so to save the Autobots from Trypticon waiting in ambush, while also learning the benefit of sticking to your guns like the stubborn old soldier did, once insisting on saving Ironhide's life after a booby-trap left them badly damaged and hanging over a cliff-edge. Down the years, Ironhide developed a respect and awe for his protege, {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 13|Old Ways}} eventually taking on the position of his official bodyguard. It was in this capacity, four million years ago, that Ironhide saved Optimus when he was ambushed by Soundwave and his cassettes while attempting to stop a Decepticon energon convoy. With Ironhide covering him from afar, Prime then proceeded to talk the convoy into surrendering without having to fire a single shot. During a party to celebrate this win, Prime declined Prowl's request to address the troops, and went out to converse with Kup and Ironhide, privately confiding in them that he foresaw the war going on without end. As the party continued, Decepticon assassin [[Axer (G1)|Axer]] made an attempt on Prime's life, but Ironhide saved him, throwing himself in the path of the blast. {{storylink|The Iron Age}}

[[File:ChaosTheory prime vs megatron montage.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Prime's actions during the long course of the war were many. As the conflict spread across the galaxy, he commanded the Autobot armed forced from the [[Autobot Orbital Command Hub]]. {{Storylink|The Transformers: Stormbringer|Stormbringer}} He was part of the [[113th Battalion]] when they battled [[Black Shadow (Victory)|Black Shadow]]. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} During the [[Simanzi Massacre]], he prevented over a thousand Autobots and neutrals from falling into [[Crucible|The Crucible]]. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Pyro's Autopedia entry}} He was also involved in preventing the [[Black Epoch]]. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|Last Stand of the Wreckers #4}} At some point, Optimus had to berate Grimlock personally, insisting that the Dynobot let go of a grudge he had against Shockwave after the later botched one of Grimlock's energon-gathering missions. Grimlock didn't listen. {{storylink|Spotlight: Shockwave}} Optimus battled Megatron many times, on multiple worlds: he lost half his face to Megatron's [[energon mace]] during the Battle for [[Hell's Point]] and retaliated by using [[Tremorcon]]s' [[Geo-Scoop]] to drop a city block on his opponent, and he was nearly destroyed during the Siege of [[Siege of Massunstrad|Massunstrad]] when Megatron trapped him in an anti-matter chamber. Optimus would get in his licks too, however; during the [[Vorsk Offensive]], he nearly sliced Megatron in half; at [[Rada Mor]], Prime nearly destroyed Megatron while defending some "sentient explosives". {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1}} At the war's zenith, Optimus sealed himself in an [[Omniglobe]] to absorb the relentless flood of data coming in from countless fronts. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}}

Some of Prime's other accomplishments of note throughout the war included battling shards of living rage, exorcising the [[Demonicon]]s, and performing Hot Rod's rite of the Autobrand. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}} During Earth's ice age a transmission of Optimus Prime and Bumblebee was intercepted by the Eukarian starship ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'' which served as the proximate cause for Shockwave rebuilding the ship's crew as Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|Strange Visitors}}

[[File:Stormbringer3-OptimusSpringerWreckers.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.45|Freedom is the right of all sentient and heavily-armed beings.]]
700 stellar cycles ago, Prime and Megatron joined forces to battle [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]. Driven by his belief that the already badly-degenerated Cybertron would soon become completely uninhabitable, Thunderwing had, through [[Pretender|polydermal grafting]], inadvertently turned himself into a monster whose subsequent rampage only accelerated the planet's collapse. In a final, futile stand at [[Thunderhead Pass]], Optimus could only watch as Cybertron itself swallowed Thunderwing. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 1|Stormbringer #1}} Although this ultimately brought the planet to a point of no return, forcing all the Transformers to leave their world behind, Prime refused to allow Megatron to go through with his plan to destroy Cybertron itself to ensure Thunderwing was no more. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 2|Stormbringer #2}}

In the mid-to-late 19th century, Bumblebee reported his adventure on [[Xetaxxis]] that ended in the death of [[Sky Blast (G1)|Sky Blast]] and [[Convoy (G1)|Convoy]] to Optimus. After arranging for [[Minimus Ambus]] to retake the mantle of Ultra Magnus, Optimus commended Bumblebee for his bravery and noted the need to remain ever vigilant against the Decepticons. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 5|Shining Armor #5}}

In 2005, while on the Orbital Command Hub, Prime received a communication from Ironhide, presently stationed on the planet [[Earth]] as part of a unit led by Prowl. Ironhide's message warned the local Decepticon infiltration cell under [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]] had broken their infiltration methods and enacted [[Infiltration protocol|siege mode]] prematurely, and Prime ordered the situation to be monitored. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration #3}}{{storylink|Stormbringer issue 1|Stormbringer #1}} Soon afterward, when the Autobot science vessel ''[[Calabi-Yau]]'' sent a distress signal from above Thunderhead Pass, Prime decided to investigate personally, upgrading himself additional armor and armaments and ordering the [[Wrecker]]s to meet him on Cybertron. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 2|Stormbringer #2}} Venturing into the planet's depths, Prime's team discovered that Thunderwing had been restored by Bludgeon and his followers. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 3|Stormbringer #3}} Faced with the planet-ravaging monster once again, Prime found himself willing to succumb to Megatron's way of thinking this time, and considered destroying Cybertron to remove the threat. Fortunately, it did not come to that: studying Bludgeon's files, [[Jetfire (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jetfire]] discovered that he had reanimated Thunderwing with an exceptionally powerful "[[Ore-13|Ultra-Energon]]" that would burn out in short order. His conscience still guilty over the past, Prime took on Thunderwing personally for the final exchange of the battle, unleashing massive amounts of firepower at monster, forcing it to exhaust its power reserves and ultimately, its life. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 4|Stormbringer #4}}
{{--}}

===Earth and back again===
[[File:Infiltration6 - OptimusPrime Earth mode.jpg|thumb|Don't crush the cameraman!]]
Continuing to investigate Bludgeon's files, Jetfire learned that the mysterious new Energon used to revive Thunderwing had originated on Earth. Linking this to Ironhide's message, Prime headed straight for the planet. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 4|Stormbringer #4}} He arrived while most of Prowl's unit were out on a mission, and when they returned, they were met by their leader, freshly reformatted with a new Earth truck body. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}} After ordering that Ironhide and [[Sunstreaker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sunstreaker]] return the humans the Autobots had befriended to their homes, Prime took some time to take in reports from other Autobots elsewhere in the galaxy, and was beamed further findings by Jetfire that worryingly indicated Decepticons had been active on Earth for many years. {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}}

[[File:NATF avengers vs autobots.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.95]]
It became apparent that the Decepticons had initiated Phase Two of their infiltration protocol when news reached Prime and the Autobots of suddenly accelerated unrest between the small European nations of [[Latveria]] and [[Symkaria]]. Tracing the cause to Decepticon array that was broadcasting an aggression-enhancing signal, Prime took his team into action, only to have them run into the superhero team known as the [[Avengers]]. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part One}} With the human heroes also suffering the effects of the aggression wave, a short battle erupted between the two teams, which was halted by Ratchet and a quickly-created inhibitor device that brought the Avengers back to their senses. The united Autobot/Avenger team launched an attack on the array, but were soon met in combat by the Decepticons; Optimus was injured by a disproportionately powerful blast from [[Thundercracker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Thundercracker]], unaware that the Decepticons had boosted their powers using energy drawn from the captive [[Spider-Man]]. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two}} The super-charged Decepticons were beaten back when Prime, [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] and [[Jazz (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jazz]] linked their systems to [[Iron Man]]'s Transformer-sized armor, giving him the power necessary to end the fight. Megatron attempted to force Prime to surrender by revealing that he had captured several of the Avengers, but Prime instead ordered a quick destruction of the array, prompting Megatron to emerge to join the battle. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Three}} The Decepticon leader refrained from engaging Prime directly, however, electing to save their conflict for a more personal moment; Prime instead joined his Autobots and the Avengers in bombarding Megatron with an overwhelming barrage of firepower, finally taking him down. Megatron teleported out, and Prime led his Autobots in withdrawing. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Four}}

[[File:Escalation5 prime vs megs.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
When word came in from Ironhide that Sunstreaker had been slain by an attack from an enigmatic human organization, Optimus Prime took Jazz and [[Wheeljack (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Wheeljack]] to recover their comrade's car-form remains from the civilian impound lot they were being held in. They arrived just as Sunstreaker's attackers were attempting to remove his body; their vehicle did not survive a head-on collision with Prime's shin. Subsequent examination of Sunstreaker's body by Ratchet proved that the remains were, in fact, ''not'' Sunstreaker, but rather a facsimile the humans had created to throw Prime's team off the trail. {{storylink|Escalation issue 2|Escalation #2}} Ironhide was eager to hunt down Sunstreaker's attackers, but Prime refused to let him, instead calling in reinforcements in the form of Hot Rod, Nightbeat and [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Nightbeat}} {{storylink|Escalation issue 3|Escalation #3}}

[[File:Escalation5 Primedies enlightning.jpg|upright=1.66|left|thumb|Rule of thumb, Megs—if he don't turn gray, he's A-OK.]]
Soon after, Prowl discovered that the Decepticons were causing political instability in the breakaway Soviet state of [[Brasnya]] and Prime ordered the Autobots into action. {{storylink|Escalation issue 3|Escalation #3}} While reconning the area, Prime left his [[Combat Deck (G1)|Combat Deck]] to monitor the surroundings; it picked up [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], who thought he had got the drop on Prime, and [[Roller (G1)|Roller]] took out the unsuspecting Decepticon with a single shot. Megatron proceeded to [[orbital jump|orbital bounce]] directly into Prime's path, at last ready for them to battle one-on-one. {{storylink|Escalation issue 4|Escalation #4}} The fight went well at first, with Prime blowing Megatron's [[fusion cannon]] clean off, but the increased strength and stamina granted the Decepticon by Earth's Ultra-Energon allowed him to prevail, actually punching through Prime's body and crushing his [[spark]] casing. {{storylink|Escalation issue 5|Escalation #5}} {{storylink|Spotlight: Ramjet}} Prime only managing to survive by transferring his consciousness into his trailer, leaving Megatron to believe him dead. Recalling the circumstances of Thunderwing's defeat, Prime directed his troops to bombard Megatron with a hail of firepower, then returned to his body in time to deliver the final, point-blank blast that drained the last of the Decepticon leader's power reserves. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}}

[[File:SLOptimus prime vs monstructor.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
Prime's near-death experience left him somewhat unsettled; while his consciousness had been in transitional [[infraspace]] downloading to his trailer, he had sensed a presence of dread—the visage of his long-missing predecessor, [[Nova Prime]]. Looking for answers, Optimus Prime left Earth to visit Nova's contemporary, [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. From Omega, he learned of Nova's belief that Transformers were a superior race that should remake the universe in their image, and he faced down the rampaging [[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]], a legacy of Nova's tenure seeking revenge against Omega Supreme for locking him away. Appalled at Omega's actions as much as he was Nova's, Prime attempted to appeal Monstructor, but the deranged beast refused to listen, and Prime took him down hard. {{storylink|Spotlight: Optimus Prime}}

[[File:Devastation4 PrimeSixshot hyperbole.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.45|"And THAT'S for killing my brother in another timeline!"]]
After Prime returned to Earth, he organized the Autobots in proactive maneuvers against the [[Machination|mysterious human group]] that had been bedeviling them of late, permitting the relocation of their base the ''[[Ark-19]]'' and calling in further reinforcements from Cybertron in the form of a unit led by [[Hound (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hound]]. In mid-transit, however, the ''Ark-19'' was attacked by the latest addition to Megatron's forces, [[Sixshot]]. {{storylink|Devastation issue 1|Devastation #1}} Prime co-ordinated the evacuation of their human allies and the self-destruction of the craft to ensure it didn't fall into enemy hands, and while it appeared that he and his Autobots did not make it out of the ship before it blew {{storylink|Devastation issue 2|Devastation #2}} they soon revealed they had survived and prepared to take on Sixshot. {{storylink|Devastation issue 3|Devastation #3}} Optimus and the Autobots held Sixshot at bay, but battle ended in stalemate when both parties orbital jumped out to avoid an air strike from the U.S. military. {{storylink|Devastation issue 4|Devastation #4}} {{Storylink|Spotlight: Grimlock}}

Regrouping on ''[[Ark-32]]'', Prime received a communication from Jetfire informing him that Monstructor had been liberated from the [[Garrus-9]] penitentiary. Considering the threat he posed if unleashed greater than that posed to Earth by the Decepticons, Prime ordered the Autobots to depart the planet to deal with this new crisis, {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation #5}} redirecting Hound's unit to meet his team at Garrus-9. {{storylink|Devastation issue 6|Devastation #6}}[[File:SLDDealer optimus vs nova.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]] Upon arrival at the prison, Prime and Prowl conferred with Jetfire and warden [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]], then received a worrying report from Ultra Magnus, who, along with Hound's crew, had encountered [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] and Thunderwing on [[Corata-Vaz]]. Recalling his out-of-body experience in Brasnya, Prime realized that recent events were somehow connected to Nova Prime; {{storylink|Spotlight: Cyclonus}} a theory that gained traction as more information began to come in from Jetfire and Omega Supreme. Seeking information, Prime dispatched Hot Rod and [[Doubledealer|Dealer]] to recover the all-knowing [[Magnificence]] from [[Ki-Aleta]], {{storylink|Spotlight: Hardhead}} but in their absence, Prime's speculation was proven accurate when Nova Prime himself attacked Garrus-9. Optimus engaged his predecessor personally, discovering that he was now "Nemesis Prime", having been transformed into an undead monster by the power of the [[Dead Universe]] and its, "Anti-Matrix", the [[Darkness (G1)|Darkness]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Doubledealer}} In the course of their battle, however, Nova's secret fear proved true: like the Matrix, the Darkness sought to pass onto the current Prime. Nova refused to let the Darkness leave him and savagely attacked Optimus, but, just as victory seemed within his grasp, he was shot in the back and killed by his treacherous comrade [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]]. With Nova's death, the Darkness leapt into Optimus, who struggled against its evil emanations. Galvatron offered Optimus a choice: kill himself by plunging into the prison's [[solar pool]], or pass on the Darkness to Galvatron, who had coveted it for so long. Optimus seemed to choose the later, taking Galvatron's hand and passing the Darkness to him, but after doing so, he did not release his grip on the villain, instead hurling him into the solar pool to his apparent destruction. Concurrent with this, the other Autobots using the information gained from the Magnificence to thwart Nova's plan to merge the living and dead universes, and as Optimus gazed upon Nova's dead body, he told himself he could not mourn the elder Prime's death, as Nova had truly died long ago. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}} {{storylink|Heart of Darkness issue 1|Heart of Darkness #1}}

When Ultra Magnus brought the human Hunter O'Nion and Sunstreak aboard the Ark-32 (as well as many other bots and humans enrolled in their recent adventures) Optimus was present to witness Ratchet giving O'Nion a clean bill of health. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 5|Maximum Dinobots #5}}
{{--}}

===Offline in exile===
[[File:AHM7 megs rips out matrix.jpg|left|thumb]]
In the weeks and months that followed, Optimus Prime led a larger squad of Autobots back to Earth to deal with the Decepticon threat they had left behind. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 15|Everything in Its Right Place}} Upon their return, however, they discovered that while they had been away, the Decepticons had become splintered following an apparent power struggle between Megatron and Starscream. After a prolonged period of searching, Prime led the Autobots to a location where Starscream's "group" was, only to be ambushed by a unified Decepticon force, including a brand new [[combiner|gestalt]], [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]. The combiner sealed the Autobots' defeat, and Megatron tore the Matrix of Leadership from Prime's chest. The captured Autobots were led to a [[space bridge]] that would return to them to Cybertron, where they would be left to the mercies of the [[Insecticon swarm]] the Decepticons had populated the planet with. However, once his troops were through, Prime, last in line, quickly turned his weapons on the bridge machinery, destroying it. As the portal begin to close, Prime was hurled into it by a barrage of Decepticon fire, causing a catastrophic reaction that fried his circuits and knocked him offline. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} Left stranded on Cybertron with their leader comatose, the Autobots were forced to leave Earth to the Decepticons. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1|All Hail Megatron #1}} {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5|All Hail Megatron #5}}

[[File:AHMPrimecritical.jpg|upright=1.7|thumb|So he's dying. [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|This shouldn't be a problem by now]].]]
One year after Nova Prime's defeat, Prime's unit were joined on Cybertron by a team led by Kup, who brought with them enough energon for Ratchet to restore Prime to full functionality. He awoke just as Sideswipe was chastizing the demoralized Autobots on the self-destructive nature of their war, and delivered a rousing speech affirming his pride in his warriors and his unfazed intent to win the war. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 9|All Hail Megatron #9}} Prime took a moment to reconnect in particular with his old teacher, Ironhide, who had been hit especially hard by his brush with death, and the reunited pair then joined the other Autobots in plunging into battle against the Insecticon swarm. The timely arrival of Omega Supreme saved the Autobots, and he then ferried them to Earth for a showdown with Megatron's forces. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}}

[[File:AHM12 prime vs megs.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.55]]
The Autobots returned to an Earth than had been devastated by the Decepticons in their absence, arriving at [[New York City]] just as the Decepticons were fending off attacks from a European air squad. Prime and Megatron faced off with each other once again, but rather than immediately clash, Megatron was puzzled by his old enemy's actions; both leaders had always maintained a policy of acceptable losses, and Prime had already abandoned Earth once, proving he held the planet in no particular regard. Prime claimed he had changed; no more would he allow their cold war to endanger innocent lifeforms. Megatron merely scoffed, revealing that the "innocents" Prime wanted to protect were about to drop a nuclear bomb on the city. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11|All Hail Megatron #11}} Battle then erupted between the two, with Megatron emerging victorious after a fierce exchange of blows, but just before he and the Decepticons departed, human soldier [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Spike Witwicky]] landed a critical shot with an experimental weapon [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|made from a Transformer]]. Prime finished the job by slamming Megatron in the head with his own [[fusion cannon]], taking him offline. The Decepticons fled, leaving the Autobots to face nuclear destruction, until the bomb was stopped by the disenchanted Thundercracker. Prime then met with Spike, and proposed that the Autobots and human military work together to repair the damage done to the Earth. Spike was not confident that such an alliance was possible. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}}

Some time later, Optimus met with Ironhide to discuss the elder Autobot's resignation from Prime's forces. Ironhide no longer trusted his own judgement following some bad decisions made during Prime's time offline, and Prime respected Ironhide too much to argue. Instead, the pair shared a drink and some reminiscence, and with some honest, emotional confession of much the Autobots needed him and how much he would personally miss him, Optimus convinced Ironhide to stay. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 13|Old Ways}}

Optimus later took a moment to lament the state in which their war left the City of New York, before deciding to protect the Earth while in disguise. {{storylink|Ride-Along}} When Bumblebee got separated from the rest of the Autobots in the ruins of New York, and subsequently outed himself by rescuing some humans in danger, Optimus and the rest of the Autobots retrieved him. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 16|Hidden}}
{{-}}

===Leader no more===
[[File:Ongoing Issue 1-Optimus Surrenders.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|His attempt to start the wave was not going down well.]]
Unable to work directly with humankind, and with Omega Supreme too low on energy to take the Autobots off-world, Optimus Prime had the Autobots go into hiding for the next two years. Many Autobots chafed under this order, and eventually, things erupted in an angry Hot Rod accusing Prime of allowing both his guilt and his need to protect something to trap the Autobots on a world that didn't want them anymore. Unable to defend against the claims, Prime was forced to allow Hot Rod to lead a mission to rescue the captive Prowl from the clutches of [[Skywatch]]; the mission went catastrophically wrong, resulting in Ironhide's death. Forced by this disastrous turn of events of re-evaluate his leadership in recent years, Prime concluded that he had led the Autobots down a self-destructive path, resigned his post as Autobot leader, surrendered himself to Skywatch. {{storylink|...For All Mankind}}

Prime was brought to Skywatch's base by incredulous troopers and placed in transformation stasis, but was shortly freed by Spike Witwicky, who wished to talk with him. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 1: "New Arrivals, Old Encounters"|New Arrivals, Old Encounters}} Suspicious of the questions Spike asked about the other Autobots and his supposed desire to help them, Prime refused to divulge any information about his comrades and was moved to a holding cell. As leverage, Spike captured and brought in [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]], [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] and [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]], suggesting that Prime start talking to help ''them'', if not to help himself. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 2: "A Rude Awakening"|A Rude Awakening}} [[File:IDWOngoing5 my greatest hope.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]] Prime explained his motivations for abdicating as Autobot leader to the human, expressing his hope that, without him, his men would learn to evolve and move beyond his mistakes—something that he had observed humans possessed a much greater capacity for than Transformers. {{Storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 4: "Enemies of the System"|Enemies of the System}} Presently, news came in of a battle involving the other Autobots and the Decepticons' newest combiner, [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]. Spike convinced Optimus to help Skywatch prevent loss of innocent lives, and Prime heroically battled Menasor. After the combiner was defeated, however, the Autobots looked to him for leadership, only for him to declare that he was not retaking command, but returning himself to Skywatch's custody. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 5: "Earthworks"|Earthworks}}

The Autobots—now under Bumblebee's command—and Skywatch began working together to hunt down the Decepticons remaining on Earth. Spike's father, [[Sparkplug Witwicky|General Daniel Witwicky]], was skeptical of the plan, despite the thanks Optimus extended him for his work fighting the Decepticons three years prior. {{storylink|All His Engines}} In one of their earliest missions together, the united Autobot/Skywatch team responded to Transformer activity in [[Las Vegas]], discovering that Galvatron had returned, and had inadvertently brought an interdimensional zombie infestation with him. Prime had the Autobots seal off Las Vegas to prevent the spread of the plague, {{storylink|The Transformers: Infestation issue 1|The Transformers: Infestation #1}} but the zombie leader [[Britt]] then began infecting Prime and the others themselves with the zombie virus. It was through Kup's intervention that they were saved, as he dragged Britt through a portal to the Dead Universe. Galvatron then demanded the Autobots submit to his authority so they could ready for a coming battle against a much greater enemy; when they unsurprisingly refused, Galvatron departed, leaving Prime to worry about what was lurking in the future. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infestation issue 2|The Transformers: Infestation #2}} {{storylink|Heart of Darkness issue 4|Heart of Darkness #4}}
[[File:IDWongoing11 optimus decks onslaught.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|C'mon, Optimus! You could really [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|rip his face off]] if you tried.]]
A few months later, when the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] publicly allied themselves with [[North Korea]], Spike recruited Optimus and the Autobots to fight against them. {{storylink|International Incident Part 1: "The Land Ironclads"|The Land Ironclads}} Unfortunately due to an edict by the [[President of the United States]] forbidding any countries to collaborate with Cybertronians, the Transformers had to be transported to Korea in [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]], in shipping crates, so that their activities could remain hidden from the government. They even had to attempt battling the Combaticons in vehicle mode, which did not go well for them. {{storylink|International Incident Part 2: "Ranks of Bronze"|Ranks of Bronze}} After temporarily disabling the satellites watching the area, the Autobots were able to transform for their second engagement with the Combaticons, during which Prime smashed into Vortex and managed to bring the Combaticons' leader Onslaught to his knees. All was going well until the arrival of the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]], who had fallen in with the [[China|People's Republic of China]]. {{storylink|International Incident Part 3: "Hawk Among the Sparrows"|Hawk among the Sparrows}} Prime tried the diplomatic approach, trying to convince the Predacons to stand down, and although they were insulted by his dismissive attitude towards their partnership with China, they agreed to move on... until Onslaught shot [[Rampage (G1)|Rampage]] in the back. A brawl between all parties ensued, but Prime took control of the situation by having Thundercracker, temporarily working with the Autobots again, destroy China and North Korea's energon production facilities, ensuring the Decepticons would have no reason to work with the humans any more. {{storylink|International Incident Part 4: "All My Sins Remembered"|All My Sins Remembered}}
[[File:IDWongoing18 why cant you ever die.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|[[Living metal|Nanomachines]], son!]]
While they were still overseas, word reached Prime's team of an assassination attempt on Bumblebee by a human wielding an advanced weapon. As they raced back to America aboard a Skywatch jet, Prime quieted arguments between the anxious Autobots and their human comrades, but remained quietly angry himself, insisting that there were endemic problems that needed to be addressed. Moments later, their jet was blown out of the sky, {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 1: The Demolished Man|The Demolished Man}} but Prime and company survived the crash and completed the last leg of the journey home underwater in their vehicle modes. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 3: Woken Furies|Woken Furies}} The team soon received a transmission that revealed the author of their current woes: Megatron had returned. Tracing Megatron and Soundwave to [[Albuquerque]], Prime confronted his old enemy alone, only to find that one-on-one combat was not Megatron's plan: instead, he had dumped the captive Autobots in Albuquerque and flooded the city with an arsenal of Cybertronian weapons that controlled the minds of the humans wielding them. Prime was able to outsmart Megatron by deducing that Soundwave was linked to the weapons and shot him in the head to disable that connection. Megatron withdrew, {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 4: Burning Chrome|Burning Chrome}} but a tracking chip Ultra Magnus had planted on Soundwave allow Prime to follow them to their foxhole, air-dropping in and dramatically crashing through the roof. Prime proposed taking the fight outside as a means of allowing Skywatch to drop a [[kinetic harpoon]] on Megatron; alas, even this incredible weapon failed to do much damage to the Decepticon leader's powerful new body, and the resultant fistfight between the two ended badly for Prime, as Megatron incapacitated him and dumped him on the Autobots' doorstep. When Optimus awoke, however, it was to a surprising revelation: Megatron had surrendered himself to the Autobots' custody. Prime could fathom no reason for Megatron to have done this, and Megatron himself offered no answers, save for the taunting revelation that Spike Witwicky had secretly gone off-grid and executed [[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]]. A shaken Prime charged Prowl with investigating this claim, then retreated into his private quarters to contemplate the chaos he found himself facing. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 5: Enemy Mine|Enemy Mine}}
[[File:IDWongoing21 optimus and rodimus.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
A short time later, Hot Rod returned from a sojourn in space, during which he had finally recovered the Matrix of Leadership from Decepticon clutches. He returned the talisman to Optimus, who in return dubbed him "Rodimus" as a sign of his maturation. But Rodimus also brought dread tidings: through the ministrations of Alpha Trion, Cybertron had become habitable again, but was being used as a staging base by Galvatron and his army. Refusing to see his homeworld conquered by the madman, Optimus announced to the Autobots that he was returning to Cybertron, and invited any who wished to accompany him. Most of the Autobots chose to join him, and they soon left aboard Omega Supreme's rocket with Megatron aboard; {{storylink|Space Opera—Final Tableaux: Orphans of the Helix|Orphans of the Helix}} just before departing, Prime gave Prowl "five minutes" to interrogate Megatron for information on his investigation into Spike. {{storylink|Police Action: Prologue}}

[[File:ChaosTheory1 take a seat.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66]]
During their trip, Optimus questioned Megatron further about why he surrendered, even releasing him from his bonds and having a civil conversation with him recalling their many past encounters and dueling ideologies. The other Autobots were more concerned with coming to a decision on what to ''do'' with Megatron, and cast doubt on Optimus's ability to make the right choice after how "cozy" the pair had been during their talk. An angry Prime returned to speak to Megatron again, but this time, the Decepticon leader smugly goaded Prime into shocking him with the [[variable voltage harness]] he was strapped into. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1}} Disgusted by his own actions, Prime talked with Ratchet and Rodimus about the Matrix and the weight of expectation it placed upon him. To prove to himself that he still had the wisdom to make the right decision on his own, Prime removed the Matrix from his chest and left it in Ratchet's care so that he could reach his conclusion free of its influence. Prime decided to leave the choice between imprisonment or death up to Megatron himself; Megatron chose death. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}}

[[File:Chaos4 purifying vector sigma.jpg|thumb|upright=1.45|"Now...light our [[Livio Ramondelli|Livio-est]] hour!"]]
Arriving on Cybertron, Prime left Megatron to stew in his cell while he took his men out to approach Galvatron peacefully. As before, Galvatron proposed they put themselves under his command to battle a mysterious coming enemy, and when Prime refused, battle promptly began. {{storylink|Chaos Part One: Lamentations|Lamentations}} When Galvatron brought the captured [[Kimia Facility]] into play, turning its weapons on the planet from orbit, Prime flawlessly co-ordinated the Autobot response. When he realised that Galvatron was not shooting at the Autobots, but blasting a pathway ''into'' the planet, Prime rolled out to head him off at the pass. {{storylink|Chaos Part Two: Numbers|Numbers}} Alongside Ironhide, Rodimus and [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], Prime pursued Galvatron down into the planet's depths, but during the chase, the enemy Galvatron had warned of finally emerged: the Dead Universe entity known as the [[D-Void]]. This alien intelligence possessed Galvatron's army and the Decepticons (who had been teleported to Cybertron by Megatron, this being the reason he had surrendered) and merged them into a giant "[[Deceptigod]]". Galvatron intended to stop its emergence by feeding the Darkness into [[Vector Sigma]] and destroying the planet, {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}} but upon doing so, discovered that he had been played by the D-Void all along—destroying Cybertron would allow it to ''complete'' its emergence into the living universe. Optimus Prime plunged himself into Vector Sigma and released the power of the Matrix of Leadership, purifying the mega-computer and stopping the D-Void in its tracks. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}}

===The return of Orion Pax===
[[File:DoOP matrix bequeathed.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.95|"And I won't come back until you two learn to share!"]]
Prime awoke in a barren wasteland, the Matrix lying before him, its crystal core split in two and its energies depleted. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}} After briefly believing that he had died and passed on to the [[Transformer afterlife|Afterspark]], Prime realised that he was on Cybertron, but a Cybertron surging with primordial energies. Trekking across the wilderness, Prime found a shanty town made of spaceships where Iacon should have been, where after an altercation with some unfamiliar Cybertronians, he was approached by Sideswipe and Whirl. The pair brought him to Rodimus and Bumblebee, who explained that the purification of Vector Sigma had "rebooted" Cybertron, reverting it to a primeval state and sending out a signal that summoned the many Cybertronians who had left the planet millions of years ago back home. Unfortunately, tensions were running high, as these so-called "[[NAIL]]s" look upon Prime and the Autobots as symbols of the war they had left the planet to escape. A full-blown riot soon consumed the city, which Prime quelled with a proclamation he delivered to the crowd: if the NAILs would allow the other Autobots to stay, he, the figurehead of the war, would leave the planet forever. Bestowing the two Matrix halves to Rodimus and Bumblebee, Prime departed at last truly feeling free and beholden to no-one. Optimus Prime was dead. Orion Pax was reborn. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}}
[[File:Syndromica1 pax and crew.jpg|thumb|upright=1.95|Uh, Pax? As a former cop, shouldn't you make sure to throw out [[Wheelie (G1)|the minor]]?]]
After voyaging through space for some time, Orion was contacted by Hardhead with some strange news: a distress signal from the planet [[Arduria]] had awoken Hardhead's formerly-catatonic prisoner, Jhiaxus, who began screaming Orion's name. Investigating the Ardurian signal, Orion and Hardhead found that they had been lured into a Decepticon trap when they were attacked by Monstructor. His knowledge of the combiner from their past fight availed Orion little, as the monster's weak spot had been removed, and Monstructor was able to keep them busy long enough for his new master Bludgeon to free Jhiaxus. Realizing that Jhiaxus and Bludgeon were intending to hunt down all the planets that had been targeted by Shockwave's [[Regenesis]] program, Orion and Hardhead set course for the [[Lenocinium Velnero System]] and gave chase. {{storylink|Syndromica (1)}}
[[File:Syndromica2 pax vs bludgeon.jpg|left|thumb]]
Arriving in the LV system, Pax's ship crossed paths with a Decepticon vessel that crashed on the world of [[LV-117]], a planet unhinged from the flow of linear time by [[Ore-1]], a product of Shockwave's [[Regenesis]] program. Following it down to the planet's surface, Pax's team explored the ship and discovered a mysterious sphere in its hold. Little did Pax realise that this sphere was a time machine, which, when he reached out to touch it, sent him on a confusing journey through LV-117's past and future. After briefly jumping into the near future, where he witnessed Jhiaxus, Bludgeon and Monstructor stealing the Decepticon ship and escaping, Pax was hurled into LV-117's past and began moving forward, heading back to the present day, encountering Bludgeon in each time period he arrived in. Pax encountered the Decepticon warmonger [[Turmoil]] abducting many of the planet's natives and rescued one, named [[Varta]], and then found himself facing the end of LV-117 itself, destroyed by forces unknown. In this time period, he encountered [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] and an older Varta, and realized that he had been encountering Bludgeon in reverse-order, with the Decepticon traveling in the opposite direction through time to him. This meant since he had already ''seen'' Bludgeon and his comrades escape the planet, then it had already ''happened'' for them, so Pax could not stop it. His time-shifting journey at an end, Prime reappeared in the relative "present" after the villains had already departed, and gathered up his crew to follow them toward [[Gorlam Prime]]. {{storylink|Syndromica (2)}}
{{-}}

===Lineage of the Primes===
[[File:MTMTE24 a different approach.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
As they flew to Gorlam Prime, [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] was struck by a [[Universal killswitch|mysterious attack]]. Orion questioned what was happening but the attack halted soon enough.
{{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} Pax's team appeared to beat Jhiaxus to Gorlam Prime, and they ventured underground to explore the caverns that had previously held a portal to the Dead Universe, also coming upon a mysterious ruined city. Returning to the surface, the team were approached by [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]], who was being pursued by the Monstructor Six, and came to his aid. Waspinator explained that they were after the subterranean city, which was, in fact, one of Metroplex's [[Titan (IDW)|Titan]] brethren. Pax awoke the [[Necrotitan|Titan]], but at that point, Waspinator revealed that he was actually ''working'' for Jhiaxus, and took control of the Titan, spiriting it away to Cybertron. Worse still, the giant's transformation had destabilized Gorlam Prime, causing the spread of the death-inducing [[Ore-2]] previously confined to the underground caverns. Their ship had been destroyed in the fight, seeming dooming Pax's team, but Pax revealed that his own ship, the ''[[Skyroller]]'', had been following in their wake all along. {{storylink|Homecoming (IDW)|Homecoming}} They quickly boarded the craft and blasted off, but seemed as though they would be unable to escape the gravity of the collapsing Gorlam Prime until the ''[[Lost Light]]'', the starship of misfits crewed by Rodimus, appeared to rescue them. Welcomed in eagerly, Pax was given a tour of the vessel, but arrived on the bridge just as bad news was coming in—Starscream, who had been elected leader of Cybertron in Pax's absence—reported that a portal to the Dead Universe was forming in the skies over their homeworld. {{storylink|Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|Dark Dawn}}

[[File:MTMTE25 distraction.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Realizing that they would have to venture into the Dead Universe themselves to investigate, Pax tasked [[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Brainstorm]] with jury-rigging a method of protecting themselves from its ravages while he shared a drink and a moment of dark reflection with Rodimus and Ultra Magnus. Shielded by forcefields of Brainstorm's design, Pax then led Rodimus, Hardhead and Cyclonus into the Dead Universe through the portal that Gorlam Prime had collapsed into, where they were immediately set upon by some native [[cyberwraith]]s. The creatures fled when Cyclonus, claimed by the Dead Universe again thanks to his forcefield generator breaking, moved to confront them, {{storylink|Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|Black Metal}} but the stoic ancient Cybertronian refused Pax's offer of medical aid and insisted they continue on their mission to find the point that the Dead Universe was contracting towards. On the way, the team were unexpectedly met by Nightbeat, who had perished during the original Dead Universe incident, and was revealed to have been sustained by the undead realm's power. Nightbeat volunteered to lead the group to the Dead Universe's contraction point, {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}} but it soon transpired that he had been brainwashed by Nova Prime, who had secretly survived his previous clash with Pax, and had led Orion's team into a trap. {{storylink|Finest Hour: Dark Cybertron Chapter 5|Finest Hour}} Sealed with a containment cube, Orion managed to crack their prison with a mighty punch, then pretended to lose his temper and staged a fight with Rodimus in order to distract Nightbeat from it. When Nova Prime subsequently arrived, Hardhead exploited the crack to smash his way out, but the cube re-sealed before Orion and the others could escape, and they could only watch as Nova destroyed Hardhead. {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|No Exit}}

[[File:RID26 my name is optimus prime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|"Optimus! Stop hitting yourself!!"]]
Transported by Nova to his citadel, Orion's team discovered that the evil Prime had Kup captive, and was in the process of turning him into a space bridge to escape to the living universe. Nova intended to use Orion and the others' sparks to energize the bridge, but fortunately, Rodimus was able to break Nightbeat's brainwashing with some odd numbers engraved into his palm, and he set them free. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|The Dead Are Not Enough}} As they set about liberating Kup, Rodimus explained the significance of the numbers to the perplexed Orion: they were the number of ''Lost Light'' crewmembers who had voted to have him removed from captaincy after recent catastrophic misdeeds. Orion surprised the younger 'bot with the angry declaration that Rodimus should have resigned outright, rather than take a vote. Any further discussion was halted when Nova appeared and challenged Orion to a final battle. {{storylink|Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Burning Bright}} Nova taunted Pax psychologically by using his mastery of the Dead Universe to shape-shift into the forms of past Primes, before assuming the shape of Orion himself, professing to show him what he could become if he embraced the true legacy of the Primes. Orion was shaken, but a speech from Rodimus rallied him: though many had held the title before him, Orion had made the name of "Prime" synonymous with himself, and with goodness and decency, despite the evil actions of those who had come before him. Energized by Rodimus's words, Orion rechristened himself Optimus Prime once more, and slew Nova once and for all. {{storylink|Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|Finis Temporis}}

[[File:DCFinale op and megs vs shockwave.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67]]
With the Dead Universe collapsing all around them, Optimus and his team were in dire need of a way out, and found one when they heard singing emerging from Nova Prime's corpse. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} Realizing that it was coming through from the living universe, they used Nova's technology to turn him into space bridge {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}} and travelled through it, back to Cybertron, emerging through the unsuspecting Brainstorm's chest. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} They arrived just in time to join the effort to stop Shockwave's plan to collapse all of reality into a black hole using his Regenesis ores; Optimus fought side-by-side with Megatron against the rogue scientist, and tried to reason with his old senator friend. His words had little effect, so Megatron opted for a more audacious method: recent experiences having opened his mind to a new way of thinking, he donned an Autobot insignia and declared that he was switching factions. Confused and distracted, Shockwave lost control of the time machine powering his plot, setting his mind adrift in time and causing his old pre-Shadowplay self to re-emerge. Horrified at what he had become, Senator Shockwave petitioned Optimus Prime to kill him, and Prime complied, with the vow to always remember his old friend as he had been. With Shockwave's death, the time machine collapsed into a singularity that threatened to consume them. Prime and Megatron made what appeared to be a hopeless dash for safety, but were rescued at the last moment by the ''Lost Light''. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

===Retaking Command===
[[File:Chief justice optimus prime words hang in the air.jpg|thumb|upright=2]]
Along with Jetfire, he bore witness to Megatron melting his iconic fusion cannon in a pit of acid to prove he had given up on the war. {{storylink|slaughterhouse}}

In light of Megatron's defection to the Autobots, Optimus questioned what should be done with him and called Prowl, Magnus, Ratchet, Rodimus, and Starscream for advice. As leader of the NAILs, Starscream petitioned for a trial which Optimus agreed to. He also announced that he would be [[Chief Justice]] in the absence of [[Tyrest (G1)|Tyrest]] and subsequently appointed Prowl as prosecutor and Magnus as speaker for the defence. He then talked with Rodimus about his quest only to learn that the Matrix half he held had been destroyed and that they were seeking help from [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]] or "The Greatest Autobot Ever". Knowing that the trial could theoretically last centuries and having urgent matters to attend to Optimus tried to talk Megatron into letting [[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Chromedome]] extract memories to use as evidence and speed up the trial, which the former Decepticon refused. At the trial he heard Megatron quietly plead guilty to all the charges Prowl read against him. {{storylink| World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} Optimus listened to [[Gripper (G1)|Gripper]] give testimony regarding the [[Decepticon Justice Division]], following which Starscream spoke, not without grandstanding that Magnus and Prime reprimanded him for. Starscream stated that Megatron was an inept leader who started a revolution that he could not hope to control which devolved into a full blown war. The Cybertronian leader stated that Megatron did not deserve death but pity. Megatron then requested to speak to Magnus personally and Optimus allowed a thirty-minute recess. During this time [[Slamdance (G1)|Slamdance]] gave Optimus the news that Autobot approval ratings were way up due to the trial. When the trial resumed, Magnus informed Prime that Megatron now pleaded "not guilty". {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}} According to Magnus, Megatron protested that an Autobot trial could not be a fair one, least of all if the defendant and judge were arch-rivals. After beating up a few loyal Decepticons who tried to free Megatron, the former Decepticon leader invoked his right to be tried by the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. Optimus arranged for Megatron to be made co-captain of the ''Lost Light'', which ticked off Rodimus. At the height of the trial, Megatron gave an impassioned speech denouncing the Decepticons and their ideals, up-holding his deal with Prime. Prime then visited Megatron in his cell and commended him on his change, noting that they could very well be trying to kill each other. As Optimus, left satisfied he failed to notice Megatron bury his head in his hands. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide| Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}} In the aftermath, someone erected a statue of Optimus. {{storylink|The Killing Jar (issue)|The Killing Jar}}

Shortly after the trial concluded Optimus gathered a small group of Autobots to go back to Earth and find [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] following a message passed onto him by [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]]. Before leaving he reminded Starscream that he ruled the people who lived in [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] and that Metroplex was himself an Autobot with the additional reminder that Ironhide and Windblade would be monitoring him {{storylink|Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World| Hello Cruel World}} He also told [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] to contact him immediately if Starscream started scheming during his absence. {{storylink|A Long Way Down}} Prowl then raged at Optimus for the trial's outcome, only for Prime to make him realize he was angry because of Bumblebee's death and the fact that no-one noticed he was being controlled by Bombshell. He then invited Prowl to Earth, reminding him of his change on the planet. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard|Detonation Boulevard}} He then spoke to [[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]] about [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]]'s death and that [[Nova Prime|his killer]] was dead. Arcee then asked to join him on Earth. {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 3: The Mind Bomb|The Mind Bomb}} Prime also invited his old friend Jazz to come along, saying he didn't hold Jazz's past on Earth against him. {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 4: Full Fathom Five|Full Fathom Five}}

Arriving in Earth's orbit, the ''[[Ark-7]]'' was immediately attacked by Cybertronian-like weapons. Optimus opted to take a small force of Arcee, Kup, Jazz, and Sideswipe onto the planet leaving the ''Ark'' in orbit. The group found Thundercracker and after an information exchange, Decepticons led by [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]] burst in and turned Prime over to the EDC. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|Hello Cruel World}}. Attempts to reason with the EDC failed almost instantly and Prime gave the order for his men to attack the humans but not to inflect casualties while he fought Galvatron. When the battle was going south he ordered a retreat and went down Prowl's escape route. This led them into [[Poverty Flat]]. Surrounded by Decepticons, Prime suggested it was in the best interest of both parties to relocate the battle... only for a Prowl-controlled Devastator to jump into play. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard|Detonation Boulevard}}

Mid-battle a "Mind Bomb" stunned all the Decepticons and the Autobots retreated to the ''Ark'' aboard [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]]. Optimus was ticked that Prowl had endangered humans and stunned to find that Prowl thought the EDC might kill the townsfolk to cover up Devastator. Prime refused to believe that humans were their enemies but Prowl and Jetfire showed him that the missiles that attacked ''Ark-7'' were based on Cybertronian ''biology'' specifically their neurology, leading Prowl to suspect that the EDC had Alpha Trion's brain for study. {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 3: The Mind Bomb|The Mind Bomb}}

Having tracked the "Mind Bomb"'s signal, Prime ordered Jazz to scout the [[Marshall Islands]] and while he waited aboard [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] reminded Prowl of the chain of command. Jazz reported in that he found Alpha Trion's shuttle proving Prowl's theory. Leaving Prowl on Sky Lynx after another chewing out, Prime led his troops through the EDC's defences and stormed the beach only for Galvatron's ship to appear above them.{{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 4: Full Fathom Five|Full Fathom Five}} The Autobots were saved when Prowl interfaced with the EDC's defence grid and destroyed the Decepticon ship. Prime's group was soon rejoined by the Constructicons, Prowl, and Jazz, where Scavenger revealed he was a re-doubled agent feeding false data to Soundwave. While Devastator provided cover, Prime had his men retrieve Trion and quickly retreat aboard Sky Lynx. Once en route, Prime chewed out Prowl who countered with perfect logic. Prowl then showed Prime the data he had recovered from the EDC and that he knew just who to find if they were to solve the mystery of the EDC's actions. {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 5: I Dream of Wires|I Dream of Wires}} Unknown to the Prime, Scoop transmitted images of the battle to Starscream back on Cybertron. {{storylink|The World of Tomorrow}}

Per Trion's request, Optimus took him to the lunar surface for a private discussion. Trion revealed that he was one of the Original Thirteen Primes of Cybertron and recounted the events that led to the end of the [[First Cybertronian Civil War]]. Optimus was enraged to find out that Trion had, not only allowed but, ''encouraged'' Nova to become a Prime which eventually led to [[functionism]] and the Second War. Trion was unfazed by these accusations and told Optimus that the other members of the Thirteen had fled Cybertron in fear because Galvatron had murdered Nexus Prime. He also knew that Galvatron had stolen Nexus's [[Enigma of Combination]] and launched it off world to Earth but didn't know whether Galvatron had intended to or not. Regardless, Shockwave had known where it had landed and planted Ore-13 there. Shockwave also knew where the other Primes had fled to and sent his other Ores there. Optimus pondered the full implications of the Enigma's power when Trion revealed the chilling information that the Prime Galvatron once served was named [[The Fallen|Megatronus]], prompting the two Primes to wonder if Cybertronian history was repeating itself. {{storylink|The Crucible}} Optimus searched Earth for weeks trying to find the Enigma but found nothing. He later spoke of this to Trion before having to leave to Cybertron. Officially he left to research the Enigma and check on Starscream but was actually going to celebrate his anniversary of becoming a Prime. Before leaving he chewed out Prowl once more and warned him not to take preemptive action against the Decepticons or the humans. {{storylink|Onyx Interface Part One: Signals, Calls, and Marches|Signals, Calls, and Marches}}

Landing in Iacon, he was greeted by Starscream, Windblade and [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]. When the Dinobot mentioned murders, Optimus was intrigued with what was happening on Cybertron particularly due to the Decepticons' poor living conditions. A trip to the Decepticon ghetto only invited attack and necessitated saving by Starscream. {{storylink|City of Steel (issue)|City of Steel}} Briefly contemplating his distaste for flying under his own power, Optimus released himself from Starscream to pursue [[Heavy Barrel (G1)|Heavy Barrel]]. He caught up with the Decepticon in an alley in front of corpses. Assuming he was the killer, Optimus incapacitated him before someone else shot the Decepticon dead. Under the advice of [[Barricade (G1)|Barricade]], Optimus and Windblade went to a bar where he found support for his investigation from [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] and scorn from [[Gutcruncher (G1)|Gutcruncher]]. As Optimus conversed with Sandstorm, the bar went up in flames. {{storylink|Fight or Flee (issue)|Fight of Flee}} Once Sandstorm had calmed down, he explained to Optimus that the found evidnece was an outlawed (and supposedly destroyed) [[Infernus bullet|infernus bullet]] and its properties...which was enough for an eavesdropping Starscream to lead a manhunt for the [[Firecon|Firecons]]. When the Autobots caught up with the ex-Decepticon, they discovered the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] had nearly killed the Firecons. When Sandstorm was shot by a stray attack, Optimus scolded the Dinobots for their brutality. {{storylink|Quest for Fire}} Optimus later offered comfort to Sandstorm which prompted commentary from Windblade about the hypocrisy the Autobots held towards war and their seeming desire to return to it. Optimus retorted that the Firecons were innocent as their natural pyrokinesis meant they had no need for infernus bullets. Optimus then met the Dinobots whom he accussed, [[Slag (G1)|Slug]] in particular, of being the worst Cybertronians as they lived for war and chaos. The discussion was halted by the murder of several Autobots which was all Starscream needed to murder all his former compatriots only for Barricade to refuse. Suspecting that the killer was only targeting those with high profile war crimes, Optimus loudly announced every bad thing the Dinobots had done. {{storylink|The Killing Jar (issue)|The Killing Jar}} His trap worked and lured out the killer: Sandstorm. After shooting Prime with an infernus bullet (which Prime simply ripped out of his body), the Autobot broke down and confessed his reasoning for the murders stating that he could not allow those who had committed such acts to roam free. Optimus sympathized but placed Sandstorm under arrest. Optimus then travelled to the ruins of the [[Undergrid]] to commemorate the anniversary of his ascension to Primehood. He then revealed to Windblade that while it had been a ruse to draw out Sandstorm, he meant everything he said to the Dinobots but he still had hope that a new future could be built. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming (issue)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}}

===The Council of Worlds===
[[File:TheSumAndItsParts-OptimusMatrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55]]
While making their way through the Decepticon ghetto on the outskirts of Metroplex, Optimus and Windblade were accosted by a gang of disenfranchised Decepticons. fortunately, the intervention of Ironhide and Chromia were enough to disperse the Decepticons. Windblade asked to meet with the group in private, which turned out to be inside Metroplex's space bridge chamber. There, she explained that the Titan's spacebridge was now fully functional and ready to make contact with Windblade's homeworld of [[Caminus]] and the other lost colony planets. Knowing that Starscream could easily use his combiner [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] to simply conquer the various worlds, Optimus appointed Chromia and Ironhide to guard the space bridge while he spoke to Starscream directly about the matter. The meeting didn't go particularly well; Starscream refused to open the space bridge until Superion was completely refitted, and accused Optimus of using Devastator for similarly destructive ends.

Optimus eventually suggested that Starscream ratify a constitution for Cybertron and establish an inter-planetary parliament so that every member planet could be fairly represented. Prime later called Rodimus aboard the ''Lost Light'', although Rodimus wasn't interested in attending the first contact ceremonies between Cybertron and Caminus. They eventually decided to send a small group of representatives home aboard one of the ship's shuttles. Before long, Windblade alerted Prime that someone had hijacked Metroplex's spacebridge! {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}}

The "someone" turned out to be Swindle and Menasor, who were intent on looting the planet. A furious Optimus contacted Starscream, summoning him to the space bridge chamber. Although Optimus offered to join the fight against Menasor, Windblade insisted that he stay on Cybertron for the time being until she could explain more about Camien society. Instead, Optimus ordered Starscream to deploy the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]], who combined into Superion and dispatched Menasor. Windblade explained to Optimus Prime about her religion, the [[Way of Flame]], and the fact that to the Camiens Optimus would be seen as a holy figure. Along with Windblade, Optimus travelled to Caminus, where he interrupted Starscream's meeting with the [[Forgefire Parliament]]. When the [[Mistress of Flame]] requested proof of his "divinity", he complied by opening his chest and revealing the Matrix of Leadership, impressing the audience of Camiens. {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}}

At the first press conference between the two planets, Optimus's presence bedazzled the Camiens and inadvertently overshadowed Starscream's opening remarks. The Mistress of Flame was not so impressed by Prime's willingness to accept Starscream's leadership of the planet, viewing it as borderline blasphemy. While cleaning up the rubble on Caminus, Optimus chatted with Superion about Starscream's political ambitions and what it was like to be a combiner; Superion was incapable of articulating his thoughts on the latter subject. Their discussion was interrupted by Prowl, who had gotten wind of Prime's recent adventures and was furious at the thought of Starscream taking control of the colonies. With no time to talk Prowl down, Optimus terminated the call. Windblade noted that Optimus had lied by omission, neglecting to tell Prowl about the Enigma of Combination. At the next conference, Prime once again upstaged Starscream by announcing that Starscream intended to form a [[Council of Worlds]], forcing him to follow through with this idea. {{storylink|The Possible Light}}

[[File:MistakesAndMayhem-CouncilOfWorldsconference.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.55]]
Optimus took part in a summit on Cybertron with Starscream and some Camien representatives, although Starscream was less than enthused about having him on board. This was interrupted by [[Mirage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Mirage]] and Chromia; the former told the group about a strange vision he had seen on his way back to Cybertron, while the latter informed them that Devastator was on the warpath. Optimus invited Mirage's escorts, the jokingly-named "[[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]]", to accompany him to the spacebridge. After Devastator took out Superion, Optimus tried to reason with the giant combiner, to no avail. Starscream took matters into his own hands by forcing the Protectobots to fuse into [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]], who teamed up with Superion. The two Autobot combiners stood triumphant, tearing Devastator back into his components. Starscream was ready to kill Prowl for his machinations, but Optimus managed to convince Starscream to arrest him instead. Optimus mused that Prowl's concerns were not misplaced, and worried that Starscream now had ''two'' combiners on his side. {{storylink|You, Me, and the Universe}}

[[File:YouMeAndTheUniverse-Optimusgetszapped.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|You would think that with all their recent disagreements, Prowl wouldn't want Optimus in his combiner, but then we all know [[To sell toys|why this is happening]]]]
Prime later visited Prowl in prison to talk about recent events, including the fact that he and Windblade were putting systems in place to curb Starscream's political ambitions. Optimus tried to reach out to his old friend and sympathized with Prowl's long history of being betrayed. Prowl merely told him that Optimus had now betrayed him as well. As they talked, they were interrupted by Mirage, Ironhide, and Sunstreaker, who had talked and realized that they had somehow gained the ability to share "mindspace" with one another. Optimus was also joined by [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], who had gone behind Starscream's back and stolen the Enigma of Combination... all on Prowl's orders! With an angry Menasor on the loose and the other combiners reduced to infighting, Prowl ordered Rattrap to zap Optimus and his allies with the Enigma, turning them into a new combiner. {{storylink|You, Me, and the Universe}} Within the mind of his new gestalt, Optimus united their way of thinking—their belief in the strength of individuals, and their refusal to accept Prowl's numbers-and-statistics view of the world—to shut out Prowl's control of their merged form. Declaring themselves [[Optimus Maximus (G1)|Optimus Maximus]], the combined Autobots subdued the renewed threat of Devastator—rebuilt by Starscream but now out of control—then separated so that Prowl could be arrested for his crimes. {{storylink|All That Remains}}

[[File:NowAndOnEarth-PrimePunchesProwl.jpeg|thumb|left|upright=1.05|Admit it, you've been hoping Prime would do this for the last year.]]
In the aftermath, Optimus contacted Arcee to update her on the recent developments, before visiting the incarcerated Prowl again with the hope that he could talk some sense into his old ally. Prowl simply replied that he had no place for morality, and that spending time as Devastator meant that he could no longer tell the difference between himself and the Decepticons. The two former friends finally came to blows, although Prowl's knowledge that a part of him would always exist within Prime convinced the Autobot leader to spare his life. Unbeknownst to him, Rattrap had spirited Prowl away the moment Optimus had turned his back! {{storylink|Now and On Earth}}

At Metroplex's spaceport, Optimus was present with Tracks to see Mirage and the Protectobots off. Arcee soon arrived and confronted Optimus about his apparent unwillingness to thwart Starscream's growing ambition in creating an empire. {{storylink|The Transgressors}}

[[File:Lagrange-OptimusAndTorchbearers.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.50|Optimus is surprised when he learns that he has fan-girls after him.]]
Optimus met with the Mistress of Flame on Caminus. Although Optimus tried to convince her that he was not a Prime in the Camien sense of the word, the Mistress insisted that he had been chosen by the Matrix for a reason. She also argued that Optimus should use his political clout to improve Earth's living conditions, just as Cybertron had reached out to the people of Caminus. On returning to Cybertron, Optimus met with Windblade to discuss the growing Council of Worlds. The duo intervened in a fight between Slug and some Camien proselytizers. there, he met [[Aileron]], a young and idealistic Camien who viewed Optimus as a living god. Optimus confided some his doubts in her, including the Mistress's criticism of his passivity. At his new confidant's suggestion, Optimus went off in search of the [[Torchbearer]]s. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 1: Aphelion|Aphelion}} As the two travelled into the [[Rust Sea]], they stumbled across the [[Pyra Magna]]'s crew of Torchbearers. A brief scuffle ensued, which ended with Optimus pinned down beneath [[Victorion]]'s gravity powers. At the combiner's request, Optimus recited some of Cybertron's early mythology, including the story of the Matrix's creation. However, Prime stressed that he did not ascribe any supernatural importance to these devices, believing them to be simply advanced technology. Though disappointed in Prime's agnosticism, Victorion laid a claim on the Matrix of leadership and pledged that she would build Optimus up into a worthy Prime. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}}

===Optimus the Conqueror===
[[File:AHO-earthannexed.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"Soon, you'll all be fighting for your planet. Many of you will be dying for your planet. A few of you will be put through a fine mesh screen for your planet. They will be the luckiest of all."]]

This chance came after a crisis at Iacon's spacebridge, where Windblade's team struggled against a mob of disenfranchised Decepticons seeking a new life on Earth. Optimus, Aileron, and [[Sterling]] rallied Superion and Victorion (and a reluctant Starscream), who quickly reclaimed control of the damaged bridge. While Wheeljack worked to bring it back online, Optimus realized the only way to permanently end the struggle for Earth. As soon as the bridge came back online, Optimus stepped through to confront Galvatron's forces... and laid claim to Earth and its people, declaring it the newest member of the Council of Worlds! {{storylink|Conquerors Part 4: Perihelion|Perihelion}}

This naturally didn't sit well with Galvatron ''or'' the humans, and a chaotic fight soon ensued, with Optimus leading the charge- much to Aileron's admiration, noting that Optimus had begun acting like the Primes of legend. With the Decepticons incapacitated thanks to an EDC mindbomb, Optimus pushed their advantage, forcing Galvatron and his inner circle into a retreat. There was no time to rest, however, as [[China]]'s [[People's Liberation Army Mecha Force]] deployed a counterattack on the Cybertronians, blasting Sterling with an orbital killsat. Optimus deployed Aileron to take down the space-based weaponry while he coordinated the withdrawal effort on the ground. Aileron bridged back to Cybertron and returned with the ''Skyroller'', whereupon Optimus and Aileron flew the Autobots to safety.

Optimus began to have second thoughts about his drastic actions while en route to the EDC's headquarters, although he knew that he couldn't go back. Once he had arrived at the Bikini Atoll, he rendezvoused with the original Earth team and Thundercracker, whom he formally inducted into the Autobots. While recharging, Prime was later plagued by a vision of the Dark Cybertron prophecy, although he was quick to shrug it off and supervise the renovation of Thundercracker's old home to support a temporary Space Bridge to Cybertron to extricate the wounded, although he had to put up with Alpha Trion's criticisms. Using the ''Skyroller''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s systems, Optimus broadcast a message to everyone on Earth and Cybertron, informing them that Earth was under his protection and that, above all, the Autobots were here to help humanity. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 1: Once Upon a Time on Earth|Once Upon a Time on Earth}} At this time, the Cybertronian race received the final message from [[Team Rodimus]] saying that they would die in six hours and detailing how they would like to be buried. As the ''[[Lost Light]]'' was not answering any hails, Optimus ordered everyone into the [[Space bridge]] to save them only for Jetfire to inform him that the message had been sent three weeks ago. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}}

Under Optimus's supervision, the Autobots set about improving living conditions for humanity- planting crops, distributing technology to poor towns, and patrolling violence-stricken regions. Unfortunately, Prime was still plagued with nightmares regarding his perceived failures and poor judgment calls. Optimus apologized to Aileron for failing to live up to his godly reputation, although the Camien assured him that he had set the Autobots on the right course of action. On the ''Skyroller'', Prime requested that Tracks try to open a channel to his Decepticon brother [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]], which set off an emotional chain recation that ended with Aileron storming off to confront the "ungrateful" humans. Optimus, Sunstreaker, and Victorion followed her to the lawn of the [[White House]], where they rescued her from a pair of [[Seeker clone]]s... although not without Optimus getting his arm blown off by another killsat. Back on the ''Skyroller'', Aileron continued to give Prime the cold shoulder, prompting the Autobot leader to finally open up communications with other major political players and discuss the next step. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 2: Edge of the Earth|Edge of the Earth}}

He first journeyed back to Cybertron to try and explain himself to the [[Council of Worlds]] only for them to condemn him. He then travelled to Caminus where he requested the [[Mistress of Flame]] divulge the knowledge she had regarding "The Arisen", the thirteenth of the [[Thirteen]]. The Mistress revealed she'd been studying the massive role Earth played in Cybertronian history, causing her to deduce that it was the lost thirteenth colony and that Optimus himself was The Arisen. Returning to [[Monument Valley]], he prepared to depart for [[Sanctuary Station]] only for Arcee to pull him aside, telling him that [[Horri-Bull]]'s [[Inhibitor/deterrence chip|I/D chip]] had been detonated by Soundwave and not Bumblebee. Prime used this information to blackmail Soundwave into working together to defeat Galvatron and the humans. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 3: The Medium and the Message|The Medium and the Message}} The combined Cybertronian force regrouped in Monument Valley where they formulated an attack plan on the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]''. When the [[Earth Defense Command]] attacked them, Soundwave was eager to kill them but Optimus overruled him believing that the situation could be resolved peacefully.{{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 4: It's Beginning To And Back Again|It's Beginning To And Back Again}} Soundwave, however, cared little for this and promptly opened fire on the humans backed up by [[Aileron]]. Since [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], had only cryptic riddles, Optimus encouraged Soundwave to try and attack the humans mentally to quickly end the fight. As Soundwave began to melt the human brains, he realized the wrongness of his prejudice against them and fully joined Optimus. This caused the EDC to surround the Cybertronians only for Optimus to fully realize the words of Alpha Trion. Kneeling down, he summoned the stasis-locked [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]] to awaken causing the EDC to fly off with their tails between their legs. When he received word of Galvatron's escape, he ordered Arcee to pursue. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 5: As Above...So Below|As Above...So Below}}

[[File:NoFairFights-galvatrondies.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"Not today."]]

He and Soundwave caught up with Arcee as she was fighting the Decepticon in the upper atmosphere of Jupiter. The ancient warrior held off all three easily before Soundwave shot him in the back, allowing Arcee to destroy his [[Fusion cannon|fusion cannon]], taking him out of the fight. Galvatron proceeded to mock them all before saying he would join them only because [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Onyx Prime]] was on his way to Earth. Optimus however, had never been after Galvatron's surrender and promptly shot him through the Spark, taking his head as proof that the threat had passed and presenting it to the President of the United States. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 6: No Fair Fights|No Fair Fights}} He later commanded Metrotitan to transform to city mode, a form he dubbed [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], to function as an embassy on the planet. Metrotitan then sent a pulse wave into space to inform everyone about Optimus's deeds, something which troubled both Soundwave and the Prime. {{storylink|The Last Autobot}}

His actions on Earth during the Great War and his subsequent annexation of Earth, were the focus point of [[Scarlett]] and [[Joe Colton (Dire Wraith)|Joe Colton]]'s discussion of the Cybertronian threat to Earth. {{storylink|Secret Raiders: A Revolution Prelude|Secret Raiders}}

His fears about the datapulse proved true when his predecessor [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] not only showed up on Earth but revealed himself to be a [[Titan Master]], who hijacked Trion's body while leaving the Autobots to fight off his regular body. The fight led them to a large cache of [[Ore-13]]. Sentinel returned with [[G.B. Blackrock| Garrison Blackrock]], who revealed himself to be another Titan Master named [[Sovereign]]. The duo then tapped into Metrotitan's spacebridge, transporting them, Soundwave, and Optimus away from the city. {{storylink|White Light}} Optimus rebooted in the shadow of the deceased Titan [[Prion]] where Sentinel revealed himself to truly be [[Infinitus]], the herald of Onyx Prime. He and Sovereign extended an invitation for Optimus to join them as the latter impaled Soundwave. Optimus managed to keep Sentinel talking long enough to bodyslam into Sovereign, who Soundwave freed from Sentinel's control. The Titan Master duo then departed through a spacebridge, before Optimus ordered Soundwave to use the portal to return them to Cybertron so as to get medical help for Alpha Trion. Before they returned to Earth, Soundwave spoke to Optimus of the compromises they'd made and how the Cybertronian race had to move past its feud and focus on rebuilding the future, for the Decepticon feared something else from the ancient past might return. {{storylink|White Heat}}

===New world order===
[[File:TheDivineSourceOfLiberty-romvsoptimus.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

Months later when Metrotitan went silent, Optimus called in Windblade from Earth to diagnose what was wrong with the Titan. {{storylink|Informed}} Before she could, the Titan detected an explosion of [[Ore-13]] beneath Mount Olympus. Optimus was worried that this might happen to Autobot City (given that they were atop a much larger cache) or that the humans might view this as an act of war. As it turned out, the humans ''did'' view it as an act of war, with [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] launching an attack on [[Jazz (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jazz]] and [[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]] in [[Portland]]. Heading to the city to back them up, the Cybertronians were confronted by the humans' harmless weapons, before Soundwave destroyed all their electronics with a concentrated EMP attack. The Joe [[Beachhead|Beach Head]] then fired an RPG round in Prime's face, doing absolutely no damage other than angering the Prime. Before anything else could happen, [[Rom|an unknown alien]] showed up and atomized four Joes. Recognizing that the Cybertronians would be blamed for this, Optimus ordered his forces to follow the alien. {{storylink|Concorde Hymn}} The Cybertronians followed the alien, forcing it to make an emergency landing in [[Umpqua National Forest]]. The alien declared it was hunting beings known as [[Dire Wraith]]s, before it used Prime's weight against him, flipping him over. Optimus' troops managed to overpower the aggressive alien, before Optimus himself slammed into it in vehicle mode. He then aimed his [[Ion blaster|ion blaster]] inches from the alien and politely asked it to repeat what it was saying earlier. {{storylink|The Divine Source of Liberty}} The alien introduced itself as Rom of the [[Solstar Order]]. Making peace with him, the Cybertronians brought him back to Autobot City. Here Windblade deduced that Metrotitan was silent because he was trying to force Optimus to mind meld with him, only for Windblade herself to undergo the process. She revealed that [[Micronus Prime]] had communicated with her and asked her to ask Optimus to send Ore-13 into the subatomic realm of [[Microspace]]. Remembering the recent debacle with Sentinel and the ruins of the Mini-Con colony, Optimus was skeptical of trusting another Prime, and tabled the discussion until they'd dealt with the current crisis on Earth. {{storylink|Informed}}

[[File:TheNewColossus-thisendsnow.jpg|thumb|left|250px|As the main protagonist of the most popular line of books, Optimus gets centre stage in this heroic team-up shot.]]

The group retreated to the Ore-13 cache beneath the city to compare notes on the Dire Wraiths' interest in Ore-13 and Windblade's knowledge regarding Micronus Prime and Microspace. Optimus believed their main focus should be on solving the crisis with Ore-13 on Earth, given their lack of knowledge on Microspace even as [[Aileron]] brought intel supporting that the Ore was disappearing into another universe. While the Cybertronians argued, the nearby Space Bridge came online, which Rom used to send the Ore-13 into Microspace. Optimus made him see that his desire to defeat the Wraiths was putting an entire universe at risk and the Space Knight relented. Optimus assured him that they all wanted to save the Earth and no one had to shoulder the entire burden. {{storylink|O Ship of State}} They soon took note of both [[Snake-Eyes|Snake Eyes]] and the ''Heliopolis'', with Rom and Windblade deducing the latter were the inhabitants of Micronus' universe. Optimus appealed to Snake-Eyes, making him see that [[M.A.S.K.]], [[Baron Karza]] and the [[Dire Wraith]]s were the real threats to Earth. Almost as soon as Snake-Eyes agreed to work with the Autobots, Optimus was forced to lead the last defence of the Ore-13 and the spacebridge against M.A.S.K. and an entire army of Dire Wraiths. During the battle, he totalled M.A.S.K.'s [[Rhino (M.A.S.K.)|Rhino]] vehicle before being swarmed by Wraiths, who promptly abandoned him in favour of putting [[Miles Mayhem]] in his place, before the spacebridge opened to reveal Baron Karza, who merged with the Wraiths, becoming a towering fusion of Wraith, Microspace and Cybertronian power. {{storylink|The New Colossus}}

When the Baron began using Wraith magic to funnel Ore-13 into Microspace, Optimus pieced everything together and tried to rally everyone to fight together to fight their true enemy, but the organics were more interested in fighting one another. Optimus then grabbed Rom, Snake Eyes, and [[Acroyear (Micronaut)|Acroyear]] and transformed, trapping them in his cab as he explained the situation and charged Karza an act that convinced [[Matt Trakker]] and the recently arrived G.I. Joe of his intentions. Optimus led the attack on the Baron but even with reinforcements, he overpowered them until Soundwave hit on the plan to stop their foe and save Earth by forcing him back into Microspace. Optimus then roused Metrotitan to carry the Autobots to safety, only to have his chest ripped open in a desperate escape attempt by Karza, with Optimus saved by an unlikely intervention from Miles Mayhem. Once the crisis had passed, Optimus admitted to the humans that he was wrong to claim their world out of the belief only he could defend it, inviting them all to work together. {{storylink|Valley Forge}}

When [[Rom]] took his leave from Autobot City to fight Dire Wraiths elsewhere, Optimus commented that Rom was an odd being, but without him the Wraiths would likely have ambushed Autobot City and conquered Earth via the Ore-13 deposit. Optimus decided against hunting down the Dire Wraiths in light of more immediate problems to attend to, but was convinced Rom would contact them (one way or another) if the Wraiths ever grew beyond the Knight's ability to handle. The Joe [[Beachhead]] held Optimus responsible for the new status quo forced onto Earth. Rom later remembered his initial meeting with Optimus and wondered if one day he and the Prime would be enemies. {{istorylink|Reinforcements, Part 1}}

When Windblade returned to Cybertron, she questioned whether or not Optimus, among others, was done listening to her. {{storylink|Ping}}

Optimus later took [[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]] and [[Jazz (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jazz]] to investigate a Spacebridge fluctuation in [[Monument Valley]] where Optimus wondered if he'd brought hell to Earth by annexing it. After his subordinates had a "debate" about that, the three prepared to leave before a vengeful [[Baron Karza]] appeared, wearing the body of [[Micronus Prime]], and swatted the three Autobots aside, {{storylink|Wrath of Karza issue 1|Wrath of Karza #1}} before placing them in a prison. {{storylink|Wrath of Karza issue 4|Wrath of Karza #4}} The three Autobots would soon be liberated by the [[Micronaut]]s, in their search for allies against Karza's invasion. {{istorylink|Wrath of Karza issue 3|Wrath of Karza #3}} After the Micronauts had captured the ''{{i|Sharkos}}'', the Autobot trio joined in the attack on the Microspace forces, only to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of {{i|Acroyear III|Acroyear soldiers}} before Acroyear destroyed them and a {{i|Time Traveler}} empowered [[Shazraella]] arrived. {{storylink|Wrath of Karza issue 4|Wrath of Karza #4}} Optimus used the distraction to simply pick up Karza, but the tyrant once again enerchanged with Micronus Prime, reassuming his towering form, and engaged the Autobots. Shazraella then used her powers on the Autobots, causing them to shift through the various alternate modes they'd held throughout their lives. When Shazraella's powers began growing out of control however, Karza begged Optimus for aid. Impressed by the would-be conqueror's morals, Optimus agreed but Shazraella proved too powerful for them. Their salvation came in the form of [[Oziron Rael]], having ascended to become a Time Traveler. The Time Travelers removed Shazraella's power, before they proposed a treaty to Optimus between Earth and Microspace. Optimus agreed and swore to help the Microspacian refugees in any way he could. {{storylink|Wrath of Karza issue 5|Wrath of Karza #5}}

Some months later, several colonists had immigrated to Autobot City to witness Optimus in person. In [[Mexico City]], the Autobots responded to an anti-Cybertronian riot where [[Midnight Express (RID)|Midnight Express]] was injured by a weapon derived from Cybertronian technology. This prompted Optimus to head to the White House and warn the President about the dangers of breaching the [[Tyrest Accord]]. Before any real progress could be made, Soundwave informed Optimus of an alien spacecraft approaching Earth. The Autobots set out to meet it at the Matterhorn, where [[Pyra Magna]] not-so-subtly indicated she felt Optimus was unworthy to have the Matrix. The spacecraft then arrived, burrowing into the Earth. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}} The occupants revealed themselves to be [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]], who had come to trade advanced technology for [[Ore-13]]. Before Optimus could fully respond, G.I. Joe showed up and opened fire on the Autobots, ordering them to leave. This prompted the Junkions to leave as well. Back aboard the Titan, Soundwave revealed to everyone the tale of the "Battle of Junkion" that ended with either Shockwave or Prowl destroying [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]]. Eager to make amends, Optimus invited them aboard, though he himself felt the Cybertronians had no need for Junkion technology. He was proven wrong when they revealed a positron core that could potentially save [[Sideswipe (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sideswipe]]'s life. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 2: A Lonely Pillar on the Plain|A Lonely Pillar on the Plain}} Optimus then left for Cybertron to try to convince the [[Council of Worlds]] to allow trade with the Junkions. He found support from the [[Mistress of Flame]] but fierce resistance from [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]], who noted that Earth was still technically unaffiliated and that Cybertron needed all its resources to rebuild after Sentinel Prime's Titan attack. Optimus then took his leave. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 3: Behind My Bleeding Back|Behind My Bleeding Back}}

Back on Earth, Optimus ordered Jetfire to contact Soundwave to gather all the leaders of Earth. He then confided his plan in Aileron who, aside from finding it very risky, felt he was letting his Prime status go to his head. Optimus replied that he didn't find the Matrix to be a religious artifact but said he was trying to build something out of the blind faith that many put into it. This statement displeased Pyra Magna, but Optimus (after a punch in the faceplate) told her to gather everyone on the flight deck. When everyone was gathered, [[Rum-Maj]] unleashed her horde of [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]]. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 4: Dance Among the Shadows|Dance Among the Shadows}} The Junkions then rammed their ship into Metrotitan, who Optimus roused (much to the colonists' awe) to destroy the ship. As usual, Pyra Magna had complaints. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 5: Future Glories Lost|Future Glories Lost}} The fight seemed won when Soundwave turned the Sharkticons against the Junkions, but when [[Slide]] encouraged Optimus to kill them all as he had Galvatron in revenge for [[Oiler|Oiler's]] death, he realized the precariousness of the situation and the parallels to pre-War Cybertron. When the positron core was destroyed by a stray shot, Optimus threw down his gun and opened his chest to reveal the Matrix. He invited everyone to stand down so they could build a new future together without any killing. His words won Rum-Maj over and Prime ordered Metrotitan to set the ship down. {{storylink|New Cybertron End: Feel Safe Without Regrets|Feel Safe Without Regrets}}

[[File:FutureGloriesLost-KnightTemplarPrime.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"I offered them utopia, but they fought for the right to live in hell."]]

At a signal from Garrison Blackrock, Metrotitan flew to the [[Onyx]] tower in [[Buenos Aires]] and deposited Optimus Prime into the chaos. At Skywarp's direction, Optimus charged at a terrified [[Joe Colton]], before Dire Wraith mutates swarmed the Prime, though [[Roadblock (G.I. Joe)|Roadblock]] warned him that they were humans, forcing Optimus to pull his punches. Metrotitan soon transmitted a curative pulse returning the humans to normal. [[Merklynn|Garrison Kreiger]] soon activated the [[M.A.S.S. Device]], teleporting himself and Colton away as Optimus tried to grab them. As Optimus reflected on the danger of humans with [[orbital jump]] technology, [[Sgt. Savage]] introduced himself to the Prime, finding his name to be badass. When it was discovered that [[Atomic Man|Mike Power]] and [[Centurion (IDW)|Centurion]] had merged into one being, Blackrock suggested talking to Optimus. {{storylink|Ghost in the Machine (IDW)|Ghost in the Machine}}

Optimus later met with the President to discuss the Autobots' PR, specifically that Jazz (who was known for the killing of [[John Powell]]) was going to do a television interview. Optimus was willing to allow Jazz his freedom, but the President feared about the political fallout that the interview would bring. {{storylink|The Next Day, and the Next}} As the discussion continued Optimus saw through the President's words that Jazz was walking into a G.I. Joe trap and sent him a text message telling him to flee. Optimus then approached Pyra Magna and asked her to speak with him in private on Cybertron. {{storylink|What It's Really Like}} While there, the two discussed the origins of both Bumblebee and Pyra, the latter story convincing Optimus that Onyx Prime was still alive and returning, though Optimus himself found difficulty in accepting that Pyra's origins and ambitious nature were rooted in a poem and a nightmare. Nonetheless the two came to an uneasy peace. {{storylink|Ghost Stories}} When Sunstreaker and Arcee decided to humanely put Sideswipe out his suffering, they hooked him up to [[Mnemopathis projector|mnemopathis projector]] to have a last good day. Within the simulation, Optimus welcomed Sideswipe back to life. {{storylink|The Life of Sideswipe}} When Sideswipe's spark finally faded, Optimus greeted Sunstreaker and Arcee as they brought his body to Cybertron. An eager Aileron followed them to announce to Optimus that Earth had finally chosen an ambassador for the [[Council of Worlds]]. To pass the time until the choice was finalized, Optimus, Pyra and Starscream gathered in Alpha Trion's quarters, where Optimus requested Alpha Trion tell the story of the origins of the Autobot insignia. Of the three, only Optimus grasped the story's meaning, before the President called to announce [[Marissa Faireborn]] was Earth's chosen ambassador. {{storylink|Origin Myths}}

At the official induction ceremony, the events of Optimus annexing Earth were replayed on the news to set the stage for the ceremony. {{storylink|First Strike issue 1|First Strike #1}} Before it began however, he spent time with Blackrock and Centurion trying to help the latter make some sense of his jumbled memories before he was forced to take his leave, promising to see them again tomorrow. {{storylink|Unification Day: Dawn}} Optimus arrived at the ceremony, flanked by Arcee and Pyra where the three did a photo op, {{storylink|Unification Day: Dawn}} before an explosion sent the crowd into a panic. Telling Onslaught and Brawl to evacuate Starscream and Marissa, Optimus joined Ironhide in engaging the [[Red Shadows]], but unknown to him was being targeted by the humans behind the crisis. {{storylink|First Strike issue 1|First Strike #1}} After dealing with some [[Iron Grenadier]]s, Optimus joined with [[Action Man]] to check up on Centurion and Blackrock only to find both had disappeared. Though Optimus thought the two had betrayed them (again), Action Man was resolute that {{i|Colditz}} had captured them and requested that the Revolutionaries be allowed to find their missing teammates. Optimus agreed but advised them to be back before dark. {{storylink|Unification Day: Dawn}}

Prime and Windblade then retreated to the [[Spire]], where [[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]] was preparing to execute Marissa for the human terrorist attack. Though Optimus insisted the problem was his fault (something which Elita wholeheartedly agreed to), Marissa managed to defuse the situation on her own before the [[Solstar Order]] arrived to place Cybertron under quarantine. {{storylink|First Strike issue 2|First Strike #2}} As the debate continued, [[M.A.S.K.]] and [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] were brought before the Council, with Elita ordering their execution. {{storylink|First Strike issue 3|First Strike #3}} Elita's decision was overruled in seconds, before she suggested mass deportation, convinced that all humans were on Cybertron to destroy Optimus as revenge for conquering their planet, a statement that caused Optimus to state Earth was not conquered. When Scarlett explained what Colton and Kreiger were likely planning an extinction level event, Optimus took her words seriously and tried to persuade the Council to act, only for Elita and Starscream to silence him. When Cybertronian Security Forces descended underground, Optimus tried to speak to Windblade only to be rebuffed, later explaining to Ironhide that she had tired of his constant military commander mindset, despite being one of the more moral Cybertronians alive. Optimus then visited Scarlett in her cell, where he admitted that millennia as a Prime had built up an expectation to always be listened to, before he thanked Scarlett for coming to Cybertron and trying to help. When Scarlett revealed she'd primarily come to try and save Colton from himself, Optimus sympathized, having gone through the same with Megatron, before he swore to be on her side when the time came. Optimus made his way to Metroplex's brain module, where Windblade was monitoring Ironhide and Sunstreaker's teams. When Colton disabled both squads, a horrified Windblade turned to a stoic Optimus in disbelief that Scarlett had been correct. {{storylink|First Strike issue 4|First Strike #4}}

Optimus gathered Arcee and Soundwave before breaking Scarlett's team out of jail, only to find their path barred by Windblade, who asked him to stand down. Optimus refused, citing the danger to Cybertron and Windblade complied, noting that this would be the last time she bowed to his will. Heading underground, the group fought their way past Colton's myriad of traps. When they came upon a river of acid, Scarlett leapt right in, proving it to be an advanced hologram and prompting Optimus and Soundwave to comment on humanity's cavalier attitude towards their own safety. The group pressed on and managed to reach the core of Cybertron before Colton's cabal. {{storylink|First Strike issue 5|First Strike #5}}

Optimus engaged [[Destro]] in combat before the [[Council of Worlds]] arrived to arrest everyone where he took a missile to the chest courtesy of Starscream. Though he tried to reason with Elita, he soon found himself engaging her and the Seeker in melee combat. When Garrison Kreiger activated the [[Talisman (G1)|Talisman]] and revealed himself to be an alien being known as Merklynn, Optimus noted that the [[energon]] flowing through the Cybertronians had been altered somehow. Following Merklynn's creation of [[New Prysmos]], he teleported all combatants back to Iacon. {{storylink|First Strike issue 6|First Strike #6}}

In the aftermath, Optimus gave a television interview where he expressed hope at the prospect of humans and Cybertronians working together, despite the bad turn the day had taken. {{storylink|Unification Day: Dawn}}

After presiding over Sideswipe's funeral, Optimus was ready to head back to Earth before Blackrock informed him that the recovered Centurion had found Cybertron's first protoforms since the war's end. [[Swift (G1)|Swift]] then revealed her role in finding the [[Hot spot|hot spot]] and that Starscream knew of the protoforms. Optimus and Blackrock then went to confront the Seeker who waved off their accusations before loaning them [[Slag (G1)|Slug]] to track down the Dinobots. Arriving in the wilderness of Cybertron, the group was greeted by Centurion, Sandstorm and the remainder of the Dinobots before Slug went berserk and attacked. {{storylink|The Dead Come Home, Part 1 (of 2)|The Dead Come Home, Part 1}}

After punching Slug, Optimus found himself grabbling with Sandstorm. After Arcee discovered [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] guarding [[protoform]]s, Optimus sent Blackrock to retrieve [[Marissa Faireborn]]. After firing a warning shot at Slug, Optimus tried to reason with the Dinobot before Trypticon broke out of the ground and demanded the fighting cease lest the protoforms be endangered, with Optimus managing to reason with the [[Titan (IDW)|Titan]]. When Faireborn arrived, Optimus put forth his suggestion that Trypticon become Earth's embassy on Cybertron so that the protoforms could be under his protection. Though Sandstorm was appalled by the low move, Centurion supported him for the move was one of peace. {{storylink|The Dead Come Home, Part 2 (of 2)|The Dead Come Home, Part 2}}

===Chaos rising===

To help Cybertron with its energy crisis and improve human/Cybertronian relations, Optimus oversaw the opening of an [[Ore-13]] mine in [[Kentucky]]. After offering some comfort and advice to [[Slide]], Optimus brought the Ore-13 shipment to the Council of Worlds where the [[Mistress of Flame]] requested a private word. The two discussed possibly prophetic "dreams" they had had before an eclipse unexpectedly struck. Hovering above was a mountain-sized optic with Onyx Prime and [[Liege Maximo]] on the hull, the former intending to pass judgment on the latter and the rest of Cybertron. Optimus invited Onyx down to the surface to speak, an offer which the ancient Prime agreed to, for the sake of Cybertron was Optimus Prime's responsibility as [[The Arisen]]. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 1: Surfeit of Primes|Surfeit of the Primes}}

Optimus summoned Soundwave to Cybertron in response to Onyx's presence. Optimus remembered Galvatron's warning and was leery of Onyx's presence, despite his offer of assistance against Liege Maximo. Indeed, Onyx Prime seemed to undermine the presence of the colony worlds, Windblade's government, and the "reformed" Decepticons with every word. When Soundwave bristled at the idea of Primes meeting in secret to decide Cybertron's fate again, his anger coincided with an explosion that led to the death of Alpha Trion. Onyx Prime was quick to cast blame on Soundwave and the Decepticons for the atrocity. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 2: Another Mine|Another Mine}} Optimus Prime and Windblade cautioned clearer heads, and supported Soundwave despite the allegations. However, Onyx Prime knew about Soundwave's involvement in Horri-Bull's death, and revealed the information in front of Needlenose and the other Decepticons. This further discord led to rioting in the streets. On top of all that, Metrotitan arrived from Earth via Space Bridge and declared his loyalty for the purported "Chosen One", Starscream. Optimus recognized all this was Onyx Prime's doing, but could not reckon why. When Metrotitan even turned against Optimus, he fell from Windblade's grasp in the sky, but was caught by Onyx in his ship. Onyx Prime then had his main vessel, the ''[[Nemesis (BWII)|Nemesis]]'', open fire and kill Metrotitan. Fearing the death of his friends inside Autobot City, Optimus Prime lashed out at Onyx Prime, only to be blasted by a weapon concealed inside Onyx's hand. Indeed, all of Onyx Prime's visage was soon shed to reveal his true identity...'''SHOCKWAVE!''' {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 3: The Ground|The Ground}}

Shocked by the revelation, Optimus learned that all of Cybertronian history was orchestrated by Shockwave from the Age of Primes onwards at part of his ongoing schemes. Intending to remove Optimus Prime from the board, Shockwave casts him into the black hole that remains at the site of Crystal City. {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}} Optimus's body was destroyed in the fall, but inside the singularity his consciousness remained as part of Infraspace. Optimus surprisingly discovered not only a reconstruction of Crystal City, but Bumblebee as well! {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 4: The Hallowing|The Hallowing}} Optimus was overjoyed by his reunion with Bumblebee, as they each competed for who was sorrier for having screwed up more. In assessing their situation, Optimus reasoned that they now existed as pure information. As an idea. And the Matrix he had been carrying was an idea millions of year old, with a history and legacy that could be harnessed like nothing else in the universe. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 5: Endless Forever|Endless Forever}} By "unleashing the power of the Matrix" in Infraspace, Optimus was able to expel information from the singularity, creating a potential pathway out. Optimus and Bumblebee had their minds transferred out of the black hole and into the mind of Pyra Magna, who had her own connection to Antespace due to being a Combiner. Together as one, the three of them captured Shockwave. All as he had intended. Optimus would live, but the Matrix had been destroyed. And soon...chaos awaited. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 6: Unforgivable|Unforgivable}}

{{-}}

==Possible future==
In a vision of the future seen by Ironhide and Jhiaxus during the reformatting of Cybertron, fifteen million years hence, Ironhide looked back on the war and wondered if Optimus Prime was still out there, and was assured by Alpha Trion that he was. {{storylink|Pax Cybertronia (issue)|Pax Cybertronia}} {{storylink|A Better Tomorrow}}

==The Functionist Universe==

While organizing the defence of [[Kalis|Adaptica]], [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] compared [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron's]] leadership to Orion Pax's, something Megatron viewed as a compliment before the two pondered if the Orion of that universe still lived as he hadn't been answering Roller's calls. Megatron suspected Orion Pax had been conscripted into the [[Primal Vanguard]] and probably promoted to a high rank within it. However if Orion were back on Cybertron, Megatron felt would have certainly joined (and taken command of) the [[Anti-Vocationist League]] meaning Orion was either long dead or still off-world waiting for transport back to Cybertron. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}

After being stranded in the [[Functionist Universe]], Megatron's pondering of his new position leading the Anti-Vocationist League under the stars was interrupted by his communicator buzzing, as Orion finally returned Roller's calls, much to Megatron's delight. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}}

Pax eventually signed onto the AVL, joining in the crusades to help save [[alien]] planets from the Council's tyranny. At some point over the following centuries however, he gave his life for the cause. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 4): The Return of the King|The Return of the King}}

==''Spotlight: Mirage''==
[[File:SLMirage prime stabbed.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|Okay, now, ''when'' did this happen exactly?]]
In an unknown place and time, the self-serving mercenary Mirage dreamed of Optimus Prime and the Autobots being attacked en masse by the Decepticons, and of Starscream stabbing Prime through the chest with a metal pole. But Mirage knew that to be only a dream; in reality, Prime commanded one of the last remaining pockets of Autobot resistance, hiding out in the [[Pegasus Star Cluster]]. While awaiting the arrival of Bumblebee's team, he and Hound tried to work out how to convert [[Zodiac|Zodiac Energy]] for their consumption. "Bumblebee's" arrival proved to be their downfall, as it was really Mirage, who destroyed the bunker security systems, allowing the Decepticons inside. Optimus Prime refused to surrender during the ensuing struggle, until Mirage used the critically injured Jetfire as a hostage, forcing Prime to back down. When Megatron refused to pay Mirage unless he killed the Autobots, Prime tried to reason with the mercenary, appealing to his former friendship with Hound...until Mirage killed Hound in defiance. Furious, Optimus Prime broke free of his captors and tackled Mirage into the Zodiac Energy chamber.

But it was all Mirage's dream... or was it? {{storylink|Spotlight: Mirage}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
[[File:AHM-13 Prime mouth.jpg|thumb]]
*[[Simon Furman]]'s original intent for IDW Optimus Prime was that he did ''not'' carry the [[Matrix of Leadership]], as the Matrix would have "been gone from the IDW/TF-verse for a long time".<ref name="IDWMatrixFurman">[http://simonfurman.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/another-quick-qa/ Simon Furman, Dec 2007:] Well, we’ve yet to actually meet the Matrix in the IDW/TF-verse. So we may be getting ahead of ourselves here. What do we know about it so far? Well, according to Spotlight Galvatron, the Matrix was (and maybe is) “carried” by Nova Prime, and he (Nova Prime) disappeared into the Dead Universe (along with the Matrix, we assume). Nova describes a bottomless well and a resonant tug on the Matrix. What happened next we don’t know (yet). But what is the Matrix (hm, that sounds familiar somehow)? Not telling. Not yet. But ’08 holds the answers: what it is, where it came from, what is does (then and now!). The Matrix (and what it’s become) will figure large in all that happens post-Devastation. The Matrix has been gone from the IDW/TF-verse for a long time, and its return will not necessarily be a thing of celebration.</ref> Instead, [[Nova Prime]] was to have taken it to the [[Dead Universe]] (as [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]] appears to note in [[Spotlight: Galvatron|his titular ''Spotlight'']]), where it would have become corrupted with the rechristened "Nemesis Prime," and its' return would "not necessarily be a thing of celebration"<ref name=IDWMatrixFurman /> This changed as a result of [[Shane McCarthy]] being hired as lead writer and promptly establishing the war was "all about the Matrix", which Optimus had always carried, resulting in the creation of the [[Darkness (G1)|Darkness]] to fill the same role in Furman's truncated ''[[Revelation (IDW)|Revelation]]''.
*Multiple writers have contributed details to Prime's backstory. This has led to a few glaring clashes, like Ironhide and Optimus meeting for the first time and the young Prime learning from him in [[All Hail Megatron issue 13|''Old Ways'']], while ''[[The Transformers: Autocracy|Autocracy]]'' has Ironhide as his happy subordinate in the pre-Prime days. But if you're not used to that by now, you've not read ''a'' comic. (The wiki has chosen to ignore one line of dialogue and just stick ''Old Ways'' before ''Autocracy'', screw you [[authorial intent]]!)
*According to [[E. J. Su]], Optimus Prime's [[Holomatter|Holomatter avatar]] is modeled after {{w|Ulysses S. Grant}}.<ref>[http://www.protodepot.com/archive/2007_11_01_archive.html Idea: Holomatter Projection]</ref>
*As of [[All Hail Megatron issue 13|All Hail Megatron #13]], Optimus has a mouth underneath that [[Mouthplate|faceplate]] of his.
*A robot clearly intended to be Orion Pax was drawn into [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]] and [[Fastback (G1)|Fastback]]'s funeral in [[Megatron Origin issue 3|''Megatron Origin'' #3]], but was retconned away years later when [[Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|''More than Meets the Eye'' #36]] established Pax to be opposed to Sentinel Prime's forces at that time. He's not unique in this regard—see [[Chromia (G1)#Notes|Chromia]]'s appearance in the same scene.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{i|Optimus Prime}} at the IDW Hasbro Wiki

{{IDWPrimes nav}}

[[Category:Autobot leaders]]
[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Multi-component Transformers]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Law enforcement]]
[[Category:Matrix bearers]]
[[Category:Point One Percenters]]
[[Category:Primes]]

The Council

2018-09-02T11:36:29Z

Holomanga:

{{disambig2|the ''Combiner Wars'' episode|the St. Michael Story Books human council|Council}}

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Combiner Wars (cartoon)|Transformers: Combiner Wars]]'' ep 2
|prev=The Fall
|next=The Duel
|image= TheCouncil Rodimus and the Mistress of Flame.jpg
|caption="If you could move your staff a little to the left, I think we'd get better reception."
|title="The Council"
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]], [[Machinima]]
|written by=[[Eric S. Calderon]], [[George Krstic]], and [[F.J. DeSanto]]
|executive producer=
|director=[[Kenji Nakamura]]
|airdate=[[August 9]], 2016
|animation studio=[[Tatsunoko Production]]}}

'''The Council discusses what to do about the growing combiner threat.'''

==Synopsis==
On Cybertron, the [[Council of Worlds|Council]], composed of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]], and the [[Mistress of Flame]], meet to discuss recent events. Starscream insists that everyone must remain calm, however, Rodimus and the Mistress of Flame call for action. Rodimus suggests using the [[Enigma of Combination]] to create more combiners as a means of defense, however the idea is shot down for fear of reigniting a war long dead.

The Mistress of Flame suggests wiping out the combiners, however Starscream argues that would be genocide, as Combiners are still Autobots and Decepticons, but given Starscream's past his argument falls on deaf ears. Meanwhile, [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] watches them through a sniper scope.

The Council moves to the Enigma of Combination, hesitant to use it. Windblade attempts to destroy the Enigma with a single shot, but someone grabs her gun as she fires, throwing off her aim and causing the stray shot to hit Starscream. The Council takes this as an attack and sounds the alarm.

As Windblade gets back on her feet, she turns to see who had stopped her from destroying the Enigma: [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]].

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] (2)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (5)

|c2=
*[[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (1)

|h4=[[Caminus|Camiens]]
|c4=
*[[Mistress of Flame]] (3)
*[[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] (4)
}}

==Quotes==

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Starscream's design appears to be based on his ''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]] [[Combiner Wars (toyline)|Combiner Wars]]'' [[Starscream (G1)/toys#CWLeader|Leader class]] toy, with some slight modifications.
*Rodimus Prime's design, however, is based on his ''[[The Transformers: Masterpiece|Masterpiece]]'' [[Hot Rod (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|MP-9 Rodimus Convoy]] toy (as evidenced by the seams that split across his torso flames), but with his younger "Hot Rod" face instead of his wrinkled "Rodimus Prime" face.
===Animation and technical errors===
*The area where the Council is standing is obscured from Windblade's vantage point (as evident in the zoom out), so it shouldn't be visible through the rifle's scope either.
*Starscream pointedly mentions that the "combiners don't even know we ''have'' the [[Enigma of Combination|Enigma]]. If word were ever to leak, they would stop at nothing to possess it." The animation shows that the Council have carefully hidden it away in a glass case in a giant glass spire visible from almost every sniper nest in the city.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;Blu-ray
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2017 — ''Transformers: The Last Knight Target Exclusive'' ([[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]]) 

==External links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U8fewvkoLI "The Council" on YouTube]
*[https://transformersprimewars.tumblr.com/post/175650739624/transformers-prime-wars-trilogy-s1e2-the-council "The Council" on Tumblr]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Council}}
[[Category:Combiner Wars episodes]]

Council of Worlds

2018-09-02T11:35:49Z

Holomanga:

:''The Council of Worlds is a polity from the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:NewWorldsOrder-CouncilOfWorlds.jpg|right|thumb|350px|Let's hope they don't need any more delegates later! They'll need a new table!]]

The legislative backbone of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s postwar [[Republic of Cybertron|republic]], the '''Council of Worlds''' is the political body established to manage political dealings between the members of the republic: Cybertron, five of its former colony worlds, and [[Earth]]. Each world is represented by one to two delegates, selected to represent their planet as they discuss diplomatic matters related to the integration and interaction of their scattered worlds for the good of all its members.

==Members==
{{collist|2|
*Emperor [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]]—former head
*First Delegate [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]]—head and delegate for [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], former delegate for [[Caminus]]
*[[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]]—former delegate for Cybertron
*The [[Mistress of Flame]]—delegate for [[Caminus]]
*[[Knock Out (G1)|Knock Out]] and [[Moonracer (G1)|Moonracer]]—delegates for [[Velocitron]]
*[[Vanquish (G1)|Vanquish]] and [[Fireshot (G1)|Fireshot]]—delegates for [[Devisiun]]
*[[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] and [[Tigatron]]—delegates for [[Eukaris]]
*[[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]] and [[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]]—delegates for [[Vigilem|Carcer]]
*[[Marissa Faireborn]]—delegate for [[Earth]]
}}

==Fiction==
===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
[[File:MistakesAndMayhem-CouncilOfWorldsconference.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Does this make Optimus Prime [[Mace Windu]] and Starscream [[Palpatine]]?]]

After the conclusion of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] and the foiling of [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]]'s attempted [[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|ascension]], the newly-returned First [[Titan (IDW)|Titan]] [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] located five of his siblings; eons ago, these thirteen Titans had departed [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and founded colonies. While merged with Metroplex's mind, [[Caminus|Camien]] [[cityspeaker]] [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] caught glimpses of these scattered colonies, some of whom had diverged wildly from ancestral Cybertronian stock during their isolation. {{storylink|Windblade issue 4|Windblade vol. 1 #4}}

After Windblade and Wheeljack repaired Metroplex's [[space bridge]], [[Republic of Cybertron]] High Chancellor [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]]'s government began preparing to make "first contact" with the colonies, starting with the impoverished [[Caminus]].

When it was clear that Starscream planned to annex Caminus into a new empire, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] began to push him to form a council of representatives from each colony. Starscream ignored this {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}} until Optimus cannily said how Starscream was ''so'' gonna do it and it was ''his own idea'' right in front of the cameras. The disgruntled High Chancellor agreed. {{storylink|The Possible Light}}

The first problem was to work out how the Council would work when [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] and Starscream were the only two representatives so far. The suggestion of Optimus as a tiebreaker was seen as unacceptable because Camiens viewed him as a living god, giving him ''two'' votes and allowing him to run the body; Starscream's demand that Cybertron had "a final say in all things" was equally unacceptable to Windblade. A decision was, however, reached over [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]]'s [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] attack. Prowl would be imprisoned on Caminus before facing trial for crimes under both planets' laws. {{storylink|Mistakes and Mayhem}}

In the end, political wrangling ensured [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] was the representative of Cybertron and Starscream was the head. This was meant to give Starscream de facto control but he was unaware that Rattrap, having been working for Prowl, was secretly working for Optimus now. {{storylink|All That Remains}} {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 4|Windblade vol. 2 #4}} Prowl continued to argue that this was only leading to a reborn [[Decepticon Empire]] under Starscream (while Rattrap schemed to knock out Starscream before his dealings were exposed). [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], however, believed it would eventually force Cybertron to write up a constitution for itself. {{storylink|Now and On Earth}}

Caminus and Cybertron opened their borders and enjoyed cultural, economic, and personal gain as a result. Emigration between the colonies became quite common; impoverished Camiens migrated en masse to Cybertron to enjoy the influx of fresh [[energon]], while many Decepticons travelled to Caminus to escape the prejudice they faced on post-war Cybertron to begin anew. {{storylink|Now and On Earth}} As the populace enjoyed the benefits of their newly multicultural society, Cybertron's government raced to secure the allegiance of the other four colonies that Metroplex had detected. First up was the desert world of [[Velocitron]], but Velocitronian ambassador [[Knock Out (G1)|Knock Out]] rejected Starscream's offer, feeling that his rich world had nothing to gain by joining. Windblade schmoozed their diplomats and took a team through behind Starscream's back to ensure union. {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 4|Windblade vol. 2 #4}} A bit of showmanship (and cheating) convinced Velocitron to join the Council after all. {{storylink|Race Against the Light}}

While Windblade was on Velocitron, Starscream and [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] headed to [[Devisiun]], awing the inhabitants with [[Combiner|combination]] technology and persuading them to send [[Vanquish (G1)|Vanquish]] and [[Fireshot (G1)|Fireshot]] as their ambassadors. Rattrap headed to the planet [[Eukaris]] to meet with its [[beast mode]] Transformers and was able to gain the support of some of its tribes for his cause.

A week later, Devisiun and Velocitron had formally joined the Council; tired of the back-and-forth subterfuge, Windblade decided that she and Starscream would travel to Eukaris together, leaning on the knowledge Rattrap had slipped to her to win over the xenophobic Eukarians. The presence of vehicular Cybertronians on Eukaris caused [[Chela]] to awake, but after the two offworlders helped put down the berserk Titan, [[Fateweaver]] [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] decreed that the outcasts [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] and [[Tigatron]] would travel to Cybertron and represent their colony. {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 6|Windblade vol. 2 #6}}

[[File:TheWillOfTheFew-councilofworlds.jpg|thumb|rightt|300px|Four score and seven years ago...]]

The final colony which Metroplex located was [[Vigilem|Carcer]], a spaceborne Titan. Starscream and Windblade tried to parley favour with the Titan's captain, [[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]]. Although Starscream's brash remarks quickly turned Elita hostile, Windblade persuaded them to join the Council to counter Starscream's political influence. Two weeks later, [[Strika (BM)|Strika]] and [[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]] joined the council, with the scene being broadcast on Cybertron's news service. {{storylink|The Will of the Few}} The Council continued to take shape as more and more colonists emigrated to Cybertron, including the establishment of a Justice Committee to handle legal issues between member planets. {{storylink|07:00:00}}

The influx of new colonists was welcomed by most Cybertronians, but Starscream - already in a bad mood due to his recent struggles in ''assembling'' the Council - announced a [[Chosen One Day|new holiday]] intended to commemorate his efforts. His intentions were misunderstood, and though his plans quickly went off the rails several members of the Council paid him a visit to give him the gift of friendship for a night. {{storylink|Choose Me}}

As Optimus struggled to find his place in this new, post-factional society, he soon found that the colonists treated him as a deific figure; after the [[Mistress of Flame]] theorized that [[Earth]] might be one of the thirteen lost Cybertronian colonies of old, Prime, backed up against a wall by the machinations of [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]], decided to force the Transformer war off Earth by unilaterally declaring it a member of the Council to forestall any further Cybertronian aggression. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 4: Perihelion|Perihelion}}

Prime's actions sent ructions across Earth and Cybertron; in Iacon, Starscream, who held an emergency meeting with the other members of the Council. Windblade was willing to give Optimus the benefit of the doubt, although she agreed with Starscream's refusal to grant Optimus or Earth a seat on the Council, maintaining that the Council should only govern interactions between Transformer-populated planets. {{storylink|New Worlds Order}}

[[File:TAAO1 CouncilOfWorlds.jpg|thumb|right|400px|]]

The Council convened for a Justice Committee session in response to a series of [[Mnemosurgery|mnemosurgical]] attacks on Cybertronian Decepticons, including a parts supplier for Carcer: this foreign connection was the thin end of the wedge that Obsidian used to have the Council deliberate on the matter. Despite Starscream's reluctance to cede any authority to investigate a crime on Cybertron, the Council moved to have [[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] investigate the crime spree. {{storylink|07:00:00}} Airazor and Obsidian would grouse that this matter showed Cybertronian politics was a mess, but Obsidian noted they had no choice but to solve it. As further police violence sparked counter-violence across Iacon, the delegates thought little of Starscream's plans to stamp on it and instead gave the final pressure for Starscream to put Ironhide in control of the Cybertronian Security Forces, with a mandate to reform it and expand the membership outside of Starscream's control (not that he could complain about that!). {{storylink|Applicable Skills}}

Shortly afterwards, the Council convened to meet with Optimus as the Autobot leader struggled to deal with the fallout of his actions. Although Prime insisted that his intentions were pure, Starscream brought up the long history of other [[Prime (rank)|Prime]]s who had abused their power and privilege, arguing that Optimus was just the latest in a long lineage of morally dubious "false" Primes. Ultimately, the Council voted against granting Earth a seat. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 3: The Medium and the Message|The Medium and the Message}} The situation quickly changed when news footage came in of Optimus raising a Titan on Earth, and the MIA [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]]. In a second emergency meeting, the colonists agreed that the Titan proved that Earth ''was'' a genuine colony world, and Optimus's ability to raise it apparently authenticated the divine rightness of his actions as a "true" Prime. The five colonies outvoted their parent world and agreed to grant Earth a provisional seat on the Council. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 6: No Fair Fights|No Fair Fights}}

When [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] returned to life, he was infuriated by the news of the Council's formation, and the sight of "malformed" colonists mingling with Autobots and Decepticons was one that he considered disgusting. {{storylink|The Last Autobot}} While he was killed, it wasn't before he'd sicced an army of undead Titans through space to conquer Cybertron. After Carcer picked this up, Obsidian called an impromptu meeting, revealed the threat, and asked for a declaration of war. After initial panic (especially from Knock Out) and discussion about evacuations (''especially'' from Knock Out), Starscream snapped it back into shape and organised Cybertron on a war footing, with aid from any offworlders remaining and Carcer's orbiting firepower, while the most vulnerable were evacuated to Caminus. Several members of the Council opted to join the battle as the Titans touched down in Iacon, but their invasion proved unstoppable and Starscream requested that Elita One transform Carcer to join the battle: a request that was refused. {{storylink|Ping}}

As the Titans ran amok, Starscream recalled all the councillors from combat to discuss a contingency plan. While Cybertron was ordered to evacuate, Windblade proposed leading a team (including Airazor, Tigatron, and Fireshot) to raid Carcer and force it into battle. {{storylink|Desperate Times}} When Windblade used her [[cityspeaker]] skills to interface with "Carcer"'s [[brain module]], he was revealed as the evil [[Vigilem]], [[Titan (IDW)|Titan]] of [[Liege Maximo]]. {{storylink|Rubicon}} Resisting his efforts to escape, Windblade was able to harness the Titan's firepower to trounce the zombies but was left grievously wounded by the exertion and allowed the Liege Maximo, imprisoned within the Titan for eons, to escape. {{storylink|Heavy}}

Reconvening with the Councillors who had witnessed Maximo's escape, Elita argued that they would need to keep news of Maximo's escape a secret to prevent panic among the populace, though some members of the Council disagreed. By a margin of 3-to-2, the Council agreed to keep Maximo's freedom a secret for the time being. {{storylink|Heavy}} Eventually the knowledge was passed along to the other Councli representatives. {{storylink|First Strike issue 4|First Strike #4}}

[[File:BehindMyBleedingBack-CouncilofWorlds.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Why do we keep redecorating?]]

On Earth, Optimus and his forces continued to try and keep the peace amongst an increasingly volatile populace while urging the world's governments to select a delegate to represent their world on the galactic stage. Not all humans were happy about this "annexation" of Earth; tensions between Earth and the Cybertronians continued to rise, and when the Autobots discovered that black market arms dealers were circulating weapons based on old [[Earth Defense Command]] schematics, Prime warned the [[President of the United States|President]] that this violation of the [[Tyrest Accord]] would prompt a response from the Council. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}}

Optimus later went to the Council to advocate trading technology with both Earth and the newly arrived [[Junkion (species)|Junkion]] race. Starscream refused to budge: the Tyrest Accord, to him, was a crucial way of stopping potentially hostile aliens from using Cybertron's technology to ''attack'' the weakened planet and any violation by Optimus was treason. Despite passive-aggressive aid from the Mistress of Flame, Earth had yet to choose a representative and the Council lacked a mechanism to properly induct the planet in. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 3: Behind My Bleeding Back|Behind My Bleeding Back}} Optimus would use knowledge of the Tyrest Accord to engineer a diplomatic crisis; though controversial and perceived by many as underhanded, Prime solved three problems at once that allowed Earth to quickly catch up to the other Council worlds: allowing the Junkions to peacefully resettle on Earth, founding "[[Little Cybertron]]" as a new Cybertronian embassy on Earth, and selecting [[Marissa Faireborn]], ex-director of the EDC, as humanity's first interstellar ambassador. {{storylink|New Cybertron End: Feel Safe Without Regrets|Feel Safe Without Regrets}} At some point after this time, Elita One took Strika's spot as the delegate on the Council. {{storylink|Heavy}}

Earth was now a full-fledged member of the alliance, and in the coming days, Cybertron and its colonies prepared to officially welcome Earth to the galactic community; {{storylink|Origin Myths}} Iacon was pumped full of oxygen to allow humans to breathe on the airless world, and a glamorous ceremony incorporating numerous human VIPs was set up to commemorate the occasion. {{storylink|First Strike issue 1|First Strike #1}}

Earth's first steps into the cosmic stage were not received well by all, however; having repeatedly encountered [[alien]]s over the course of his career, [[Joe Colton]] was firmly of the opinion that Earth could only be saved if it was cut off from the rest of the galaxy, and, as the evil "Baron Ironblood," assembled a [[Iron Ring|terrorist alliance]] to annihilate Cybertron using the [[Talisman (G1)|Talisman]]. {{storylink|First Strike issue 1|First Strike #1}} Their appearance threw the carefully-planned ceremony into chaos, and when elements of [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] and [[M.A.S.K.]] pursued Colton to Cybertron they were arrested by [[Strika (BM)|Strika]] and brought to the Council, where [[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]] promptly ordered them executed. {{storylink|First Strike issue 3|First Strike #3}} Marissa overruled her however and pointed out that, in spite of her own feelings of whether or not Earth was ready to join the Council, Earth was a member and the humans had as much right to be present and have a say as the other colony worlds. Though Starscream scoffed at [[Scarlett]]'s assertion that [[human]]s could bring harm to Cybertron, he nonetheless sent security forces after Colton so as to not look weak in front of the Council... which didn't go very well. {{storylink|First Strike issue 4|First Strike #4}}

The battle for Cybertron ended disastrously for all parties involved; Colton's advisor Garrison Kreiger was revealed as the treacherous [[Prysmos]]ian [[Merklynn]], who used his [[magic]] to manipulate the Talisman and raise the city of [[New Prysmos]] beneath Cybertron. {{storylink|First Strike issue 6|First Strike #6}} This had the effect of severely draining Cybertron's internal energy reserves, magically tainting what energon remained, rendering it unpalatable, {{storylink|The Dead Come Home, Part 1 (of 2)|The Dead Come Home, Part 1}} and filling the Cybertronians with fear about the "creatures" that now lived underground. {{storylink|The Chosen One}} In the immediate aftermath of the attack, Earth stepped up to supply Cybertron with a usable energon substitute; in their first meeting since the botched invasion, an irate Starscream tried to focus on procuring alternative energy sources rather than let "Optimus Prime's pet planet" take the credit. {{storylink|The Dead Come Home, Part 1 (of 2)|The Dead Come Home, Part 1}}

When Optimus Prime tracked [[Centurion (IDW)|Centurion]] into the wilderness of Cybertron, he discovered that the Eukarian had befriended the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]s and [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], the latter nurturing a batch of [[protoform]]s that would become the next generation of Cybertronians. To prevent the protoforms from any Cybertronian aggression, Optimus announced that the ancient Titan would become the human embassy on Cybertron, thus placing the the young Transformers on Earth soil to deter any potential threats. {{storylink|The Dead Come Home, Part 2 (of 2)|The Dead Come Home, Part 2}}

[[File:TheChosenOne-CouncilBeAllYikesYo.jpg|left|thumb|300px|oh no she didn't]]

Some time later, Windblade, fully healed from her injuries sustained during her encounter with Vigilem, stood ready to rejoin the Council - but her new, self-determined attitude didn't sit well with Starscream or the Mistress of Falme; when the cityspeaker blasphemed against the Primes and revealed the truth behind Liege Maximo to the entire population of Cybertron, she was removed from the Council and banished from Cybertron. At the same time, Starscream - urged on by a spectral Bumblebee - decided to hold the first free elections in the city since the end of the war, which became a tight three-way race between Starscream, Elita, and Windblade. After Rattrap dug up some devastating ''kompromat'' on Starscream and his many transgressions, Starscream publically confessed to his crimes in the first debate between the candidates. Spurred on by her inspiring rhetoric and well-received oratory during said debate, Windblade won decisively. Among her first actions was to imprison Starscream and his inner retinue, changing her title from "Emperor" to the humbler "First Delegate." {{storylink|The Chosen One}}

Shortly after taking office, Windblade sent [[Kup (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Kup]] and Ironhide underground to meet with the Prysmosian refugees. [[Darkling Lord]] representative [[Virulina]] was not pleased with Ironhide's terms, chafing at the idea of having to work around the Council of Worlds. {{storylink|Schismatic}}

The Council later assembled to oversee Optimus Prime's delivery of an [[Ore-13]] shipment before [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Onyx Prime]] and [[Liege Maximo]] showed up. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 1: Surfeit of Primes|Surfeit of Primes}}
{{-}}

===''Prime Wars Trilogy'' cartoons===
The Council, consisting of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]], and the [[Mistress of Flame]], ruled over post-war [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and [[Caminus]]. Following a battle between [[Computron (G1)|Computron]] and [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] on Caminus, the Council debated using the [[Enigma of Combination]] to create their own [[combiner]] army. Rodimus favored using the Enigma while Starscream was more resistant to the idea. Before a decision could be made, a failed attempt to destroy the Enigma by [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] resulted in Starscream being injured and the police force being put on high alert. {{storylink|The Council}} [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus]], Windblade and [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] later attacked the Council's chambers together in order to destroy the Enigma and were engaged by their automated defenses, but they were interrupted by the surprise appearence by [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], who tore off Rodimus's arm. {{storylink|Homecoming (CW)|Homecoming}} In the aftermath of the [[Combiner Wars (event)|Combiner Wars]] and Starscream's defeat, the Mistress of Flame offered Optimus a seat on the council, but he declined. He suggested [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] take his place instead, but the Mistress of Flame was opposed to the idea. {{storylink|Aftermath and Rebirth}}

[[Category:Council of Worlds| ]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1]]
[[Category:Transformer governments]]

Reproduction

2017-08-27T16:35:09Z

Holomanga: /* Characters by origin */

[[File:MangaDinoforceBabies.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|HOW IS BABBY FORMED?]]
Various '''reproduction''' methods for the [[Transformer]]s species have been demonstrated across various continuities.

{{quote|This is only one method of creating new Transformers. There are others.|[[Bob Budiansky]] knows not to leave himself tied down, in his pitch for the Matrix concept<ref name="BC10">[http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc10/bc10bb.html griffin's 2010 BotCon report]</ref>}}

==Mechanical construction==
Sometimes, new Transformers are simply built from scratch, and that's all it takes. A suitable Transformer body is constructed, and when finished and turned on, it just springs to life.
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
Three notable examples of this type of reproduction appear in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]]: when [[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] and company create the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], {{storylink|S.O.S. Dinobots}} {{storylink|War of the Dinobots}} when the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicon]]s turn an [[Earth]] city into [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} and when the temporarily super-intelligent [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] creates the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]]. {{storylink|Grimlock's New Brain}}

[[File:SOSDinobots buildingSludge.jpg|left|thumb|"I've been workin' on the Dinobot, all the live long day..."]]
The Dinobots are initially very simple mentally and are ordered to be deactivated because they are too dangerous. Wheeljack then develops a set of crown-like devices to place on the Dinobots which greatly enhances their intellect, although they are still "dumb" and childlike compared to the other Autobots. The Technobots, on the other hand, are immediately fully functional, and some of them are even ''smarter'' than average Transformers. If one were to take these facts as canonically meaningful (rather than simply the whims of the writers of those episodes), it could be guessed that programming a functional Transformer brain from scratch is extremely difficult, such that even Wheeljack is not up to the job. Temporarily super-genius Grimlock may be the only one capable. However, one must also note that the Dinobots were built and programmed to be as similar to dinosaurs as possible, including the limited intelligence; the Technobots, however, were built by Grimlock with intelligence in mind, as it was the only way to counter [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]]'s brute power.

At least on the surface, this "built from scratch" approach runs counter to claims in other episodes of the show that [[Vector Sigma]] is needed to create new Transformer life. (See below.) However, since Vector Sigma is presented as being a supercomputer and not a "magical" device like the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|comics']] [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]], it could fall in with the speculative statements above regarding Grimlock and Wheeljack. Perhaps Vector Sigma is simply an advanced enough computer that it is capable of constructing a working mind.
{{-}}

==Infusion==
{{see also|Sacred implement}}
[[File:Creation Matrix 65.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Go on, rub it and make a wish...]]
In other stories, once a new Transformer body has been built, it must still be infused with life (what the fiction from the Beast era and after would gloss as a [[spark]]) from a "god-like" outside source. In the Generation 1 cartoon, this source is Vector Sigma; in the Marvel comics, it is the Creation Matrix, which houses the essence of [[Primus]], the Transformers' creator-god. In the [[Beast Era|Beast era]] cartoons, sparks arrive from the [[Transformer afterlife|Allspark]], perhaps through Vector Sigma. (In many continuities, each Transformer's life force is a fragment of Primus's own.) The [[Movie (franchise)|live-action movie]] continuities function with the [[AllSpark]] being the source of infusion as well, though in that case, "living" and "sentient" are not quite the same thing. (See: [[AllSpark Mutation]].)

[[File:VectorSigmaG1.jpg|left|thumb|Vector Sigma holds "Disco Night" every Friday at 11 pm.]]
In the [[The Transformers Adventure Game Books|''Transformers'' Adventure Game Book]] "[[Desert of Danger]]", Hot Rod refers to his creation after the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] left Cybertron as when he was "matrixed". How exactly this would have happened if Optimus Prime was aboard the Ark with the Matrix at the time is unknown, but one option might be the [[Matrix Flame]].

The Matrix Flame is an artifact which allows Transformers on Cybertron to access the power of the Matrix even when it is no longer on Cybertron. Literally a flame, it is used to breathe life in the super warrior [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ultra Magnus]] in the UK comics. The flame is somehow linked to the Matrix, and when the Matrix is transported to another dimension during "[[Target: 2006]]", the flame goes out, forcing the Autobots on Cybertron to investigate.

The [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] ''[[Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' guide provides yet another method of infusion. According to the guide's entry on [[protoform]]s in issue #8, in the [[Dreamwave Generation One continuity|Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity]], Transformers generally begin life as a skeletal mass of partially formed circuits—a [[Protoform]]. These are kept in stasis pods filled with nurturing nutrient gel. They can be built to certain specifications or be fairly general, allowing the robot to form naturally upon introduction of a spark. Sparks, and hence life, usually come from the Matrix, ''BUT'', if the Matrix is absent, life can be granted by attuning the protoform to an energy wavelength similar to the Matrix and then applying a concentrated burst of energon. This alternative is rarely used, as it is extremely resource-consumptive, requiring restrictively high amounts of energon.

[[File:Allspark movie.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|"RESISTANCE IS FERTILE."]]
The Movie continuity's [[AllSpark]] works by infusion as well, just on an even more impressive scale. It is capable of infusing any inanimate machine with life and simultaneously altering its structure so that it is capable of transforming into a Cybertronian-style robot. The AllSpark fragments spread across Detroit in the ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]]'' continuity show the same ability to alter non-living machines into new Transformers (as well as unrelated powers like slowing time and remote controlling other Cybertronians.) Although, outside of the toy biographies for certain characters, the AllSpark in the movie merely creates non-sentient, animalistic life-forms out of ordinary machines, rather than fully developed Cybertronians, suggesting some kind of evolutionary development towards sentience.

====IDW Generation 1 continuity====
[[File:Chromedome and Rodimus with a spark.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|left|Baby ''boom''? Baby fuel-air bomb!]]
Cybertronians are created through two confirmed methods: they are either "'''forged'''" or "'''constructed cold'''." Their names include a "of [place]" suffix to describe where they were born, e.g. "Megatron of [[Tarn (polity)|Tarn]]".

Forging was the natural way for Cybertronians to be created. An energy pulse from Vector Sigma would flash across the world, igniting a hot spot where new sparks would emerge from the planet. There would be great rejoicing and ceremony, and the sparks and base substance—the "[[Living metal|sentio metallico]]"—would be sought out and harvested from the living metal of Cybertron or its moons. The harvested sparks would then be matured via a process known as "the nurturing". {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}} {{storylink|Remembrance Day}} The sentio metallico coalesces around a spark to form a [[protoform]]. Beginning as a simple geometric shape, {{storylink|Silent Light}} it takes two days for the protoform to gradually mature into a new Transformer. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}} Usually, protoforms first grow limbs and basic facial features and eventually manifest features related to their natural [[alternate mode]] by following the "genetic instructions" hard-coded within their spark. {{storylink|Silent Light}} After fully solidifying and cooling, the young Transformer imprints on its surroundings to learn how to walk, talk, and interact with others. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 1|Shining Armor #1}} The full nurturing and maturation process can be completed in less than two weeks after the spark's first flash. {{storylink|Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|This Calamitous Life}}

Occasionally, however, the protoform will struggle to read the spark's instructions and fail to assume a shape. A specialized medical professional known as a "[[blacksmith]]"–essentially a Cybertronian midwife–will help the protoform along by sculpting the metal into its most natural shape. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}}

[[File:YourFirstMistake-ColdConstruction.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5|Sex Ed. Volume 1, or: '''PANTS FULL OF SHAME'''."]]

Cold Construction was a method created later when [[Nova Prime]] learned natural spark creation was slowing. Fearful (correctly, as it would turn out) that the pulsewaves from Vector Sigma would eventually halt entirely, leaving him without enough Transformers to create the grand galactic empire he envisioned, Nova entrusted the Matrix of Leadership to his scientists and charged them with tapping the fabled energy of creation legends claimed it possessed. The scientists, headed by [[Tyrest (G1)|Tyrest]], succeeded in doing so and were able to generate thousands of sparks a day, which were then housed in pre-constructed bodies. Sparks were produced at such a rapid rate that they had to be stockpiled until new bodies could be constructed; {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}} their energies were frozen in [[photonic crystal]]s, which would be placed inside the new bodies in order to thaw out, hence the term "constructed cold". {{storylink|The Lopsided Triangle}} Recently, it was revealed that photonic crystals were not artificially engineered by Tyrest and his science team, but produced naturally by [[Rung (G1)|Rung of the Pious Pools]] and his alt mode. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}} Whether Rung is unique in Cybertronian history for this gift or merely the last surviving member of a forgotten class is as yet unknown.

Recognizing the potential for outcry against what they were doing, a cover story was put in place to explain the birth of these new Transformers: the public were told that they were created via '''spark-splicing''', using the energy of a Forged spark to ignite a new one. {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}} Eventually, one of the scientists had an attack of conscience and stole the Matrix, replacing it with a forgery; unaware of this, Tyrest and his team believed that they had bled the Matrix dry. {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}} The public were never told why the "spark-splicing" program was stopped; as such, by the time of Nominus Prime's assassination, Senator Shockwave had made repeated lobbies to resurrect it. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

After the disappearance of Nova Prime, negative feelings about cold construction led to apartheid against "knock offs", with some city-states 'proving' that they were substandard. {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}} Religion was brought into it: the fact that many of the best medics were forged (due to the fluidity and dexterity of their hands) was taken as proof of the god [[Adaptus]]. {{storylink|Life After the Big Bang}} By the time [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] was first arrested, the apartheid was ''officially'' considered a thing of the past, cough cough. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1}}

[[File:Overlords spark remembrance day.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5|Overlord was killing fools before he was even alive. [http://www.allspark.com/forums/topic/92372-more-than-meets-the-eye-14/?p=2262280]]]
Some naturally-born sparks are "[[Point One Percenter]]s" (about 0.01% of the population), with abilities greater than than the average Transformer. Known "Point One Percenters" include Overlord {{storylink|Remembrance Day}}, Minimus Ambus, and Roller {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}}, while Optimus Prime, Ultra Magnus, Scorponok, and Shockwave are implied to be. {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}} Megatron occupies a unique position as the first (and possibly only) hybrid. Originating as a wholly cold-constructed bot, the body's original spark was destroyed by a time-travelling [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]]; a Point One Percenter spark which had been harvested on Luna 1 in the present day was placed in the empty shell by [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], thus creating the Megatron who ultimately led the Decepticons in this timeline. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|Predestination: An Expert's Guide}} The ramifications of a forged or constructed cold body (with pre-existing brain module) swapping out a spark like this are unknown. In somewhat similar circumstances, Megatron placed the spark of the Quintesson [[Pentius]] in the body of [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. The being that emerged seemed to have the memories of both Pentius and the pre-existing Trypticon. {{storylink|Primacy issue 1|Primacy #1}}

[[File:TheLopsidedTriangle-MTOs.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5|]]

As the war dragged on, the Autobots discovered a long abandoned cache of frozen sparks from the days of Tyrest's experiments. They cold-constructed robots to fill out their ranks: "Made to Order" soldiers ([[M.T.O.]]s), who to some were seen as little more than cannonfodder. Instead of a city-state, MTOs were named after the battles or campaigns they were activated for, i.e. "[[Getaway]] of the [[Corcapsia Incursion]]". A formal education process was established for the MTOs, a Ten Step program they needed to pass before being declared fit for duty that involved lots of data packets, revision, and exams. As the war continued, however, Ten Steps went down to Seven Steps and finally to Three Steps, which were simply uploaded into their minds as their sparks were thawing out, allowing them to deposited directly onto the battle field as soon as they came fully online. {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}} Presumably, Decepticon M.T.O.s such as [[Ambulon]] were constructed using similar procedures, but the details of their programs are not fully known.

[[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]] [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]], [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]], and [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] were created by Decepticon scientists after many failed attempts. The failed attempts lived on and were collectively known as [[Insecticon swarm|"the swarm"]]. {{storylink|The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron}}

Early on in the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], the scientist [[Tarantulas (BW)#IDW Generation 1 continuity|Mesothulas]] was working on a ''third'' method of "reproduction": creating artificial [[spark]]s through synthesized Matrix energy, then placing them into robotic bodies, maintained by an identical copy of the Matrix's energy field. The only known being created through this method was [[Springer (G1)|Ostaros]], indistinguishable from any other Cybertronian save for the circumstances of his creation. {{storylink|Sins of the Wreckers issue 3|Sins of the Wreckers #3}}. Ostaros was later integrated into Cybertronian society under the name of Springer. Whether or not Springer counts as a "true" Cybertronian, or merely an advanced <s>replicant</s> <s>synth</s> robot, is presumably up to the reader to decide.

=====Characters by origin=====
{{quote|No one has a right to know how a fellow Cybertronian was created. There's a thin line between categorization and segregation, and I never want to see it crossed again.|[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]|"[[Twenty Plus One]]". No one tell him about the table below.}}
{| cellpadding="5" class="tt1_featuredCharacters"
! style="background:#004000;color:white" colspan="3"|Forged
! style="background:navy;color:white" colspan="3"|Constructed cold
|-
! style="background:#a1f088" align="center"|Pre-war
! style="background:#b7f78d" align="center"|"Warborn"
! style="background:#bcf27c" align="center"|Unknown
! style="background:#9abce2" align="center"|First wave
! style="background:#8ec1f6" align="center"|Second wave/M.T.O.
! style="background:#7dc7f1" align="center"|Unknown
|-
| style="background:#BCF7AA" valign="top"|
{|border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent;"
|-
| valign="top"|
*[[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]]
*[[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]]
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]]
*[[Bulkhead (G1)|Bulkhead]]
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]]
*[[Censere]]
*[[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]]
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]]
*[[Dominus Ambus]]
*[[Dai Atlas (Zone)|Dai Atlas]]
*[[Eucryphia]]
*[[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]]
*[[Grindcore (G1)|Grindcore]]
*[[Grimlock (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Grimlock]]
*[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]]
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod/Rodimus]]
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]]
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]]
*[[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]
*[[Knights of Cybertron]]
*[[Titan (IDW)|Titans]]<ref group="idw">At least thirteen of the Titans carried hot spots within their bodies for colonization purposes; by extension all known Transformers native to the colony worlds are Forged.</ref>
*[[Minimus Ambus]]
*[[Myskrion]]
*[[Nova Prime|Nova Major/Nova Prime]]
*[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax/Optimus Prime]]
| valign="top"|
*[[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]]
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]]
*[[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]]
*[[Prima]]
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]]
*[[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]]
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]]
*[[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]]
*[[Roller (IDW)|Roller]]
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]]
*[[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]
*[[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]]
*[[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]]
*[[Sixshot]]
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]]
*[[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]]
*[[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]]
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]]
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]]
*[[Tailpipe (G1)|Tailpipe]]
*[[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]]
*[[Thinkbox]]
*The [[Thirteen|Thirteen Primes]]
*[[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]
*[[Tyrest (G1)|Tyrest]]
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]]
|}
| style="background:#D0FCB3" valign="top"|
*[[Fulcrum]]
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]]
| style="background:#CEF99D" valign="top"|
*[[Animus]]
*[[Black Shadow (Victory)|Black Shadow]]
*[[Blockus]]
*[[Datum]]
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]]
*[[Heretech]]
*[[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]]
*[[Ramp]]
*[[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]]
*[[Suture (G1)|Suture]]
| style="background:#B8D1ED" valign="top"|
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]
*[[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]]
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]]
*[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]]
*[[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]]
*[[Kaon (DJD)|Kaon]]
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]]
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]<ref group="idw">Megatron is a hybrid Transformer, consisting of a forged spark in a cold constructed body.</ref>
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]]
*[[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]]
*[[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]]
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]
*[[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]]
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]]
*[[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]]
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]]
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Tumbler/Chromedome]]
| style="background:#b4d8fc" valign="top"|
*[[Ambulon]]
*[[Ammo]]
*[[Deathsaurus]]
*[[Dipstick]]
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Genitus/Brainstorm]]
*[[Getaway]]
*[[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]]
*[[Scattergun]]
| style="background:#9ed7f8" valign="top"|
*[[Agonizer]]
*[[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]]
*[[Flame (Marvel)|Flame]]
*[[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]]
*[[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]]
*[[Krok (G1)|Krok]]
*[[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]]
*[[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]]
*[[Acid Storm (G1)|Acid Storm]]
|}

<references group="idw"/>

{{-}}

==Resurrection==
[[File:Pmoptimusprimedeath.jpg|left|thumb|Don't worry kids, he gets better. Again.]]
Though not quite the same as reproduction, a copy of the mind or essence of a previously living Transformer may be introduced into a new body and, through some vague process, return that Transformer to life. This occurs when [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] creates the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] in the Generation 1 cartoon, and in the comic when Prime uses copies of the minds of existing Cybertronians to create the second-series Autobot cars on [[Earth]]. Another example from the comic occurs when Optimus Prime himself is returned to life merely by inputting a human's [[floppy disk]] copy of his mind into a new body.

A variation on this theme is [[Unicron]]'s ability to create new robotic life. In the cartoon continuity, Unicron rebuilds [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] into [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]], though it is unclear if these are the same being. Less ambiguous is the creation of [[Cyclonus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cyclonus]], [[Scourge (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Scourge]], and the [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]] from the apparently dead remains of [[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]], [[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]], and the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]]. Some fans have speculated that the creation of the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]] by super-genius [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] was aided in some fashion by Unicron's presence.

In [[Marvel Comics continuity]], Unicron exhibits a similar ability, fashioning three servants named [[Hook, Line, and Sinker]] from the remains of non-Cybertronian robots attempting to flee him.

In his ending to the ''[[Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals (N64)|Beast Wars Transmetals]]'' video game, [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] uses "a prototype cloning device, based on transreplication technology" to clone the deactivated Generation 1 Decepticons on the Ark into new protoform bodies, thus reviving them without altering the timeline (and erasing himself) by effectively doubling each robot.

This is included as a means of reproduction because it seems likely from the dialogue that the Autobot cars created via copied minds by Prime on Earth in Marvel Comics continuity still existed on Cybertron when he left, meaning that if they survived the intermediate 4 million years, two of each of these individuals now exist.

In the [[Unicron Trilogy]] comic miniseries "[[Linkage (comic)|Linkage]]", [[Redline]] and [[Falcia]] combine energy from their [[spark frame]]s in order to create a new body for the mind/soul of [[Twirl (MD)|Twirl]] to inhabit after her [[Mini-Con storage panel]] is destroyed in battle. This leads to an interesting relationship between Twirl and Falcia. (See "Familial relationships", below.)

==Budding==
[[File:G2issue5-PowerandtheGlory-BuddingSteps.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Budding doesn't look like much fun at ALL. It looks like ''Aliens versus Predator'' all over again.]]
The [[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|''Transformers: Generation 2'' comic]] introduced the concept of asexual "budding". Bubbles and lesions of apparently liquid metal form on a robot's chest, accompanied by energy discharge. The process grows more intense, until a large mass of liquid metal bursts free from the chest and slowly forms into a [[protoform]]-like blank figure, and then solidifies into a full Transformer. Illustrations suggest that this is something of a communal event, with others surrounding the budding robot in a circle.

[[File:TNA.gif|left|upright=0.85|thumb|With the right early screening, even pegwarming might some day be preventable.]]
It was revealed that (in the Marvel continuity at least) early Transformers reproduced this way until they reached the population level Primus desired. At this turning point, the practice stopped and all memory of it was erased. When the [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronians]] (possibly under influence of the [[Liege Maximo]]) rediscovered and revived the process sometime during the 4 million years after the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'s loss, the successive generations of robots produced were increasingly less sentient and emotional (as Primus's lifeforce was apparently spread thinner and thinner between them), and the lifeform called the [[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]] was created as a byproduct.

It is established here that Transformers do have genetic material (the Transformer equivalent of DNA) within their cellular structures. (Yes, they also apparently have cellular structures—who knew?) This genetic material is passed down from "parent" to "child" through budding. Its make-up is seen in the picture at left. (Apparently, its design is not taught in the Transformer equivalent of high school biology, as Megatron does not recognize what he's looking at until Perceptor explains.) This genetic material and basic Transformer cellular structure is also passed to the Swarm. Later, in the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]], Transformer genetic material is given the designation [[CNA]], and it is what is altered by the malevolent Jhiaxus to create female Transformers.

The other notable fact is that Transformers who have undergone the budding process retain some sort of primal link to their offspring, thus even though they are galaxies apart, the Generation 1 Decepticon [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] doubles over in pain when his descendant [[Mindset (G2)|Mindset]] is destroyed, and the Liege Maximo says he would know if his descendant, Megatron, were to die.

{{--}}

==Sexual reproduction==
[[File:Tfreprod marvel28.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|"Film the birth?" "No, got some great footage of the conception, though!"]]
Despite most continuities having male and female genders (gender being a mental and social classification, as opposed to "sexes", a physical distinction) and a definite, strong history of [[transformer romance]] existing between these genders, there is little canonical evidence for Transformers reproducing sexually. (Though admittedly, there isn't a lot of direct evidence for [[human]]s reproducing sexually in most Transformers media, which is, after all, aimed towards kids.)

In the Generation 1 cartoon, the male Transformer - [[female Transformer]] romance could perhaps be explained as an artifact of [[Quintesson]] mental programming very closely echoing the organic life forms the Transformers were built to serve.

On only two occasions in Generation 1 do we get a hint of male and female Transformer romance leading to the formation of family units and the creation of offspring. The first is subtle: [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]]'s backstory in some versions mentions his crashing on Quintessa with his parents. The second is more explicit: At the end of the Japanese [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (manga)|''Victory'' manga]], we find out that [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]] and his forces have been fighting all this time for the sake of their/the families living on top of the [[Planet-Destroying Fortress]], among which are [[Dinoforce]]'s [[Baby Dinoforce|children]]. Awww.

Apart from this, the best case for sexual reproduction in the species could probably be made from ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'', where [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] makes numerous off-color remarks throughout the series, especially directed at [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]] and [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]]. These comments strongly hint at something sex-like among Transformers, though it could, of course, be merely recreational rather than reproductive.

It is unknown what effect the ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' [[reformatting]] of Transformers into [[technorganic]] beings, which are equal parts organic life and mechanical structure down to a cellular level, has on their reproductive options. It is conceivable but underexplored whether this new form of Transformer life could reproduce sexually. According to [[Andromeda (TransTech)|Andromeda]]'s interview with [[Kitte Shūshū]], she and [[Z Grill]] made the Maximal [[Stampy (BWN)|Stampy]] with their organic parts. {{storylink|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News Reporter}}

During a dream-like vision, Blackarachnia and Silverbolt meet in an ethereal state, and the two appear to "merge" their sparks, which may be as close to sexual intercourse as Transformers get, perhaps a more spiritual act than physical.

[[File:Sariprime.jpg|120px|thumb|At that moment, Optimus realizes that there are some questions best left unanswered.]]
The [[Transformers (film)|2007 motion picture]] once again brings up questions about the possibility of a less-than-mechanical form of reproduction. The first and most obvious of these implications comes from [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]]'s less-than-tactful observation of "the [[Sam Witwicky|boy]] want[ing] to mate with the [[Mikaela Banes|female]]." Although his grasp of the concept could stem merely from a familiarity with organic species in general, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]]'s mention of [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] killing their father, in some related material, does suggest Transformers have some understanding of family units. In [[Revenge of the Fallen issue 4|the fourth issue of ''Revenge of the Fallen'']], [[Rampage (ROTF)|Rampage]] refers to Sam's parents as his "protoform batch initiators." Make that of what you will. In the [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|movie proper]], Jetfire mentions a mother and father, the latter of whom was the first wheel (who didn't transform). While obviously at least part of this is the ramblings of a senile old man (or a self-deprecating joke), it reinforces that Cybertronians are at least aware of the concept.

In the ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Animated]]'' continuity, it seems clear that Transformers do not reproduce sexually. [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] appears stunned when [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari]] tells him where human babies come from, and later brings up the inconsistency when Sari's own origins are revealed.
[[File:OperationBumblebee1 Bumblebee's new ride.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.95|"I swear, this isn't what it looks like!"]]

In IDW continuity, female Transformers were first introduced to the series through [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]'s experiments. By altering fundamental [[CNA]], Jhiaxus gave "male" Cybertronians "female" characteristics. Although earlier issues suggested that he was doing this out of malevolent curiosity, later stories would explain that female Transformers had once existed on Cybertron and that Jhiaxus was attempting to restore this lost element of Cybertronian society. The depth of his changes are unknown; is it limited to appearance and mentality or does it go deeper? If he was truly trying to see how the reintroduction of females would affect the evolution of the species it is possible Arcee was created with the capability for some analog of sexual reproduction in mind, but given his abandonment of the experiment and Arcee's resultant unbalanced mental state it seems unlikely the depth of the change will be explored. Later [[The Transformers: Windblade|comics]] would establish that female Transformers had always existed but went extinct on Cybertron during the [[First Cybertronian Civil War]]. These stories also introduce various Transformer colony worlds, whose inhabitants had retained differentiated genders, as an alternative source of female Transformers. Both male and female Transformers reproduce asexually through the methods detailed above; although [[Conjunx Endura|romantic relationships]] exist in this continuity, they are not limited to male-female pairings and there is no evidence that couples engage in anything related to procreation.<ref>This hasn't stopped fan fiction writers from speculating, though.</ref>

In the [[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|''Transformers: Prime'' episode]] "[[Darkness Rising, Part 1]]", [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] joked with [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]], asking him if he had heard that humans multiplied. Ratchet was expecting her and [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] to bring back two humans. When they brought back three, Arcee jokingly implied that the teenagers had reproduced since then.

In ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction]]'', [[Brains]] revealed to Optimus Prime that Megatron had used his "chromosomes" to infect [[Kinetic Solutions Incorporated|KSI]]'s [[Megatron (Movie)|Galvatron]] prototype, granting the mindless robot independent thought and allowing Megatron's mind to take over Galvatron's body. It's debatable whether or not Brains was translating Cybertronian terms for the benefit of the human audience present; if taken literally, it opens up a whole host of weird questions regarding the relationship between Megatron and Galvatron.
{{-}}

==Familial relationships==
[[File:PrimeDirective4 Cover SunstreakerSideswipe.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|The Doublemint Twins they're not.]]
One confusing aspect of this apparent lack of sexual reproduction is the canonical use of genealogical terminology to describe certain relationships. The most common of these is when two Transformers regard each other as siblings: "brothers" (e.g. Generation 1's [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] or ''Robots in Disguise'''s [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ultra Magnus (RID)|Ultra Magnus]]) or "sisters" ([[Roulette (Universe)|Roulette]] and [[Shadow Striker (Universe)|Shadow Striker]]).

Again, the Dreamwave ''More than Meets the Eye'' guide provides a partial possible answer. According to the guide, when a spark naturally splits as it's being introduced to a protoform, it creates two robots who are "brothers", such as Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. When such a spark division is artificially induced, the pair created are referred to as "[[Cloning|clones]]". (This definition of "brother" may or may not apply to RID Prime and Magnus, whose brotherhood was said to result from the special circumstance of having been created simultaneously by Alpha Trion).

However, the "[[Beast Era]]" widened the issue of reproduction with Rattrap referring to his "great-aunt" [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and in general the practice of Maximals and Predacons referring to the Autobots and Decepticons as their respective "ancestors", as well as themselves as being their "descendants", implying a direct genetic (for want of a better term) lineage. Various sources of debatable canonicity suggest that [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] is specifically descended from [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], usually through the phrase "[his] ancestor Optimus Prime".

In the absence of sexual reproduction, the use and meaning of these genealogical references is difficult to explain. One possible explanation might be a situation such as when [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] is brought to life in ''Beast Wars''. Her [[spark]] and [[protoform]] are heavily damaged, and [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] allows some of his parts to be used as replacements while [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] guides the procedure. To compare to humans, this is something like assisting with childbirth and donating blood or organs. It is unlikely that this happened enough to cause "descendants" as they are described, however. The term may also be used in an ideological sense or even a technological sense, much as the CD or MP3 player is, in a way, a "descendant" of the gramophone.

[[File:Linkage7 Twirl-Baby.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|So, think Social Services handle cases like these often?]]
Other family designations exist as well. [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] has "parents" that were lost in his crash on [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]], according to some background material. The aforementioned Mini-Con Twirl very specifically calls Falcia her "mother" (which Falcia ''hates'') and seems to treat Redline like a father, since the two's spark frame energies went into constructing her physical form. In the ''Armada'' cartoon, [[Side Swipe (Armada)|Side Swipe]] refers to [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] as his brother after Hot Shot saves his life, suggesting at least an understanding of the concept; on the other hand, the ''Armada'' cartoon is originally Japanese, and in Japan, "brother" and "sister" can be used as terms of affection or respect to an unrelated person. The [[Unicron Trilogy]] universe has also used the term "cousin" for certain Transformers on occasion. The Japanese Generation 1 ''Victory'' manga features Decepticon wives and children. Even the live-action movie features an Optimus and Megatron who are brothers, and it is mentioned in the related [[Nintendo DS]] game that Megatron "took the spark" of their father.

'''''See also:''' [[Relatives]]''
{{-}}

==Toys==
[[File:Classics cosmos concept.gif|upright=1.4|thumb|Echography of a sadly aborted Transformer.... Yes, those things happen.]]
In the real-life continuity, when two toy manufacturing companies love each other very much, [[Hasbro|one of them]] may start shooting Transformer design propositions to the [[TakaraTomy|other one]]. There, during several months of gestation, engineers will work on those designs, which will be developed into functional and manufacturable Transformers. Once the Transformer is ready to be produced, its design will be sent to marketing and ultimately to the chain manufacturer for the delivery. Voilà! A new Transformer is born!
{{-}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Transformer culture]]

Reproduction

2017-08-27T16:34:38Z

Holomanga: skywarp, thundercracker were gladiators pre-war so they must be first wave

[[File:MangaDinoforceBabies.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|HOW IS BABBY FORMED?]]
Various '''reproduction''' methods for the [[Transformer]]s species have been demonstrated across various continuities.

{{quote|This is only one method of creating new Transformers. There are others.|[[Bob Budiansky]] knows not to leave himself tied down, in his pitch for the Matrix concept<ref name="BC10">[http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc10/bc10bb.html griffin's 2010 BotCon report]</ref>}}

==Mechanical construction==
Sometimes, new Transformers are simply built from scratch, and that's all it takes. A suitable Transformer body is constructed, and when finished and turned on, it just springs to life.
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
Three notable examples of this type of reproduction appear in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]]: when [[Wheeljack (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Wheeljack]] and company create the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], {{storylink|S.O.S. Dinobots}} {{storylink|War of the Dinobots}} when the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicon]]s turn an [[Earth]] city into [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} and when the temporarily super-intelligent [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] creates the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]]. {{storylink|Grimlock's New Brain}}

[[File:SOSDinobots buildingSludge.jpg|left|thumb|"I've been workin' on the Dinobot, all the live long day..."]]
The Dinobots are initially very simple mentally and are ordered to be deactivated because they are too dangerous. Wheeljack then develops a set of crown-like devices to place on the Dinobots which greatly enhances their intellect, although they are still "dumb" and childlike compared to the other Autobots. The Technobots, on the other hand, are immediately fully functional, and some of them are even ''smarter'' than average Transformers. If one were to take these facts as canonically meaningful (rather than simply the whims of the writers of those episodes), it could be guessed that programming a functional Transformer brain from scratch is extremely difficult, such that even Wheeljack is not up to the job. Temporarily super-genius Grimlock may be the only one capable. However, one must also note that the Dinobots were built and programmed to be as similar to dinosaurs as possible, including the limited intelligence; the Technobots, however, were built by Grimlock with intelligence in mind, as it was the only way to counter [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]]'s brute power.

At least on the surface, this "built from scratch" approach runs counter to claims in other episodes of the show that [[Vector Sigma]] is needed to create new Transformer life. (See below.) However, since Vector Sigma is presented as being a supercomputer and not a "magical" device like the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|comics']] [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]], it could fall in with the speculative statements above regarding Grimlock and Wheeljack. Perhaps Vector Sigma is simply an advanced enough computer that it is capable of constructing a working mind.
{{-}}

==Infusion==
{{see also|Sacred implement}}
[[File:Creation Matrix 65.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Go on, rub it and make a wish...]]
In other stories, once a new Transformer body has been built, it must still be infused with life (what the fiction from the Beast era and after would gloss as a [[spark]]) from a "god-like" outside source. In the Generation 1 cartoon, this source is Vector Sigma; in the Marvel comics, it is the Creation Matrix, which houses the essence of [[Primus]], the Transformers' creator-god. In the [[Beast Era|Beast era]] cartoons, sparks arrive from the [[Transformer afterlife|Allspark]], perhaps through Vector Sigma. (In many continuities, each Transformer's life force is a fragment of Primus's own.) The [[Movie (franchise)|live-action movie]] continuities function with the [[AllSpark]] being the source of infusion as well, though in that case, "living" and "sentient" are not quite the same thing. (See: [[AllSpark Mutation]].)

[[File:VectorSigmaG1.jpg|left|thumb|Vector Sigma holds "Disco Night" every Friday at 11 pm.]]
In the [[The Transformers Adventure Game Books|''Transformers'' Adventure Game Book]] "[[Desert of Danger]]", Hot Rod refers to his creation after the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] left Cybertron as when he was "matrixed". How exactly this would have happened if Optimus Prime was aboard the Ark with the Matrix at the time is unknown, but one option might be the [[Matrix Flame]].

The Matrix Flame is an artifact which allows Transformers on Cybertron to access the power of the Matrix even when it is no longer on Cybertron. Literally a flame, it is used to breathe life in the super warrior [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ultra Magnus]] in the UK comics. The flame is somehow linked to the Matrix, and when the Matrix is transported to another dimension during "[[Target: 2006]]", the flame goes out, forcing the Autobots on Cybertron to investigate.

The [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] ''[[Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' guide provides yet another method of infusion. According to the guide's entry on [[protoform]]s in issue #8, in the [[Dreamwave Generation One continuity|Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity]], Transformers generally begin life as a skeletal mass of partially formed circuits—a [[Protoform]]. These are kept in stasis pods filled with nurturing nutrient gel. They can be built to certain specifications or be fairly general, allowing the robot to form naturally upon introduction of a spark. Sparks, and hence life, usually come from the Matrix, ''BUT'', if the Matrix is absent, life can be granted by attuning the protoform to an energy wavelength similar to the Matrix and then applying a concentrated burst of energon. This alternative is rarely used, as it is extremely resource-consumptive, requiring restrictively high amounts of energon.

[[File:Allspark movie.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|"RESISTANCE IS FERTILE."]]
The Movie continuity's [[AllSpark]] works by infusion as well, just on an even more impressive scale. It is capable of infusing any inanimate machine with life and simultaneously altering its structure so that it is capable of transforming into a Cybertronian-style robot. The AllSpark fragments spread across Detroit in the ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]]'' continuity show the same ability to alter non-living machines into new Transformers (as well as unrelated powers like slowing time and remote controlling other Cybertronians.) Although, outside of the toy biographies for certain characters, the AllSpark in the movie merely creates non-sentient, animalistic life-forms out of ordinary machines, rather than fully developed Cybertronians, suggesting some kind of evolutionary development towards sentience.

====IDW Generation 1 continuity====
[[File:Chromedome and Rodimus with a spark.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|left|Baby ''boom''? Baby fuel-air bomb!]]
Cybertronians are created through two confirmed methods: they are either "'''forged'''" or "'''constructed cold'''." Their names include a "of [place]" suffix to describe where they were born, e.g. "Megatron of [[Tarn (polity)|Tarn]]".

Forging was the natural way for Cybertronians to be created. An energy pulse from Vector Sigma would flash across the world, igniting a hot spot where new sparks would emerge from the planet. There would be great rejoicing and ceremony, and the sparks and base substance—the "[[Living metal|sentio metallico]]"—would be sought out and harvested from the living metal of Cybertron or its moons. The harvested sparks would then be matured via a process known as "the nurturing". {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}} {{storylink|Remembrance Day}} The sentio metallico coalesces around a spark to form a [[protoform]]. Beginning as a simple geometric shape, {{storylink|Silent Light}} it takes two days for the protoform to gradually mature into a new Transformer. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}} Usually, protoforms first grow limbs and basic facial features and eventually manifest features related to their natural [[alternate mode]] by following the "genetic instructions" hard-coded within their spark. {{storylink|Silent Light}} After fully solidifying and cooling, the young Transformer imprints on its surroundings to learn how to walk, talk, and interact with others. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 1|Shining Armor #1}} The full nurturing and maturation process can be completed in less than two weeks after the spark's first flash. {{storylink|Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|This Calamitous Life}}

Occasionally, however, the protoform will struggle to read the spark's instructions and fail to assume a shape. A specialized medical professional known as a "[[blacksmith]]"–essentially a Cybertronian midwife–will help the protoform along by sculpting the metal into its most natural shape. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}}

[[File:YourFirstMistake-ColdConstruction.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5|Sex Ed. Volume 1, or: '''PANTS FULL OF SHAME'''."]]

Cold Construction was a method created later when [[Nova Prime]] learned natural spark creation was slowing. Fearful (correctly, as it would turn out) that the pulsewaves from Vector Sigma would eventually halt entirely, leaving him without enough Transformers to create the grand galactic empire he envisioned, Nova entrusted the Matrix of Leadership to his scientists and charged them with tapping the fabled energy of creation legends claimed it possessed. The scientists, headed by [[Tyrest (G1)|Tyrest]], succeeded in doing so and were able to generate thousands of sparks a day, which were then housed in pre-constructed bodies. Sparks were produced at such a rapid rate that they had to be stockpiled until new bodies could be constructed; {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}} their energies were frozen in [[photonic crystal]]s, which would be placed inside the new bodies in order to thaw out, hence the term "constructed cold". {{storylink|The Lopsided Triangle}} Recently, it was revealed that photonic crystals were not artificially engineered by Tyrest and his science team, but produced naturally by [[Rung (G1)|Rung of the Pious Pools]] and his alt mode. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}} Whether Rung is unique in Cybertronian history for this gift or merely the last surviving member of a forgotten class is as yet unknown.

Recognizing the potential for outcry against what they were doing, a cover story was put in place to explain the birth of these new Transformers: the public were told that they were created via '''spark-splicing''', using the energy of a Forged spark to ignite a new one. {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}} Eventually, one of the scientists had an attack of conscience and stole the Matrix, replacing it with a forgery; unaware of this, Tyrest and his team believed that they had bled the Matrix dry. {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}} The public were never told why the "spark-splicing" program was stopped; as such, by the time of Nominus Prime's assassination, Senator Shockwave had made repeated lobbies to resurrect it. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

After the disappearance of Nova Prime, negative feelings about cold construction led to apartheid against "knock offs", with some city-states 'proving' that they were substandard. {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}} Religion was brought into it: the fact that many of the best medics were forged (due to the fluidity and dexterity of their hands) was taken as proof of the god [[Adaptus]]. {{storylink|Life After the Big Bang}} By the time [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] was first arrested, the apartheid was ''officially'' considered a thing of the past, cough cough. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1}}

[[File:Overlords spark remembrance day.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5|Overlord was killing fools before he was even alive. [http://www.allspark.com/forums/topic/92372-more-than-meets-the-eye-14/?p=2262280]]]
Some naturally-born sparks are "[[Point One Percenter]]s" (about 0.01% of the population), with abilities greater than than the average Transformer. Known "Point One Percenters" include Overlord {{storylink|Remembrance Day}}, Minimus Ambus, and Roller {{storylink|Remain in Light 3 of 5: The Divided Self|The Divided Self}}, while Optimus Prime, Ultra Magnus, Scorponok, and Shockwave are implied to be. {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}} Megatron occupies a unique position as the first (and possibly only) hybrid. Originating as a wholly cold-constructed bot, the body's original spark was destroyed by a time-travelling [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]]; a Point One Percenter spark which had been harvested on Luna 1 in the present day was placed in the empty shell by [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], thus creating the Megatron who ultimately led the Decepticons in this timeline. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|Predestination: An Expert's Guide}} The ramifications of a forged or constructed cold body (with pre-existing brain module) swapping out a spark like this are unknown. In somewhat similar circumstances, Megatron placed the spark of the Quintesson [[Pentius]] in the body of [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. The being that emerged seemed to have the memories of both Pentius and the pre-existing Trypticon. {{storylink|Primacy issue 1|Primacy #1}}

[[File:TheLopsidedTriangle-MTOs.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5|]]

As the war dragged on, the Autobots discovered a long abandoned cache of frozen sparks from the days of Tyrest's experiments. They cold-constructed robots to fill out their ranks: "Made to Order" soldiers ([[M.T.O.]]s), who to some were seen as little more than cannonfodder. Instead of a city-state, MTOs were named after the battles or campaigns they were activated for, i.e. "[[Getaway]] of the [[Corcapsia Incursion]]". A formal education process was established for the MTOs, a Ten Step program they needed to pass before being declared fit for duty that involved lots of data packets, revision, and exams. As the war continued, however, Ten Steps went down to Seven Steps and finally to Three Steps, which were simply uploaded into their minds as their sparks were thawing out, allowing them to deposited directly onto the battle field as soon as they came fully online. {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}} Presumably, Decepticon M.T.O.s such as [[Ambulon]] were constructed using similar procedures, but the details of their programs are not fully known.

[[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]] [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]], [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]], and [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] were created by Decepticon scientists after many failed attempts. The failed attempts lived on and were collectively known as [[Insecticon swarm|"the swarm"]]. {{storylink|The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron}}

Early on in the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], the scientist [[Tarantulas (BW)#IDW Generation 1 continuity|Mesothulas]] was working on a ''third'' method of "reproduction": creating artificial [[spark]]s through synthesized Matrix energy, then placing them into robotic bodies, maintained by an identical copy of the Matrix's energy field. The only known being created through this method was [[Springer (G1)|Ostaros]], indistinguishable from any other Cybertronian save for the circumstances of his creation. {{storylink|Sins of the Wreckers issue 3|Sins of the Wreckers #3}}. Ostaros was later integrated into Cybertronian society under the name of Springer. Whether or not Springer counts as a "true" Cybertronian, or merely an advanced <s>replicant</s> <s>synth</s> robot, is presumably up to the reader to decide.

=====Characters by origin=====
{{quote|No one has a right to know how a fellow Cybertronian was created. There's a thin line between categorization and segregation, and I never want to see it crossed again.|[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]|"[[Twenty Plus One]]". No one tell him about the table below.}}
{| cellpadding="5" class="tt1_featuredCharacters"
! style="background:#004000;color:white" colspan="3"|Forged
! style="background:navy;color:white" colspan="3"|Constructed cold
|-
! style="background:#a1f088" align="center"|Pre-war
! style="background:#b7f78d" align="center"|"Warborn"
! style="background:#bcf27c" align="center"|Unknown
! style="background:#9abce2" align="center"|First wave
! style="background:#8ec1f6" align="center"|Second wave/M.T.O.
! style="background:#7dc7f1" align="center"|Unknown
|-
| style="background:#BCF7AA" valign="top"|
{|border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent;"
|-
| valign="top"|
*[[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]]
*[[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]]
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]]
*[[Bulkhead (G1)|Bulkhead]]
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]]
*[[Censere]]
*[[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]]
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]]
*[[Dominus Ambus]]
*[[Dai Atlas (Zone)|Dai Atlas]]
*[[Eucryphia]]
*[[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]]
*[[Grindcore (G1)|Grindcore]]
*[[Grimlock (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Grimlock]]
*[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]]
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod/Rodimus]]
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]]
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]]
*[[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]
*[[Knights of Cybertron]]
*[[Titan (IDW)|Titans]]<ref group="idw">At least thirteen of the Titans carried hot spots within their bodies for colonization purposes; by extension all known Transformers native to the colony worlds are Forged.</ref>
*[[Minimus Ambus]]
*[[Myskrion]]
*[[Nova Prime|Nova Major/Nova Prime]]
*[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax/Optimus Prime]]
| valign="top"|
*[[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]]
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]]
*[[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]]
*[[Prima]]
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]]
*[[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]]
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]]
*[[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]]
*[[Roller (IDW)|Roller]]
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]]
*[[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]
*[[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]]
*[[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]]
*[[Sixshot]]
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]]
*[[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]]
*[[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]]
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]]
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]]
*[[Tailpipe (G1)|Tailpipe]]
*[[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]]
*[[Thinkbox]]
*The [[Thirteen|Thirteen Primes]]
*[[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]
*[[Tyrest (G1)|Tyrest]]
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]]
|}
| style="background:#D0FCB3" valign="top"|
*[[Fulcrum]]
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]]
| style="background:#CEF99D" valign="top"|
*[[Animus]]
*[[Black Shadow (Victory)|Black Shadow]]
*[[Blockus]]
*[[Datum]]
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]]
*[[Heretech]]
*[[Misfire (G1)|Misfire]]
*[[Ramp]]
*[[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]]
*[[Suture (G1)|Suture]]
| style="background:#B8D1ED" valign="top"|
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]
*[[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]]
*[[Chromedome (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Tumbler/Chromedome]]
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]]
*[[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]]
*[[Ironfist (G1)|Ironfist]]
*[[Kaon (DJD)|Kaon]]
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]]
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]<ref group="idw">Megatron is a hybrid Transformer, consisting of a forged spark in a cold constructed body.</ref>
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]]
*[[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]]
*[[Ravage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ravage]]
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]
*[[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]]
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]]
*[[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]]
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]]
| style="background:#b4d8fc" valign="top"|
*[[Ambulon]]
*[[Ammo]]
*[[Deathsaurus]]
*[[Dipstick]]
*[[Brainstorm (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Genitus/Brainstorm]]
*[[Getaway]]
*[[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]]
*[[Scattergun]]
| style="background:#9ed7f8" valign="top"|
*[[Agonizer]]
*[[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]]
*[[Flame (Marvel)|Flame]]
*[[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]]
*[[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]]
*[[Krok (G1)|Krok]]
*[[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]]
*[[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]]
*[[Acid Storm (G1)|Acid Storm]]
|}

<references group="idw"/>

{{-}}

==Resurrection==
[[File:Pmoptimusprimedeath.jpg|left|thumb|Don't worry kids, he gets better. Again.]]
Though not quite the same as reproduction, a copy of the mind or essence of a previously living Transformer may be introduced into a new body and, through some vague process, return that Transformer to life. This occurs when [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] creates the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] in the Generation 1 cartoon, and in the comic when Prime uses copies of the minds of existing Cybertronians to create the second-series Autobot cars on [[Earth]]. Another example from the comic occurs when Optimus Prime himself is returned to life merely by inputting a human's [[floppy disk]] copy of his mind into a new body.

A variation on this theme is [[Unicron]]'s ability to create new robotic life. In the cartoon continuity, Unicron rebuilds [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] into [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]], though it is unclear if these are the same being. Less ambiguous is the creation of [[Cyclonus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cyclonus]], [[Scourge (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Scourge]], and the [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]] from the apparently dead remains of [[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]], [[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]], and the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]]. Some fans have speculated that the creation of the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]] by super-genius [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] was aided in some fashion by Unicron's presence.

In [[Marvel Comics continuity]], Unicron exhibits a similar ability, fashioning three servants named [[Hook, Line, and Sinker]] from the remains of non-Cybertronian robots attempting to flee him.

In his ending to the ''[[Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals (N64)|Beast Wars Transmetals]]'' video game, [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] uses "a prototype cloning device, based on transreplication technology" to clone the deactivated Generation 1 Decepticons on the Ark into new protoform bodies, thus reviving them without altering the timeline (and erasing himself) by effectively doubling each robot.

This is included as a means of reproduction because it seems likely from the dialogue that the Autobot cars created via copied minds by Prime on Earth in Marvel Comics continuity still existed on Cybertron when he left, meaning that if they survived the intermediate 4 million years, two of each of these individuals now exist.

In the [[Unicron Trilogy]] comic miniseries "[[Linkage (comic)|Linkage]]", [[Redline]] and [[Falcia]] combine energy from their [[spark frame]]s in order to create a new body for the mind/soul of [[Twirl (MD)|Twirl]] to inhabit after her [[Mini-Con storage panel]] is destroyed in battle. This leads to an interesting relationship between Twirl and Falcia. (See "Familial relationships", below.)

==Budding==
[[File:G2issue5-PowerandtheGlory-BuddingSteps.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Budding doesn't look like much fun at ALL. It looks like ''Aliens versus Predator'' all over again.]]
The [[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|''Transformers: Generation 2'' comic]] introduced the concept of asexual "budding". Bubbles and lesions of apparently liquid metal form on a robot's chest, accompanied by energy discharge. The process grows more intense, until a large mass of liquid metal bursts free from the chest and slowly forms into a [[protoform]]-like blank figure, and then solidifies into a full Transformer. Illustrations suggest that this is something of a communal event, with others surrounding the budding robot in a circle.

[[File:TNA.gif|left|upright=0.85|thumb|With the right early screening, even pegwarming might some day be preventable.]]
It was revealed that (in the Marvel continuity at least) early Transformers reproduced this way until they reached the population level Primus desired. At this turning point, the practice stopped and all memory of it was erased. When the [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronians]] (possibly under influence of the [[Liege Maximo]]) rediscovered and revived the process sometime during the 4 million years after the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'s loss, the successive generations of robots produced were increasingly less sentient and emotional (as Primus's lifeforce was apparently spread thinner and thinner between them), and the lifeform called the [[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]] was created as a byproduct.

It is established here that Transformers do have genetic material (the Transformer equivalent of DNA) within their cellular structures. (Yes, they also apparently have cellular structures—who knew?) This genetic material is passed down from "parent" to "child" through budding. Its make-up is seen in the picture at left. (Apparently, its design is not taught in the Transformer equivalent of high school biology, as Megatron does not recognize what he's looking at until Perceptor explains.) This genetic material and basic Transformer cellular structure is also passed to the Swarm. Later, in the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]], Transformer genetic material is given the designation [[CNA]], and it is what is altered by the malevolent Jhiaxus to create female Transformers.

The other notable fact is that Transformers who have undergone the budding process retain some sort of primal link to their offspring, thus even though they are galaxies apart, the Generation 1 Decepticon [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] doubles over in pain when his descendant [[Mindset (G2)|Mindset]] is destroyed, and the Liege Maximo says he would know if his descendant, Megatron, were to die.

{{--}}

==Sexual reproduction==
[[File:Tfreprod marvel28.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|"Film the birth?" "No, got some great footage of the conception, though!"]]
Despite most continuities having male and female genders (gender being a mental and social classification, as opposed to "sexes", a physical distinction) and a definite, strong history of [[transformer romance]] existing between these genders, there is little canonical evidence for Transformers reproducing sexually. (Though admittedly, there isn't a lot of direct evidence for [[human]]s reproducing sexually in most Transformers media, which is, after all, aimed towards kids.)

In the Generation 1 cartoon, the male Transformer - [[female Transformer]] romance could perhaps be explained as an artifact of [[Quintesson]] mental programming very closely echoing the organic life forms the Transformers were built to serve.

On only two occasions in Generation 1 do we get a hint of male and female Transformer romance leading to the formation of family units and the creation of offspring. The first is subtle: [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]]'s backstory in some versions mentions his crashing on Quintessa with his parents. The second is more explicit: At the end of the Japanese [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (manga)|''Victory'' manga]], we find out that [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]] and his forces have been fighting all this time for the sake of their/the families living on top of the [[Planet-Destroying Fortress]], among which are [[Dinoforce]]'s [[Baby Dinoforce|children]]. Awww.

Apart from this, the best case for sexual reproduction in the species could probably be made from ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'', where [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] makes numerous off-color remarks throughout the series, especially directed at [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]] and [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]]. These comments strongly hint at something sex-like among Transformers, though it could, of course, be merely recreational rather than reproductive.

It is unknown what effect the ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' [[reformatting]] of Transformers into [[technorganic]] beings, which are equal parts organic life and mechanical structure down to a cellular level, has on their reproductive options. It is conceivable but underexplored whether this new form of Transformer life could reproduce sexually. According to [[Andromeda (TransTech)|Andromeda]]'s interview with [[Kitte Shūshū]], she and [[Z Grill]] made the Maximal [[Stampy (BWN)|Stampy]] with their organic parts. {{storylink|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News Reporter}}

During a dream-like vision, Blackarachnia and Silverbolt meet in an ethereal state, and the two appear to "merge" their sparks, which may be as close to sexual intercourse as Transformers get, perhaps a more spiritual act than physical.

[[File:Sariprime.jpg|120px|thumb|At that moment, Optimus realizes that there are some questions best left unanswered.]]
The [[Transformers (film)|2007 motion picture]] once again brings up questions about the possibility of a less-than-mechanical form of reproduction. The first and most obvious of these implications comes from [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]]'s less-than-tactful observation of "the [[Sam Witwicky|boy]] want[ing] to mate with the [[Mikaela Banes|female]]." Although his grasp of the concept could stem merely from a familiarity with organic species in general, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]]'s mention of [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] killing their father, in some related material, does suggest Transformers have some understanding of family units. In [[Revenge of the Fallen issue 4|the fourth issue of ''Revenge of the Fallen'']], [[Rampage (ROTF)|Rampage]] refers to Sam's parents as his "protoform batch initiators." Make that of what you will. In the [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|movie proper]], Jetfire mentions a mother and father, the latter of whom was the first wheel (who didn't transform). While obviously at least part of this is the ramblings of a senile old man (or a self-deprecating joke), it reinforces that Cybertronians are at least aware of the concept.

In the ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Animated]]'' continuity, it seems clear that Transformers do not reproduce sexually. [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] appears stunned when [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari]] tells him where human babies come from, and later brings up the inconsistency when Sari's own origins are revealed.
[[File:OperationBumblebee1 Bumblebee's new ride.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.95|"I swear, this isn't what it looks like!"]]

In IDW continuity, female Transformers were first introduced to the series through [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]'s experiments. By altering fundamental [[CNA]], Jhiaxus gave "male" Cybertronians "female" characteristics. Although earlier issues suggested that he was doing this out of malevolent curiosity, later stories would explain that female Transformers had once existed on Cybertron and that Jhiaxus was attempting to restore this lost element of Cybertronian society. The depth of his changes are unknown; is it limited to appearance and mentality or does it go deeper? If he was truly trying to see how the reintroduction of females would affect the evolution of the species it is possible Arcee was created with the capability for some analog of sexual reproduction in mind, but given his abandonment of the experiment and Arcee's resultant unbalanced mental state it seems unlikely the depth of the change will be explored. Later [[The Transformers: Windblade|comics]] would establish that female Transformers had always existed but went extinct on Cybertron during the [[First Cybertronian Civil War]]. These stories also introduce various Transformer colony worlds, whose inhabitants had retained differentiated genders, as an alternative source of female Transformers. Both male and female Transformers reproduce asexually through the methods detailed above; although [[Conjunx Endura|romantic relationships]] exist in this continuity, they are not limited to male-female pairings and there is no evidence that couples engage in anything related to procreation.<ref>This hasn't stopped fan fiction writers from speculating, though.</ref>

In the [[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|''Transformers: Prime'' episode]] "[[Darkness Rising, Part 1]]", [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] joked with [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]], asking him if he had heard that humans multiplied. Ratchet was expecting her and [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] to bring back two humans. When they brought back three, Arcee jokingly implied that the teenagers had reproduced since then.

In ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction]]'', [[Brains]] revealed to Optimus Prime that Megatron had used his "chromosomes" to infect [[Kinetic Solutions Incorporated|KSI]]'s [[Megatron (Movie)|Galvatron]] prototype, granting the mindless robot independent thought and allowing Megatron's mind to take over Galvatron's body. It's debatable whether or not Brains was translating Cybertronian terms for the benefit of the human audience present; if taken literally, it opens up a whole host of weird questions regarding the relationship between Megatron and Galvatron.
{{-}}

==Familial relationships==
[[File:PrimeDirective4 Cover SunstreakerSideswipe.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|The Doublemint Twins they're not.]]
One confusing aspect of this apparent lack of sexual reproduction is the canonical use of genealogical terminology to describe certain relationships. The most common of these is when two Transformers regard each other as siblings: "brothers" (e.g. Generation 1's [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] or ''Robots in Disguise'''s [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ultra Magnus (RID)|Ultra Magnus]]) or "sisters" ([[Roulette (Universe)|Roulette]] and [[Shadow Striker (Universe)|Shadow Striker]]).

Again, the Dreamwave ''More than Meets the Eye'' guide provides a partial possible answer. According to the guide, when a spark naturally splits as it's being introduced to a protoform, it creates two robots who are "brothers", such as Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. When such a spark division is artificially induced, the pair created are referred to as "[[Cloning|clones]]". (This definition of "brother" may or may not apply to RID Prime and Magnus, whose brotherhood was said to result from the special circumstance of having been created simultaneously by Alpha Trion).

However, the "[[Beast Era]]" widened the issue of reproduction with Rattrap referring to his "great-aunt" [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and in general the practice of Maximals and Predacons referring to the Autobots and Decepticons as their respective "ancestors", as well as themselves as being their "descendants", implying a direct genetic (for want of a better term) lineage. Various sources of debatable canonicity suggest that [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] is specifically descended from [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], usually through the phrase "[his] ancestor Optimus Prime".

In the absence of sexual reproduction, the use and meaning of these genealogical references is difficult to explain. One possible explanation might be a situation such as when [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] is brought to life in ''Beast Wars''. Her [[spark]] and [[protoform]] are heavily damaged, and [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] allows some of his parts to be used as replacements while [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] guides the procedure. To compare to humans, this is something like assisting with childbirth and donating blood or organs. It is unlikely that this happened enough to cause "descendants" as they are described, however. The term may also be used in an ideological sense or even a technological sense, much as the CD or MP3 player is, in a way, a "descendant" of the gramophone.

[[File:Linkage7 Twirl-Baby.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|So, think Social Services handle cases like these often?]]
Other family designations exist as well. [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] has "parents" that were lost in his crash on [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]], according to some background material. The aforementioned Mini-Con Twirl very specifically calls Falcia her "mother" (which Falcia ''hates'') and seems to treat Redline like a father, since the two's spark frame energies went into constructing her physical form. In the ''Armada'' cartoon, [[Side Swipe (Armada)|Side Swipe]] refers to [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] as his brother after Hot Shot saves his life, suggesting at least an understanding of the concept; on the other hand, the ''Armada'' cartoon is originally Japanese, and in Japan, "brother" and "sister" can be used as terms of affection or respect to an unrelated person. The [[Unicron Trilogy]] universe has also used the term "cousin" for certain Transformers on occasion. The Japanese Generation 1 ''Victory'' manga features Decepticon wives and children. Even the live-action movie features an Optimus and Megatron who are brothers, and it is mentioned in the related [[Nintendo DS]] game that Megatron "took the spark" of their father.

'''''See also:''' [[Relatives]]''
{{-}}

==Toys==
[[File:Classics cosmos concept.gif|upright=1.4|thumb|Echography of a sadly aborted Transformer.... Yes, those things happen.]]
In the real-life continuity, when two toy manufacturing companies love each other very much, [[Hasbro|one of them]] may start shooting Transformer design propositions to the [[TakaraTomy|other one]]. There, during several months of gestation, engineers will work on those designs, which will be developed into functional and manufacturable Transformers. Once the Transformer is ready to be produced, its design will be sent to marketing and ultimately to the chain manufacturer for the delivery. Voilà! A new Transformer is born!
{{-}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Transformer culture]]

Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity

2017-08-26T14:08:14Z

Holomanga: winblade -> windblade

{{factions|decepticon}}
{{suite}}
[[File:StarscreamIDWF22-Infiltration4cvrA.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"BANZAAAAI KICK!"]]

Ever the opportunist, '''Starscream''''s boundless ambition drew him into the nascent Decepticon movement and catapulted him through the ranks as Cybertron collapsed into endless war. Though an intelligent, capable leader in his own right, Starscream struggled to distinguish himself from the shadow of [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] - a relationship that ended with Megatron invariably reminding Starscream of his place after several failed coups and bungled stints at leadership.

Following the end of the war and the revitalization of Cybertron, Starscream found the burden of leadership placed on his shoulders once more after a wayward [[Titan (IDW)|Titan]] declared him Cybertron's "Chosen One", destined to reunite and rebuild their ruined world. A subsequent series of crises saw Starscream leaving the Decepticons forever, establishing himself as the "High Chancellor" of Cybertron's growing [[NAIL|neutral population]] and carving out a new anti-factionalist government in the ruins of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]. But even after finally achieving his dream, Starscream still seems to be the same person he's always been: self-serving, prideful, treacherous, and perfectly willing to cheat, lie, and step on other 'bots to get his own way. His stubborn refusal to change his ways for the greater good is a constant thorn in the side of his reluctant allies.

Beneath it all, though, Starscream struggles with the ramifications of his morally dubious actions and the growing shadow of his future legacy - a struggle that, in the end, he may not win.

{{quote|What kind of monster '''are''' you?" "A '''goal-oriented''' one.|[[Stardrive]] and Starscream|[[Shining Armor issue 1|Shining Armor #1]]}}

__TOC__
==IDW Generation 1 comics==
{{ongoing}}

===There at the beginning===
[[File:MegOrigin3 seekers.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Starscream was [[Reproduction|constructed cold]]. {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} Despite this, his spark still carried instructions for a unique form to shape ''[[living metal|sentio metallico]]'' into. However it was implanted into one of many identical, pre-constructed bodies. {{storylink|Your First Mistake}} Four million years ago, Starscream was a fan of gladiatorial games, and witnessed the earliest fights by the rising star and famous political activist [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 2|Megatron Origin #2}} He idolised Megatron for teaching that Transformers didn't ''have'' to [[Functionism|accept their lot]] in life. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}} When they were approached by [[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]], Starscream and his comrades [[Skywarp (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Skywarp]] and [[Thundercracker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Thundercracker]] believed that they were being recruited to join Megatron's team in the arena, and though startled by the sight of the damaged Megatron undergoing repairs, Starscream proclaimed his allegiance to his new master and thanked him for the opportunity. It was then that Megatron explained his true purpose in seeking them out: his [[Decepticon]] movement required air support as they made the move from activists to insurgents and beyond. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}}

Early on, the charismatic and cunning Starscream was tasked with recruitment of others to the Decepticon cause; significantly, he was the one assigned to approach the disenfranchised [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Senator Shockwave]] and bring him into the fold. {{storylink|Shockwaves}} Starscream was also given another key Senate-related task when he and his fellow Seekers were ordered to capture Senator [[Decimus]], who would then supposedly be executed at Megatron's next recruitment rally. When security forces intervened in the rally and arrested the Decepticons, Starscream bargained for his freedom by offering to reveal all of Megatron's plans. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} However, this turned out to have ''been'' Megatron's plan—brought before an emergency assembly of the Senate for questioning, Starscream, together with Soundwave, executed the Senators, then freed every prisoner in the building. He proceeded to round up a variety of weapons for the Decepticons, presenting Megatron with the mighty [[fusion cannon]] that would become his signature weapon, then joined in their attack on [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]], during which he bested [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]]. The battle culminated in Megatron's defeat of [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]], whose body Starscream dumped in front of Sentinel's men in a fly-by. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 4|Megatron Origin #4}} Starscream later oversaw the shipment of weapons from off-world showing off his shiny new toy to a shocked [[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]]. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 3: Behind My Bleeding Back|Behind My Bleeding Back}} After hatching a new evil plan, Starscream assured Soundwave that the Decepticons caught in the crossfire were making the ultimate sacrifice for the cause. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 5: Future Glories Lost|Future Glories Lost}} Said evil plan was detonating the weapons cache in case the Autobots ever found it. Though Soundwave was appalled, Starscream felt Megatron would have approved. {{storylink|New Cybertron End: Feel Safe Without Regrets|Feel Safe Without Regrets}}

[[File:SLBlurr starscream recruits blurr.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
With war now definitively declared, Starscream continued in his recruitment duties; he was unable to convince the youthful [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod]] to join the Decepticons {{storylink|Ruins}}, and had similarly bad luck with racing champion [[Blurr (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Blurr]] despite a very pointed effort. Not long after, Starscream was part of a unit that tried to stop Blurr from couriering a message to new planet leader [[Zeta Prime]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Blurr}} At some point after Zeta Prime's ascent to leadership, Starscream participated alongside [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] and Thundercracker in a mission to rescue Soundwave from the [[Institute|New Institute]]. {{storylink|Remembrance Day}} His identity evidently unknown to most, Starscream was also positioned as a delegate to the new Senate that was formed by Zeta Prime, though exactly who or where he was masquerading as the delegate ''of'' is unclear. While attending one of Zeta's security sessions, he brought a disguised Soundwave with him to record the Senate's newest plans for how to stop the growing Decepticon menace. When Zeta expressed surprise at how easily Starscream accepted his idea of draining energy from civilians to power [[vamparc ribbon|weapons]], he almost let slip that he'd done worse things in Megatron's name. To cover up his blunder, he drew attention to the spy in their midst, giving Soundwave a cue to reveal himself and stage an escape, distracting Zeta. {{storylink|Parasites}}

Since turning down Starscream's offer to join the Decepticons, Hot Rod had carried out some insurgent activities of his own, and Megatron and Starscream monitored the situation through [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] with some degree of pleasure as [[Autobot]] leader [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]] hunted him down. {{storylink|Ruins}} In Orion's absence, Zeta Prime then attacked [[Nyon]]'s population with his vamparc ribbons and [[Guardian robot|Omega Destructors]]—an action Starscream compared to Megatron's own tactics, though, Megatron assured him he was capable of much more. {{storylink|Purge}} In spite of Starscream's opinion that Megatron was a "stubborn wreck" for his repeated attempts to sway Orion Pax to his cause, they were successful, and the Decepticons joined forces with Orion's Autobots against Zeta Prime. {{storylink|Choices}} Together, they attacked Zeta Prime and his Omega Destructors, with Starscream personally leading the Seekers as air support. {{storylink|Overthrown}}
[[File:Autocracy9 take them away.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.95]]
After Zeta Prime was defeated, Megatron betrayed Orion and installed himself as ruler of Cybertron, then had the Decepticons hunt down all remaining Autobots. Starscream led a force to raid an Autobot hiding place in [[Ultrix]] and took special interest in Hot Rod, once again offering him the chance to join the Decepticons. {{storylink|Transformation (issue)|Transformation}} Starscream also tortured and interrogated Bumblebee, but learned little for his efforts. {{storylink|Rise}} Orion soon returned, however, having become [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]], and with new warriors at his side, he led the Autobots in an attack on Megatron's citadel. Starscream and the Seekers were ordered to take them out but were intercepted by the Aerialbots. {{storylink|Broadcast}}

[[File:Devastation5-StarscreamAchinglyNaive.jpg|thumb|225px]]
Megatron was subsequently defeated by Optimus Prime, and Starscream conspired with [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] to overthrow him and have him exiled to [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]]. {{storylink|Derelicts}} While Scorponok became the new Decepticon leader, Starscream seemingly preferred to stay in the background and showed no signs of being his second-in-command in public. {{storylink|Wreckage (issue)|Wreckage}} He annoyed Scorponok by urging him to take action rather than just hold grandiose speeches, causing Scorponok to let him in on his plan to capture the [[Toraxxis mega-refinery]] for the Decepticons. Starscream participated in this attack by leading his Seekers to the refinery. {{storylink|Faces of Darkness}} Scorponok ordered him to keep the Autobot defenders busy while he left to deal with [[Grimlock (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Grimlock]] personally. {{storylink|Rage (IDW)|Rage}} The plan ended disastrously when the refinery exploded, killing thousands and leaving the planet cripplingly low on [[energon]]; Starscream berated Scorponok for his actions, unable to see any point in staying on the dying planet himself. {{storylink|Massacre}} Fortuntely, Megatron soon returned from his exile and retook Decepticon command. Starscream attempted to welcome him back, but was quickly silenced. {{storylink|The Illusion of Control}}

There was a brief lull in the war {{storylink|Primacy issue 1}} before Megatron regrouped the scattered Decepticons for an all-out attack on Iacon. Starscream went to [[Canis Tor]] to inform the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] that Megatron was back and after that, bribed the Combaticons into coming home. {{storylink|Primacy issue 2}} He fought during the siege of Iacon but it led in a Decepticon rout. {{storylink|Primacy issue 3}}{{storylink|Primacy issue 4}}

As the war bore on, Starscream was present when Megatron faced Optimus Prime in open battle on [[Sherma Bridge]], {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory #1}} witnessed [[Hot Shot (Henkei!)|a yellow Autobot]] get destroyed in an Decepticon-Autobot crossfire in another of the war's countless battles, {{storylink|Drift issue 2|Drift #2}} and stood side-by-side with the Decepticon Deadlock in many other combat scenarios. {{storylink|Drift issue 3|Drift #3}} He would later admit that at one point, he had genuinely looked up to Megatron, but that changed when he realized that he ''feared'' the Decepticon leader, rather than ''respected'' him {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}} and was disgruntled that Megatron was leading them into a seemingly endless war. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10}} That epiphany evidently led to further attempts to take leadership from Megatron, but in time, these power plays ceased, and Megatron hoped that it meant he had moved beyond such things. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}} Starscream would even eventually end up as Megatron's bodyguard, and developed a mutual hatred with [[Sixshot]], professing that he would not be able to defend Megatron against such a powerhouse. {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation #5}} But Starscream's appointment to this position was largely for show—Megatron could, of course, protect himself, and would later reveal that he kept Starscream close by despite his predilection for treachery as a reminder to himself to always watch his back. {{storylink|Spotlight: Megatron}}

===Earth and Ore-13===
[[File:Infiltration6 starscream on ultraenergon.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]
Millions of years later, after the war had resulted in Cybertron becoming uninhabitable and the Autobots and Decepticons had spread out across the galaxy, Starscream came to be in command of one the small Decepticon units that secretly infiltrated planets across the galaxy. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 0|Infiltration #0}} In the mid-19th century, the Seeker was contacted by the [[Dire Wraith]] [[Vekktral]] to propose an alliance, offering Starscream the [[Space Knight]] [[Stardrive]] and her [[Energon synthesizer|energon synthesizer]] in exchange for the aid of the Decepticons in slaying the [[Solstar Order]]. Starscream agreed and led his squad to [[Orchid Crossing]] where he swatted [[Rom|some pest]] out of the sky before he tried to recruit Stardrive. Failing to do so, he instead used her as a battering ram to reach her energon synthesizer only for [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] to show up with a Mexican standoff ensuing. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 1|Shining Armor #1}}

Roughly a century later, learning through undisclosed means of at least some of the secrets behind Shockwave's [[Regenesis]] program and the super-powerful [[energon]] [[Ore-13]] that the scientist had seeded on [[Earth]], {{storylink|Shockpoint}} and seeing in it the potential to challenge Megatron for Decepticon leadership once again, Starscream took his unit to that planet. There, they set about destabilizing Earth's governing organizations and create global anarchy in accordance with the strict [[infiltration protocol]] the Decepticons now operated to, all the while searching for Ore-13. After around four years, their search bore fruit when a seam of Ore-13 was uncovered in [[Nebraska]], but later, the discovery of an even purer source of the ore in [[Oregon]] prompted Starscream to step outside traditional infiltration protocols and move the Decepticons' base of operations to the new site, establishing a fortified "siege mode" bunker well in advance of the standard timeline. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration #3}} Unfortunately for Starscream, the abandoned Nebraska bunker was then infiltrated by [[Stoker]], an agent of the human organization known as the [[Machination]], necessitating that both he and the data he gathered—including images of Starscream himself—be eliminated by the Decepticons. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 1|Infiltration #1}} Starscream sent Thundercracker, [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]] and [[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] after Stoker, and although they were successful in slaying the human, Starscream failed to count on [[Verity Carlo|another human]] obtaining Stoker's [[SM-40]] computer and falling in with the Autobot counter-insurgency unit also operating on the planet. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 0|Infiltration #0}}

[[File:Infiltration6 takeyourpunishment.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Starscream, seen here actually getting off easy!]]
{{bigquote|Thanks to Ore-13, Megatron, I have evolved... beyond you! I am the ''future!''|Starscream|[[Infiltration issue 6]]}}
Concurrently with the search for Stoker, Starscream and [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] successfully mined the first batch of Ore-13 from the Oregon seam. Starscream urged speed, aware that breaking protocol the way they had was sure to elicit a response from Megatron. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 2|Infiltration #2}} As he waited for the ore to process, Starscream ordered [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] and Skywarp to cover the Decepticons' tracks by destroying all evidence of Stoker's travels, including what remained of the Nebraska bunker. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration #3}} Unfortunately for them, Megatron himself had arrived on Earth and was ''in'' the bunker, catching up on what Starscream had been up to, when they attacked. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 5|Infiltration #5}} Starscream emerged from the infusion capsule brimming with the incredible power of Ore-13 just as a furious Megatron arrived at the Oregon bunker and offered the Decepticons a choice: stand down, or be destroyed. Every one of his men surrendered, but the super-powered Starscream roared into battle and unleashed his full fury against Megatron. Alas, the power conveyed by Ore-13 proved insufficient to destroy the Decepticon leader, and Megatron blasted Starscream with his fusion cannon at point-blank range, virtually obliterating him. Megatron left Starscream's remains to be tended to by the Decepticons, unconcerned if he lived or died. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}}

[[File:Starcasm idw dev6.jpg|left|upright=1.95|thumb|Sarcasm from Starscream?? NO!]]
Starscream was placed in a [[CR chamber]] for extensive repairs but even with him out of the picture, the power of Ore-13 convinced Megatron to continue Starscream's subversion of infiltration protocol. The last straw for the other Decepticons came when Megatron called Sixshot in early, leading Astrotrain to propose reactivating Starscream so that he could challenge Megatron's actions. {{storylink|Devastation issue 1|Devastation #1}} Blitzwing and Astrotrain proceeded to bring Starscream back online, but no sooner was he back on his feet than the alien [[Reaper]]s attacked the Decepticon base. {{storylink|Devastation issue 4|Devastation #4}} With Megatron unaware he had been reactivated, Starscream initially decided to hold back and allow the Reapers to cause trouble first, but when Sixshot arrived, Starscream emerged from base and called the hated Six-Changer out. Starscream's appearance caused the living weapon to decide to accept the Reapers' offer to join their ranks... at which point Starscream promptly activated Sixshot's shutdown command, sending him crashing to the ground. Starscream then turned his weapons on the Reapers, causing Megatron to agree to take the fight to the aliens. {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation #5}} {{storylink|Spotlight: Grimlock}} Starscream once again accepted Megatron as his liege, and together they teamed up to destroy the alien invaders, with Starscream wielding Megatron in his Ore-13 empowered pistol mode to devastating effect. As the battle came to an end, Starscream stopped Megatron from punishing Blitzwing for going behind his back with the observation that a fleet of human jet fighters had arrived, and that the Decepticons' existence was now known to humanity. {{storylink|Devastation issue 6|Devastation #6}}

===The Decepticon ideal===
[[File:AHM8 starscream and sunstreaker.jpg|thumb|upright=1.95]]
While the Decepticons were occupied battling the Reapers, the Autobots had left Earth to deal with an incursion by the [[Dead Universe]]. Exploiting their enemies' absence, Starscream and the Decepticons went into hiding; when Autobots returned, they could find no trace of the villains, who kept one step ahead of them for months. They secretly returned to Cybertron, where Starscream stood by his leader's side as he received updates from scientist [[Deluge (G2)|Deluge]] on his experiments to create a monstrous [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticon]] [[Insecticon swarm|swarm]]. Upon returning to Earth, the Decepticons then staged a phony schism within their ranks, allowing the Autobots to believe that they had "disappeared" as a result of a power struggle that had split their ranks into two camps, one led by Megatron and one by Starscream. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} To complete their plot, Starscream approached the disenfranchised Autobot [[Sunstreaker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sunstreaker]] with the proposition that the Autobots join with his fictitious forces against Megatron. Sunstreaker accepted, {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}} but when he led the Autobots to the designated time and place, they were instead confronted by the united Decepticon army and promptly defeated. Starscream stood by Megatron's side and watched as the bested Autobots were exiled back to Cybertron through a [[space bridge]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}}

[[File:AHM3Starscream.JPG|left|upright=1.4|thumb|Hey, I just spotted the janitor from ''Futurama''!]]
With a year now passed since their battle with the Reapers, and with their enemies disposed of, the Decepticons began to lay waste to the Earth with the intention of taking it for their new homeworld. Starscream headed up the attack on [[New York City]] with glee, though he objected to Skywarp's insinuation that he could not sow destruction and terror on the same level as Megatron; Megatron soon arrived to prove him wrong. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1|All Hail Megatron #1}} After joining in the efforts to beat back military attacks and bomb the city's bridges, {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 2|All Hail Megatron #2}} Starscream headed for [[Washington, D.C.]], where he personally shot down the fleeing [[Air Force One]]. That task done, he returned to New York, to join Megatron in savoring their victory. Megatron mused that it was fitting to have a long-serving a Decepticon at Starscream beside him; Starscream believed he was being sarcastic, but Megatron's praise was genuine, going so far as to describe Starscream as the living embodiment of the Decepticon ideal, but a step short of full embracing it due to his own blindness to that fact. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 3|All Hail Megatron #3}}

With the conquest completed, Starscream stood at Megatron's side as he addressed the gathered Decepticons. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 4|All Hail Megatron #4}} However, as time passed and Megatron made no further new moves, content to allow his troops to wreak havoc around the world, Starscream began to suspect that Megatron ''had'' no further plan, and was merely giving his troops free reign as a distraction to keep them from turning on them. He confronted Megatron with this knowledge, and taunted him with the fact it was essentially his own fault for assembling an army of sociopaths and monsters in the first place. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}} Legitimately disheartened to see the leader he had once looked up to go so far astray, having led them through an endless war with no vision for what lay beyond, Starscream began secretly meeting with the other Decepticons, recruiting those who shared his feelings in preparation for a coup. After winning over the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], he approached the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]], and also successfully convinced them to join him. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}}

[[File:AHM11 all hail megatron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Starscream made his move a short while later, sending the Insecticons to attack Megatron, but the Decepticon leader summarily defeated them and revealed that he had known about Starscream's plans all along; he had, in fact, been doing nothing in order to allow the dissenting element of his army to weed themselves out. He had, however, failed to predict that the Constructicons would take Starscream's side. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}} As fate would have it, Starscream's uprising was suddenly cut short when the Decepticons came under attack, first from human jets arrived from [[Europe]], and then the returning Autobots. Starscream was forced to team up with Megatron, who assured him that someday he would get be in charge, someday after the Decepticons won, after he successfully crushed Megatron in the way that the taking of leadership required... but not today. After giving this some thought, Starscream organized his troops to fight back, hailing Megatron's name. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11|All Hail Megatron #11}}

Megatron was subsequently defeated by Optimus Prime, but as the Autobot leader moved to inspect his fallen body, Starscream stepped in and picked up his injured leader, refusing to let the Autobots finish him off. For the moment, Megatron's words had struck home: Starscream told Prime that he now knew leadership had to taken by force, not gained through chance. Starscream led the Decepticons in withdrawing from the planet, though as he left, he reminded Prime that though the Autobots had won a battle, the Decepticons still reigned throughout the galaxy. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}}

===Leadership of the Decepticons===
[[File:AHM13 starscream and matrix.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|Starscream: "Now light our darkest hour!" Decepticons: "You ARE our darkest hour, you putz!"]]
Along with a few other Decepticons, Starscream took off into space aboard Astrotrain. Despite what he had told Prime, he was not pleased that Soundwave was keeping Megatron on life support, but his attempts to dissuade the loyalist were met with failure. Afraid of the uncertainty that simply tossing Megatron out and airlock would result in, Starscream was ready to give up, knowing that the Decepticons had no real reason to follow him, and that the faction would fall to infighting as soon as others challenged his rule. All he had was the Autobot [[Matrix of Leadership]], which Megatron had seized from Optimus Prime earlier, but he had failed to find any supposed "ultimate power" within it, and prepared to throw it away. Caught in the act by [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]], Starscream was reminded of the talisman's significance to the Autobots by the Insecticon, and had the idea to use its reputation for his own ends. Gathering the Decepticons, he professed that the Matrix had chosen him to light their [[darkest hour]], but as they began hailing his name in the face of this alleged holy appointment, he stepped from the room already regretting his decision. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 13|Uneasy Lies the Head}}

[[File:Ongoing13 sad starscream is sad.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|Real Decepticon leaders chill on the [[Abraham Lincoln|Lincoln Memorial.]]]]
Starscream took the Decepticons to a barren asteroid that they could use as a staging base to regroup, but as more and more soldiers began arriving, circumstances quickly spiraled out of his control. With most of their limited resources tied up by Shockwave, who he had assigned the task of building a space bridge, Starscream charged [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] with finding a way to fabricate energon to feed his starving troops. When no breakthrough ensued, and the energy-deprived Decepticons turned to cannibalizing each other's bodies to survive, Starscream stormed into Insecticon's lab to discover he had been spending his time working on mind-controlling [[cerebro-shell]]s. Though initially angry, Starscream conceded that he could use these devices after he employed one to take out a rebellious [[Quake (G1)|Quake]]. {{storylink|All His Engines}} Later, visiting Shockwave for an update on his progress, Starscream discovered the scientist working with Soundwave to cut open Megatron's body and make weapons from his remains. Just as Starscream began to express fake outrage about this presumed "coup", Megatron himself appeared, revealing that the two had built him a new body with a built-in space bridge. He grudgingly admitted he knew Megatron would be back sooner or later, though Megatron neglected to take back leadership as long as Starscream had the Matrix, which he considered a possible threat. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 2: Altered Carbon|Altered Carbon}}

[[File:SLMegs just do it.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|"At the very least [[Fire in the Sky|bean me with an energon cube!]] I got one right here! It'll be like old times!"]]
His leadership a complete failure, Starscream became sullen and withdrawn, lost in distant contemplation of the unknowable mysteries within the Matrix that hung around his neck and lashing out at any Decepticons who attempted to touch the talisman. After Starscream ignored his warning that an Autobot ship had crashed on the asteroid, Bombshell tried to remove the Matrix in hopes of snapping him out of his stupor, but was violently struck for his trouble. As it turned out, the wrecked ship had contained [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]], on a quest to take back the Matrix. After first using a cerebro-shell on [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] to make him attack Starscream, he confronted the Decepticon leader on his own. Starscream was unimpressed, having used his rank to give himself nigh-impenetrable armor, only to be taken by surprise when Rodimus shot the Matrix around his neck instead, causing it to release a burst of energy and incapacitate Starscream. Rodimus snagged the Matrix, but both he and it were then blasted out into space by Megatron. {{storylink|Heart Like a Wheel}} With the threat of the Matrix now removed, Megatron re-established himself as leader of the Decepticons, and decided to inaugurate his return by beating the living daylights out of Starscream. The Seeker, however, had lost the will to continue: he would not rise to Megatron's mockery, and when the Decepticon leader aimed his fusion cannon at him, Starscream simply held it to his chest and demanded he fire. But Megatron kept pushing, eventually causing Starscream to snap and open fire with his own weapons, only to immediately regret the decision and attempt to flee in [[alternate mode|jet mode]]. A vicious dogfight above the asteroid ensued, culminating in a pained Starscream questioning how Megatron could understand what it felt like to have his dream crumble so completely. This inquiry only enraged Megatron further—his dream was the Decepticon faction itself, and Starscream had utterly destroyed it in his absence. But Megatron was not without mercy, and after pummeling Starscream to within an inch of his life, he offered him the chance to return to the fold as his subordinate. Meekly, Starscream accepted. {{storylink|Spotlight: Megatron}}

[[File:Ongoing16 brawn vs starscream.jpg|thumb|275px|Well, since Ironhide's not here to punch him...]]
As Megatron put his new plans into action and had the Decepticons return to Earth, Starscream went off on his own to meet with Thundercracker, who had abandoned the Decepticon cause following their previous defeat. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 2: Altered Carbon|Altered Carbon}} He tried to convince his fellow Seeker to join with him and overthrow Megatron again, seeing him as obsessed with petty revenge on humanity and lacking long-term goals. When Thundercracker refused, Starscream lost patience and gunned him down, but before he could finish the job he was attacked by [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]]. Starscream denied Brawn's accusation that he had been responsible for shooting down a plane carrying Optimus Prime, pleading for his life by suggesting he would be more valuable as a hostage. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 3: Woken Furies|Woken Furies}} Fortunately for him, Brawn chose to carry Thundercracker to safety rather than capture him. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 4: Burning Chrome|Burning Chrome}} Starscream returned to the other Decepticons and watched Optimus Prime confront Megatron in a one-on-one battle. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 5: Enemy Mine|Enemy Mine}}

Megatron subsequently surrendered to the Autobots and had himself transported back to Cybertron, in order to use his built-in space bridge to teleport the Decepticons back to their homeworld. Starscream and the other Decepticons gathered at a Native American settlement to await the bridge's opening, but were found by Bumblebee at the last minute. Starscream ordered the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] to dispose of the Autobot, while he led the other Decepticons through the bridge. {{storylink|The Question}} Emerging on Cybertron in the midst of the Autobots' battle with [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]]'s army of [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]], Starscream and the Decepticons soon found themselves entranced by Galvatron's unseen puppetmaster, the [[D-Void]], who merged their bodies and minds together with the Sweeps to form a huge monster. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}} Once this "[[Deceptigod]]" was defeated, the weakened component Decepticons were captured by the Autobots and outfitted with [[Inhibitor/deterrence chip|I/D chips]]. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}}

===The Chosen One===
[[File:RID2 starscream must join you.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]
Two weeks after the Deceptigod's defeat, the Decepticons were still imprisoned, and Starscream was growing increasingly tired of [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]'s attempts to control the situation. Realizing that it was better to go along with the Autobots' orders for now rather than push back against them, Starscream joined most of his fellow Decepticons in serving as an enforcer, helping to put down a riot by [[NAIL]]s—unaffiliated Cybertronians who had recently returned to Cybertron and objected to Autobot governance. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}} He lurked in the background when [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] visited the Decepticon camp to lecture Ratbat, {{storylink|The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|The Autonomy Lesson}} then finally elected to depart the Decepticon camp after an argument with the new self-appointed Decepticon leader. Considering Ratbat's methods and goals regressive and seeking a new approach to power, Starscream paid a visit to Autobot high command with a legitimate desire to talk with Bumblebee about the future, only to be shocked by the distrusting Autobot's taser-cane and taken into custody for his troubles. Interrogated by Prowl, Starscream explained that Ratbat was planning to assassinate Bumblebee during the memorial ceremony for the ''Lost Light''. While the Autobots dealt with that threat, Starscream proceeded to gate-crash the ceremony himself and announced to the gathered masses his desire to be part of the planet's new government. {{storylink|The World & Everything in It}}

Naturally, all the Autobots were suspicious, but Starscream did his best to prove his good faith: he helped Prowl to cover up [[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]]'s assassination of Ratbat, then worked with [[Wheeljack (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Wheeljack]] to rescue some NAILs from a series of mysterious explosions. Wheeljack spoke up in his favor, convincing Bumblebee to let him join the government; the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] were so disgusted that they ceded from Bumblebee's leadership, and while Starscream expressed his regret to 'Bee in private later, he assured him the Autobot he would not regret his choice. {{storylink|Stick Together}} That proved untrue almost immediately, as Bumblebee, Starscream, and NAIL representative [[Metalhawk (Masterforce)|Metalhawk]] soon held a public assembly to introduce their joint governance, and Starscream talked rings around both of them. {{storylink|Devisive}} Soon afterwards, Starscream approached [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] to buy his services as he made his play for Iacon's leadership. In exchange for protecting him from those like the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] or unruly bots, Starscream would allow Onslaught a position of power when the time came. {{storylink|Applicable Skills}}

[[File:RID8 starscream and metalhawk.jpg|thumb|275px]]
Starscream joined Metalhawk in greeting ex-Decepticon [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] when he returned to Cybertron, but the new arrival's obvious distaste for his former faction prompted Starscream to step back and leave the welcoming to his fellow leaders. {{storylink|A Better Tomorrow}} Given his genuine desire to see the new government work out, Starscream was just as suspicious of the next returnee as his fellow leaders—noted Decepticon warmonger [[Turmoil]], claiming altruism, no less. Turmoil immediately began to foment distrust among the government by planting more doubts about the Autobots in Metalhawk's mind, so Starscream took the NAIL to [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]] to talk the matter out, calling upon bar owner Blurr to recount his own experiences with Turmoil as evidence for the prosecution. {{storylink|Interference Patterns}}

Not long after the Turmoil incident, Starscream and Metalhawk paid a visit to Autobot High Command to pester Bumblebee about setting up elections. {{storylink|Dinobot Hunt (IDW)|Dinobot Hunt}} That night, the pair returned to High Command, this time to check on the recently injured Wheeljack and to offer their assistance in locating [[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], who had gone missing in the wilderness earlier that evening. Fearing that Starscream could leverage a successful rescue to his advantage during the elections, Bumblebee refused their offer. {{storylink|Night and the City}}

[[File:RIDannual the chosen one.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67]]
That, however, didn't stop the pair from setting out regardless at dawn the next day. They watched as Blurr, also out searching, was caught in an explosion which revealed a subterranean cavern, but were prevented from entering the cave by the quick arrival of Prowl's security team. To put pressure on the Autobots, Starscream rounded up a crowd of NAILs and Decepticons and demanded that Prowl explain the situation to them. The Autobot was forced to admit that the cavern was home to the abandoned [[Crystal City]], and that [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]] had teleported into the abandoned city, injuring itself in the process such that the surrounding area would shortly be destroyed. As Prowl returned to Wheeljack, at work in the cavern, Starscream snuck in after him, and a brief chase with the security officer led them to the Titan's face. Suddenly, it awoke, and lauded Starscream as a conqueror who would unite Cybertron, something witnessed by the entire crowd, who had followed them down into the city. The group fled to escape the Titan's detonation, and on the way back to Iacon, the divinely blessed Starscream was held aloft by NAILs and Decepticons. {{storylink|Primus: All Good Things|All Good Things}}

[[File:RID11 trying on crowns.jpg|thumb|275px]]
Being a 'bot of little faith, Starscream didn't actually ''believe'' Metrotitan's words, but he knew how to exploit ''everyone else's'' belief to virtually guarantee himself victory in the upcoming elections. He attempted to get an endorsement from [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] live on television, but Omega had greater matters to ponder; however, that night, Omega was the victim of a bombing that Starscream presumed to be the actions of the other Decepticons attempting to ruin his aspirations for political power. Finding that public opinion was already turning against him by association, Starscream confronted Shockwave over the attack, but received only an ambiguous warning to keep out of the one-eyed Decepticon's way. As he was leaving the Decepticon pen, Starscream was approached by [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] and [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]], who sought to trade information on Prowl's recent shady dealings in exchange for sanctuary from the coming storm. Starscream accepted, and used the info to blackmail Prowl into disposing of Shockwave's Decepticons for him. He was feeling quite pleased with himself, until a one-two punch of bad news took him down a peg: first, Arcee revealed she knew exactly where he had secreted Dirge away, meaning his bargaining chip was essentially useless... and second, Megatron returned. {{storylink|The End of the Beginning of the World}}

[[File:RID12 dont have to do this.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67]]
Starscream alerted the Autobot to Megatron's approach on the city, and watched as Bumblebee and the Autobots gunned him down and took him into custody. Starscream tried to dissuade the other Decepticons from marching on high command to call for Megatron's release with a stirring speech about discarding the old ways, but it failed rather spectacularly, so Starscream decided to visit the medical center and appeal to Megatron directly. {{storylink|City on Fire}} This "chat" was very one-sided as Megatron offered no response to Starscream's word save a smile—though that alone was enough to terrify the Seeker. The Decepticons' march subsequently turned into a riot, during which the prison was stormed and Megatron was liberated. The Decepticon leader dragged Starscream along to the [[Black Room]], where it was revealed that Prowl, mind-controlled by Bombshell, had been working for Megatron all along. {{storylink|The Verge}} Bumblebee and Metalhawk were soon brought to the Black Room as well, and Starscream tried to explain to them that he had had no part in Megatron's scheme; Megatron verified that, save to note that Starscream's political machinations had provided a useful distraction. {{storylink|Before the Dawn}}

[[File:RID16 heavyisthehead.jpg|thumb|225px|Oh no, nothing's worse than <s>Cartman</s> Starscream with ''authoritah''!]]Megatron then began his endgame, unleashing a perfected Devastator upon Iacon, and forcing Starscream to watch, professing that any political victory he had won would have been one of compromise, rather than a true Decepticon triumph. {{storylink|Plan for Everything}} Rendered near-paralytic with the seeming totality of his defeat, Starscream was dragged through the streets by Megatron, until the Autobots and Metalhawk surprised him by coming to his rescue. Separated from the main fight, Starscream and Metalhawk were confronted by Turmoil, and the re-energized Starscream killed him using Metalhawk's severed arm as a blade. The Autobots then foiled Megatron's scheme, and Starscream saw his moment to strike: though he admitted to Metalhawk that he genuinely was his friend, he used Turmoil's cannon to kill him, and presented his body to the crowd as a victim of the fighting. He called for the abandonment of factions, and the majority of the population rallied behind him, appointing him their leader {{storylink|Heavy Is the Head}} and cheering for the banishment of all those who didn't renounce their faction.

The Autobots attempted to fight this, first pointing to their wounded needing care, but Starscream promised they'd be fixed up. And hey, you didn't ''have'' to leave. All you had to was just... stop being an Autobot or Decepticon.

You're almost all leaving? Such a shame. {{storylink|Second Exodus}}

===Starscream the First===
[[File:ThreeMonologues-religiousnut.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66]]
Starscream's first night of leadership was a troubled one as the city of Iacon struggled to deal with the aftermath of Megatron's attack. One of the many problems he had to deal with was the blackouts that the city was suffering from. This was only made worse for Starscream by [[Scoop (G1)|Scoop]] and his construction patrol vowing to repair the city. He then visited the Medical Center to check on Dirge's condition but he was rebuffed by the former seeker. During an interview with Circuit on how he was planning to deal with the city's problems the power was restored by Scoop, it was at this moment that [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] approached him with the revelation that the power grid had been sabotaged with phosphex. As Scoop repaired the communication array he attempted to open his toolbox and instead found out that Scoop was a "religious nut" who believed Metrotitan's prophecy. When Rattrap tripped over Scoop, Starscream soon took the opportunity to accuse him of sabotaging the power grid, however Starscream later revealed that he was fully aware that Rattrap had planted the phosphex in Scoop's toolbox. {{storylink|Three Monologues}}

Soon afterwards, [[Tyrest (G1)|Tyrest]]'s [[universal killswitch]] was activated, and Starscream was among those affected, and Starscream wondered if Megatron was causing it. {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} However Starscream was saved thanks to Rodimus and Perceptor's {{storylink|Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|This Calamitous Life}} He later succeeded in getting a "pep" talk from Wheeljack's headless body - who had survived being shot by Prowl earlier. {{storylink|Three Monologues}} Starscream was the one who answered when the ''Lost Light'' when they called Cybertron with Tyrest's communication system; by this point, he'd started calling the place the [[Republic of Cybertron]]. {{storylink|The Sound of Breaking Glass}} Having successfully risen to power, Starscream reneged on his deal with Onslaught. {{storylink|Applicable Skills}}

[[File:DarkCybertron1-Starscream.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Even the Mini-Cons have abandoned me.]]
After being rebuilt into a new body, Starscream's secluded admiration of his new form was interrupted by Rattrap's worries about an unidentified glow just over the horizon. A scan of the phenomenon revealed a classified-but-familiar reading, that of the [[Dead Universe]], causing Starscream to seek out the crew of the ''[[Lost Light]]'' for expertise, particularly that of [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]]. {{storylink|Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|Dark Dawn}} Subsequently, an [[Necrotitan|undead Titan]] suddenly burst free from the ground, and so Starscream rounded up some weaponry in order to take out the behemoth, but Rattrap instead suggested caution. Starscream decided to visit Scoop in his cell, and the zealot pronounced Starscream as the dark answer to a prophesy hidden in the [[Covenant of Primes]]. {{storylink|Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|Black Metal}} Next Starscream visited the dead body of Metalhawk, succeeding in getting a "pep talk" out of his "old friend" as Rattrap eavesdropped. On his way out of the building, Starscream reassured his citizens that he could handle the ongoing situation—after all, he handled Megatron—and flew out towards the Necrotitan. Meanwhile, Scoop confided in Rattrap that while Starscream was the Chosen One, he may have been chosen to destroy everything. Starscream landed on the Necrotitan's shoulder and tried to start a conversation, but suddenly its eyes flashed and a deadly, chaotic wave of energy burst forth from its body. Starscream desperately tried to beat the wavefront home, but arrived just before it lay waste to the city. The wavefront had a strange and inconsistent effect on everyone, to the point that it reanimated the dead body of Metalhawk. Metalhawk beat down his murderer and abducted the captured body of Megatron, leaving with it for elsewhere. In the chaos that followed the city's destruction, Starscream soon found himself the subject of everyone's ire. {{storylink|Winners & Losers: Dark Cybertron Chapter 3|Winners & Losers}} The wave also left a strange black mark on Starscream's chest that Scoop believed was a message from [[Primus]]—Starscream was the cause of Iacon's problems. {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}}

He later had the mark checked out at the Iacon Medical Center by Flatline and used this as an opportunity to check on the casualties of the Necrotitan's wave. This merely led to him being berated by [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]] on how he was letting the population down—only for the Necrotitan to then smash its way into the medical center. {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|No Exit}} Starscream then received another berating, this time from Scoop, on how the fact he was the "Chosen One" was a responsibility to the people of Cybertron. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|The Dead Are Not Enough}} He was later approached by Rattrap and the remaining Autobots and Decepticons and merely lamented that all hope of defeating Shockwave was lost while Prowl explained his plan. He did however inform Prowl of the situation at the medical center as Flatline and Fixit "teamed up", he was then present when Megatron explained his alternative plan on defeating Shockwave. {{storylink|Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Burning Bright}}

[[File:DarkCybertronFinale-StarscreamRunsThroughJhiaxorange.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"THAT'S your secret weapon, Jhiaxius?! Turning into a redeco of myself?!"]]
Later, Starscream was further lamenting about the hopelessness of the situation when the Lost Light arrived with Metroplex. He was observing the battle between the Necrotitan and Metroplex when Scoop started to recite the "Dark Cybertron" prophecy and was later cured when Metroplex released the [[Ore-7]] stored within his thumb. {{storylink|Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|Finis Temporis}} Starscream was later gloating to Scoop about how the prophecy was not fulfilled when he learnt its true origin—Shockwave. It was just at this moment when Metalhawk appeared with Skywarp and [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] and shot him. It was at this moment that Shockwave started to reveal his endgame to Galvatron and ''70 billion'' Ammonites appeared in the sky above Cybertron. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} Starscream then provided Bumblebee's group with a way of reaching Shockwave's base by revealing that Skywarp was still alive. He elected to take Waspinator along (much to Waspinator's objections) as the group required someone who knew the layout of the base, however he was nearly driven catatonic by the fact that Scoop willingly volunteered to remain behind instead of helping to defeat Shockwave with rest of the group. When he recovered he attacked Jhiaxus but the reactive armor Jhiaxus was wearing provided him with all of Starscream's new body's abilities. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} Starscream was not impressed by the reactive armor however (even going so far as accusing Jhiaxus of [[Fandom|cosplaying]] as him) and continued to fight Jhiaxus, even though Jhiaxus had the advantage due to him knowing everything that his new body contained and could do. He beat Jhiaxus by using the swords that were integrated into his body. He was later unfazed by Rattrap's claim that he would have difficulty maintaining control due to Metalhawk sacrificing himself to defeat the Ammonites by claiming that by killing them Metalhawk was a "genocidal despot" {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

[[File:Words Hang in the Air - Honorable Starscream.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"LORD Starscream, High Chancellor of the Refulgent Cybertronian Dynasty, Emperor Perpetua, and Defender of the Realm."]]
Starscream attended a meeting on the subject of what was to be done with Megatron to represent the People of Cybertron—who wanted a trial. Rodimus was not impressed with Starscream's rule of Cybertron. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} He was later called to provide a statement where he claimed to be "High Chancellor of the Refulgent Cybertronian Dynasty, Emperor Perpetua and Defender of the Realm". His statement on Megatron claimed that the former Decepticon leader was addled and impotent with a lack of control over his forces and that he deserved pity. Starscream was pleased with his statement as it increased his approval ratings with only one downside—the ratings of the Autobots increased as well. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}} Starscream's testimony had also convinced Megatron that he needed to leave behind a better legacy, and changed his plea to not guilty while invoking one of the forgotten laws of Luna-2. Starscream, fearing that Megatron wouldn't be executed as he hoped, protested, however Optimus would allow Megatron freedom of movement and shared command of the ''Lost Light''. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}}

Some time after Megatron's trial, Starscream approached Prowl and [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] to gloat about his control of Cybertron, only to be reminded by Optimus Prime that [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] was an Autobot and that Ironhide and [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] were keeping a close eye on him as well; upon being asked if he had any further comments on the situation by Circuit, he merely claimed that he couldn't feel better. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|Hello Cruel World}} Some time after Metroplex started acting as a city for Cybertrons population, Starscream began mining operations on the Titan's filtration systems in an attempt to retrieve one of Shockwave's ores from the Titan, and hired some of the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] as guards. {{storylink|Windblade issue 2|Windblade vol. 1 #2}}

[[File:ABotAndHerCity-importantmatters.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

Six months after the events of Dark Cybertron, Starscream maintained a less than healthy relationship with Windblade due to Metroplex's constant systems failures. He confronted Windblade on the constant blackouts Metroplex was suffering with the claim that the population was blaming him for the system failures, he then threatened Windblade with serious consequences if she didn't solve the problem and left with Rattrap to discuss the rebuilding Iacon again. Starscream later claimed the blast that damaged Windblade was caused by poor maintenance and later entered her recovery room uttering the phrase "Well. Look who isn't dead". {{storylink|A 'Bot and Her City}} The ruler of Cybertron then went on to insist on how the explosion was a fortunate accident as Windblade had survived it with only minor injuries. He then threatened the cityspeaker again by claiming that she would probably not be able to cheat death twice before being kicked out of the room. Starscream then asked Rattrap to ensure that he was in the clear before Windblade made a move... {{storylink|Windblade issue 2|Windblade vol. 1 #2}}

Starscream later oversaw the capture of Windblade and the group she had taken into Metroplex to expose his mining operations. With the group in his custody, Starscream attempted to obtain confessions to prove that Windblade was trying to undermine his regime as well as revealing the [[Badgeless]]- his new anonymous enforcers. He then tried to find out Windblade's try purpose on Cybertron as he believed that she was deliberately trying to sabotage Metroplex to gain further power. Starscream was last seen confronting Blurr and Slug as Windblade and Chromia escaped from his prison. {{storylink|Windblade issue 3|Windblade vol. 1 #3}} As Chromia and Windblade rushed towards Metroplex's brain, Starscream fought Slug and Blurr, he easily defeated them thanks to his handy shoulder cannons and then left to pursue the Camiens. Catching up to them at Metroplex's brain, Starscream was then attacked by Chromia as the fembot tried to buy more time for Windblade to merge with Metroplex. Starscream, however, managed to quickly dispatch Chromia and wound Windblade, before the Cityspeaker managed to successfully merge with the Titan. Despite this, Windblade still managed to merge with Metroplex and activate the Titan's defenses while she made one last attempt to find out who the mystery bomber was.

While Chromia attempted to convince Windblade to use Metroplex's space bridge to jump to [[Caminus]], a desperate Starscream cried out that jumping while Metroplex still served as a city would kill all those who were not completely within the Titan's borders. Deciding to not make the jump, Windblade revealed to Starscream that there were other colonies formed by the ancient Titans and offered the use of Metroplex's space bridge to the leader of Cybertron to unite the colonies in return for not revealing any of the events surrounding the bombing to anyone else. Agreeing to the deal, Starscream left Windblade to deal with the aftermath. {{storylink|Windblade issue 4|Windblade vol. 1 #4}}

[[File:TheWorldOfTomorrow-StarscreamAltMode.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.66]]

With Monstructor still on the loose and Devastator causing trouble on Earth, Starscream became aware of his own military shortcomings. To this end, he reactivated Wheeljack, in the hopes of bringing Megatron's failed experiment [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] back into fighting shape for the sake of his regime. Still struggling to come to terms with the vastly changed Cybertron, Wheeljack reluctantly agreed and began repairing the gestalt. A Decepticon ghetto had also grown up outside Metroplex, made up of 'Cons who were disgruntled with the status quo and loathed Starscream as a sellout. {{storylink|The World of Tomorrow}}

A series of murders took place in the Decepticon ghetto, which Starscream was willing to dismiss as just one of them things but allowed his passionate officer [[Barricade (G1)|Barricade]] to investigate. Starscream then left to welcome Optimus back to Cybertron after a six-month absence and, with Windblade, talk him through the new status quo. The Prime's social conscience saw them both walking the ghetto {{storylink|City of Steel (issue)|City of Steel}} and sparking a riot. Mid-riot, they watched the murderer kill [[Heavy Barrel (G1)|Heavy Barrel]]. {{storylink|Fight or Flee (issue)|Fight or Flee}} Eventually, Starscream settled on the [[Firecon]]s as the obvious scapegoats culprits and joined Optimus in capturing them: a mission that went disastrously wrong thanks to brutality by [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] and [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]]. {{storylink|Quest for Fire}} Optimus went on to suspect the Dinobots.

[[File:TheSumAndItsParts-StarscreamAndScoop.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

When the murderer followed up by killing ''Autobots'', Starscream told Optimus he'd been dumb and decided to raze the ghetto: the public would accept Decepticon murders but would want harsh action for Autobot ones. Barricade refused the order and went on to find a crucial clue {{storylink|The Killing Jar (issue)|The Killing Jar}} and Optimus talked Starscream into helping him with a plan: faking a fight with the Dinobots to draw out the real killer, who turned out to be Sandstorm all along. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming (issue)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}}

After Windblade repaired Metroplex's space bridge, Starscream hatched a plan to turn Caminus back into a protectorate of Cybertron- a plan that involved the recently purloined [[Enigma of Combination]]. Starscream recruited Swindle and the Stunticons for the job. While he bided his time, Starscream decided to pick out a new body for himself, although he was interrupted by Optimus Prime. The two bickered for a while about using Superion as a weapon (it's part of planetary security, honest) drawing up a truly representative government for Cybertron (as if!). Starscream finally shot down Optimus by pointing out that the people of Cybertron had chosen him as leader, although Optimus insisted that if Cybertron contacted its colonies, the governing body needed a council, not an empire.

On his orders, Swindle used the Enigma on the Stunticons and Starscream's mole [[Blackjack]], combining them together and re-creating [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]. Now, however, Blackjack's short temper amplified Menasor's already prominent anger problems, creating a completely uncontrollable monster. Starscream sicced Menasor and Swindle on Caminus, intending to use the similarly revived Superion to swoop in, save the day, and win the permanent adoration of the Camiens. {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}} Unfortunately word got out to Optimus Prime and Windblade, forcing him to deploy Superion early on. Starscream just couldn't win, especially after Optimus- a holy figure to the people of Caminus- upstaged Starscream in front of the [[Mistress of Flame]]. {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}}

[[File:ThePossibleLight-StarscreamsNewBody.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

In the lull, Starscream took the opportunity to upgrade into his new body before overseeing the first contact ceremony between Caminus and Cybertron. While he was there, he bragged about Superion and how the combiner would keep them all safe. With that done, Starscream let Swindle take the fall for his actions by throwing him in his secret prison. But then, at the Space Bridge, Optimus Prime announced on live TV that Starscream intended to build a democratic [[Council of Worlds]], throwing a wrench in Starscream's imperialistic plans and forcing him to go through. Starscream ''really'' just couldn't win. {{storylink|The Possible Light}} Starscream, Prime, and some Camiens set about hammering out a legislation, although things didn't go particularly well - mostly because Starscream knew that the Camiens would always follow Optimus Prime's vote. The meeting was quickly adjourned after Mirage brought word of an attack on the space bridge. It turned out that Prowl wasn't happy about the situation, and had decided to form Devastator and just smash the Space Bridge. Not even Superion managed to defeat him, so Starscream used the Enigma to resuscitate the defeated Aerialbots. Realizing that Superion couldn't do the job alone, Starscream zapped a recently arrived group of representatives from the ''Lost Light'', fusing them together into [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]]. The two combiners trounced Devastator, and in the aftermath Starscream had Prowl dragged off to a public jail. Not the Constructicons, though; he had plans for them... {{storylink|Mistakes and Mayhem}}

[[File:CombinerWars5-disappointed.jpg|left|thumb|250px|'''YOU!''' Where the '''SLAG''' is your '''CHIN?''']]

Starscream stationed both of his combiners on Caminus to keep the peace and guard the space bridge before heading back to his secret prison, where he had stashed the Constructicons. Hoping to turn Devastator back to his side, Starscream used the Enigma on Scoop and the Constructicons. This new version of Devastator, while still temperamental, was willing to go along with the commands of his "Chosen One" thanks to Scoop's mental influence. After an escaped Menasor sparked a Decepticon riot, Starscream deployed Devastator to calm things down. Defensor wound up attacking Devastator, who in turn went postal and started wrecking up Caminus. Oops. {{storylink|You, Me, and the Universe}} With no other recourse, Starscream and his Badgeless troops put in a personal appearance at the space bridge, helping to keep down the non-combined Decepticons while Devastator and the newly born [[Optimus Maximus (G1)|Optimus Maximus]] tumbled from colony to colony. With Devastator defeated, Starscream's snide remarks convinced Optimus Maximus to separate so that Prowl could be arrested. {{storylink|All That Remains}} Starscream later permitted Devastator to reform so that the Constructicons could be safely removed from Caminus. {{storylink|Now and On Earth}}

{{-}}

===A weakening grip===
{{quote|''Look'' at this place. I spent ''how long'' on dank battlefields, or huddled inside ''Astrotrain'' gathering troops for ''somebody else's'' cause? I ''made'' it, goldenrod.|Starscream, "[[The Transgressors]]"}}

[[File:Windblade DS 4 Velocitronian Ambassadors.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"And I hate him already."]]

Despite finally starting to bring the colonies together, Starscream was bitter and frustrated that nobody believed he could do it and that people were talking about him behind his back... so he said to ''a hallucinated ghost Bumblebee'', who he demanded recognise that he'd finally ''made it''. Arcee, unaware of what was going on, arrived with a captured Badgeless and executed him in front of Starscream to make a point. She informed him of a growing problem with the Decepticons, who Starscream needed to keep happy on Cybertron to avoid an uprising and invasion of other planets, and that he was the only one keeping the planet together so he better try harder. {{storylink|The Transgressors}}

With Caminus in the Council, Starscream turned his attention to the next Titan colony: [[Velocitron]]. To this end he met with delegates [[Knock Out (G1)|Knock Out]] and [[Moonracer (G1)|Moonracer]], although Knock Out wasn't particularly impressed with Cybertronian culture. Starscream was disturbed by the extremely hostile planet he'd glimpsed through the Space Bridge, and mentioned to Rattrap that he wouldn't set foot on the planet if he was paid. This might be why negotiations broke down. {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 4|Windblade vol. 2 #4}}

[[File:WindbladeVol2Issue6-deadlygame.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"This game sucks. Let's play Hungry Hungry Hippos instead."]]

After Windblade decided to sneak off to Velocitron to convince them to join the Council, Starscream recruited Superion for a secret jaunt of his own: a trip to the planet [[Devisiun]]. The tiny modular colonists were very impressed by Superion's combiner technology, and sent [[Fireshot (G1)|Fireshot]] and [[Vanquish (G1)|Vanquish]] as delegates. Windblade had had enough of the secret power plays, though, so after a heated debate the two agreed to travel to the next colony together. That planet turned out to be [[Eukaris]], a planet colonized by xenophobic [[beast mode]] Transformers, who were less than thrilled to have vehicle-based Transformers set foot on their planet. Their Titan, [[Chela]], was even ''less'' thrilled than they were, so unhappy that he decided to just blow them up and be done with it. Starscream thought otherwise, and flew into his brain module, where he shot the Titan dead in spite of Windblade's protests. At least Eukaris decided to join the council. {{storylink|Race Against the Light}} {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 6|Windblade vol. 2 #6}}

Windblade and Starscream bickered some more after returning from Eukaris, although Starscream maintained that he had done the right thing- even saved Windblade from certain death. The next day, the two headed out to the final colony Metroplex had discovered, a spaceborne Titan he identified as [[Tempo]], crewed by philosophers. As it turned out, the ship was actually staffed by a well-armed military dictatorship. Captain [[Elita One]] claimed that their Titan was actually named [[Vigilem|Carcer]]. Starscream tried to convince them to join the council, but his remarks just made Elita angry, and she threatened to kill him. Windblade managed to salvage the situation at the last minute, convincing them to join the council so as to counter Starscream's growing influence. {{storylink|The Will of the Few}}

[[File:ChooseMe_starscreamiest_grin.jpg|right|thumb|200px|''The three words that best describe you are as follows, and I quote: Stink, stank, stunk!'']]

In a conversation with dead Bumblebee, a bitter and lonely Starscream decided to get some of the goodwill felt by the colonies' return and declared a new holiday, "[[Chosen One Day]]". While he intended for everyone to remember they owed their goodwill to ''him'' and show him some, it was misread as a holiday to show your loved ones goodwill instead. This worked in his favour as everyone assumed he'd done that deliberately. Wheeljack, Windblade, and the Council members showed up to toast him and honour him with a night of friendship. {{storylink|Choose Me}}

During a broodfest, [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]] showed up with his fellow Decepticons to ''oh so politely'' ask for a 'favour': they wanted Starscream to look the other way while they used the spacebridge later. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 1: Aphelion|Aphelion}} Rather than cause trouble, Starscream allowed it and when [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] at the space port noticed the Decepticon movement, Starscream told him not to "overreact" to "a stroll". Later, unsure and talking it through with 'Bumblebee', he let an actual moment of ''conscience'' decide his actions and informed Windblade of the Decepticon movement. But a bit too late! {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}} Starscream headed in with reinforcements to help in the form of Badgeless and Superion and was pissed to find Optimus there already with [[Victorion|his ''own'' combiner]], pulling rank again. He ordered all the defeated Decepticons rounded up for later and agreed to get the spacebridge up and running to allow Optimus to stop Galvatron on Earth. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 4: Perihelion|Perihelion}} The situation swiftly went terrible again as the Decepticons started fighting again as soon as Victorion was gone and when Starscream called in Devastator, he only trashed the place and let fugitives escape. Man, how could this get worse—Optimus declaring Earth a protectorate? Yeah, that'd do it. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 1: Once Upon a Time on Earth|Once Upon a Time on Earth}}

[[File:NewWorldsOrder-StarscreamAndBumblebee.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"And I didn't even get the lousiest of T-shirts."]]
After Windblade, Optimus et al. had kept hinting he was a dodgy neo-imperialist, Starscream was ''utterly livid'' when Optimus ''actually'' annexed a planet and part of the Council of Worlds, all without talking to anyone else. He said they couldn't give Prime a seat and justify conquest, and was left distraught when Windblade agreed but said they should give Prime the ''benefit of the doubt''. In a conversation with dead Bumblebee, Starscream compared Prime's actions to Megatron's and [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]]'s and warned that this would go the same way. {{storylink|New Worlds Order}} Shortly after, Starscream witnessed a broadcast from the ''Lost Light'' of crew members about to be executed. He watched with fear as he knew they were victims of the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}} Roughly around this time, Starscream came into contact with [[Airachnid (G1)|Airachnid]], a [[Eukaris|Eukarian]] [[Mnemosurgery|mnemosurgeon]] whom he tasked with finding [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle's]] body. {{storylink|The Price of You}}

Airachnid's methods however were less than subtle and following a series of mnemosurgical attacks on Decepticons around Iacon, Starscream oversaw a meeting of councillor [[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]]'s Justice Committee. The Carcer delegate proposed Ironhide be appointed to investigate possible Badgeless involvement in the crimes, and Starscream reluctantly agreed to consider the proposal while feigning ignorance about the murders. After Badgeless officers shot a drunk Decepticon under suspicious circumstances later that day, Windblade accused Starscream of orchestrating the murders in an attempt to locate the seemingly missing corpse of Swindle, but the sovereign of Cybertron threatened her in return with his knowledge of Chromia's bomb plot. Immediately afterwards, Starscream was aghast to discover that video footage of the murder had surfaced and was being broadcast on the city news. {{storylink|07:00:00}}

[[File:ApplicableSkills-ourfearlessleader.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"It's out of control. It's out of control and we'll be lucky to live through it."]]

A mob of angry citizens quickly formed outside Starscream's residence. After being needled by dead Bumblebee, the ruler of Cybertron was dragged to an emergency meeting of the Council of Worlds, where he immediately proposed that the Decepticon ghetto be locked down by the Badgeless. The other councillors quickly shot down the idea, and Starscream in return refused Rattrap's proposal to summons Victorion from Earth. He went on to explain his fear that events were being manipulated by his former ally [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]], out for revenge, before eventually agreeing to a plan for the situation: appoint Ironhide the new head of the Badgeless, to carry out a full investigation of recent events. As they watched Ironhide, Starscream confided in Windblade that he didn't possess Swindle's body, before blackmailing the Cityspeaker into taking responsibility for dealing with Onslaught and his [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]]. {{storylink|Applicable Skills}}

Several weeks later, Starscream caught Windblade on the way out of a council session to demanded a report, and was told that Onslaught was, by all appearances, not carrying out any scheme or plan. They were interrupted by an incoming message for the Cityspeaker, but Starscream refused to let her answer it until he was certain she was carrying out his bidding, again dangling his knowledge of Chromia's misdeeds in front of Windblade. {{storylink|Things We Said We'd Never Do}} As it happened, the call had been from Chromia, who had now witnessed the Combaticons use the Enigma of Combination to merge with the brain-dead Swindle into [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]. As security forces evacuated the councillors, Starscream attempted to blackmail Windblade into helping kill the rampaging combiner. Ultimately, however, Ironhide took down Bruticus, whilst Chromia admitted to her crimes on a live news broadcast, as an unhappy Starscream looked on. {{storylink|The Line Between Us}}

[[File:ItsBeginningToAndBackAgain-StarscreamAndRattrap.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"Yeah well, I'm gonna go raise my own Titan. With blackjack! And hookers! Aw forget the Titan!"]]

Optimus (who'd been haunted by dreams of Starscream accusing him of hypocrisy) finally contacted Starscream, along with the Mistress of Flame and Soundwave, proposing to meet with each of them to discuss recent events. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 2: Edge of the Earth|Edge of the Earth}} When Prime arrived on Cybertron for his meeting with Starscream and the Council of Worlds, the ex-Decepticon took a moment to revel in the Autobot leader's newfound bad reputation before arriving fashionably late. Accusing Optimus of starting an interstellar war, Starscream dismissed Optimus as another tyrannical [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] who ''took'' power rather than being ''chosen'' like he was. Citing the general populace's loss of faith in Optimus, Cybertron's leader announced that the council would not stand with Optimus, before striding away. The next morning, Starscream summoned the news team of [[Circuit (G1)|Circuit]] and [[Longtooth]] for a special task – travelling to Earth to show everybody firsthand what Optimus Prime's actions had wrought. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 3: The Medium and the Message|The Medium and the Message}}

This plan worked out rather nicely for Starscream, who watched with joy as live footage of human military forces attacking Optimus Prime's troops was beamed back to Cybertron. Dead Bumblebee insisted Prime's refusal to retaliate would show his heroism, but Cybertron's leader was confident he could spin any outcome to his advantage. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 4: It's Beginning To And Back Again|It's Beginning To And Back Again}} When the humans finally surrounded Prime, Starscream was ecstatic, but moments later, was taken aback when the Autobot raised Metrotitan, thought dead, from the ground! {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 5: As Above...So Below|As Above...So Below}} The ex-Decepticon was quickly called to an emergency council meeting by Windblade. Prime's holy act changed the group's tune, and they soon decided to declare Earth a colony world. Looking out over his planet, Starscream sulked about the decision whilst Bumblebee said "I told you so" – Optimus Prime had come out on top. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 6: No Fair Fights|No Fair Fights}}

When a massive energy discharge was detected at the former site of Kaon, Starscream was roped into investigating personally by Windblade. Shockingly, they found the city intact within a crater, but this matter was quickly forgotten when the pair were called back to Iacon, where none other than the long-dead Sentinel Prime was on a rampage! Starscream fired on the false Prime, but got a [[spark disruptor]] thrown onto his chest for his troubles. Luckily for the ex-Decepticon, Windblade was able to jump the disruptor onto her own spark, where its detonation was non-fatal thanks to the differing frequency of Camien sparks. The pair quickly flew to regroup with the forces fighting Sentinel Prime at the space bridge. {{storylink|The Last Autobot}}

Discussing recent events, General [[Joe Colton]], [[Scarlett]] and [[Miles Mayhem|Miles Manheim]] recalled Starscream's part in the [[Transformer]]s' early battles over Ore-13 on Earth. {{storylink|Secret Raiders: A Revolution Prelude|Secret Raiders}} When Windblade merged with Metrotitan's mind, she saw glimpses of all her possibles pasts and futures, many of which included Starscream. {{storylink|Informed}}

[[File:Ping-Starscream.jpg|right|thumb|250px|"I ''am'' the Senate."]]

Starscream and Rattrap were soon summoned to Ironhide's office to discuss turning over the [[Enigma of Combination]] to Ironhide which Starscream (shockingly) refused to do. Ironhide them gave him a stirring speech telling him it was time for Starscream to actually start leading instead of playing political games. Before anything else could be said all three of their communicators pinged at the exact same time. Regrouping at the [[Spire]], Starscream was shocked to hear Windblade and Obsidian's report of a fleet of undead [[Titan (IDW)|Titans]] bearing down on Cybertron. Taking Ironhide's speech to spark, Starscream told everyone to rally for war and drafted every ship into service. After transmitting a rousing speech (and saying any ship who fled would be either shot down or declared an enemy of the state), the fighting began. While things began promisingly enough, [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] soon fell and Starscream saw fit to contact [[Elita One (G1))|Elita One]] to request [[Vigilem|Carcer]] be transformed and brought to the surface. She refused. {{storylink|Ping}} After another failed try, Starscream gathered the [[Council of Worlds]] and told them to begin evacuating Cybertron. Windblade refused to do so however believing that either she or [[Lightbright (G1)|Lightbright]] could access Carcer's brain and convince the Titan to aid Cybertron on their own. Agreeing, Starscream sent a contingent of Cybertronian ships and Devastator to attack Carcer as a distraction informing Elita to never underestimate the depths of his pettiness. {{storylink|Desperate Times}} While waiting for news, Bumblebee commented that Windblade and Starscream would get so much more accomplished if they were actually friends. Starscream reminded Bumblebee what [[Death|happened]] to the [[Metalhawk (Masterforce)|last person]] Starscream had considered a friend prompting a confused look from [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] at Starscream for talking to himself. {{storylink|Desperate Measures}} When Windblade had succeeded in awakening Carcer who himself had been successful in destroying the invaders Starscream cheered! {{storylink| Rubicon}}

Which was short lived because not only was Starscream informed "Carcer" was Vigilem and he'd freed [[Liege Maximo]], he soon had to preside over a court case regarding a [[Badgeless]] killing [[Drunkatron|some pleb]]. Though the Badgeless was clearly innocent, Starscream wondered if declaring him guilty would help things. He called a recess when he learned Elita was taking credit for "Carcer's" victory and called her to his office flanked by [[Fireshot (G1)|Fireshot]], [[Tigatron]], [[Moonracer (G1)|Moonracer]] and the [[Mistress of Flame]]. When Elita arrived, she recapped the history of Maximo and his Titan before explaining she'd thought to keep their existence a secret in case someone might have proven foolish, arrogant or desperate enough to free the ancient Prime before telling the Council to ready themselves for war against the member of the [[Thirteen]] and walked off. Starscream agreed that, for the moment, Maximo's freedom should be kept a secret before the Mistress of Flame requested Chromia be turned over to her. Starscream refused so the Mistress instead requested [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] and the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]]. Bumblebee soon appeared to Starscream and told him what to do: Rule the Badgeless innocent, hand over Chromia and stand against Elita. When Starscream pointed out doing all three would make him an easy target, Bumblebee said Starscream was choosing to fight and he could be better. Too bad Starscream didn't believe that himself as he convicted the innocent 'bot. He then freed Chromia into the Mistress's custody on the condition that she hunt down and slay Liege Maximo. {{storylink|Heavy}}

[[File:ThePriceOfYou-StarscreamBumblebee.jpg|left|thumb|250px|"The way is open."]]
With Elita soon ready to return to orbit, Starscream was summoned by Airachnid to give her report on the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]]. Airachnid revealed that while it was normally impractical to try and alter the minds of so many, she could do so after the five had combined but needed a willing lynchpin to make sure the other four didn't pick up on the lie. Starscream had Airachnid patch him into [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off's]] mind where Starscream offerred to make his dream of "domestic bliss" with Onslaught a reality. Blast Off agreed and Starscream later spoke with Ironhide that the now loyal Combaticons would not be prosecuted since Airachnid had discovered (through genuine medical examination of course) that the Combaticons could not be held culpable for their actions. {{storylink|The Price of You}} Starscream was soon approached by [[Windblade's doctor|a doctor]] who brought him to [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] revealing her to not be brain dead but to have shut down due to ''too much'' data in her brain. Deducing it was Vigilem, Starscream nonetheless refused to delegate a mnemosurgeon. This was the final straw for Bumblebee who demanded to know why Starscream always pushed good people away. Starscream responded that every time he opened himself up, life (usually wearing Megatron's face) would beat the tar out of him. Seeing the odd looks he was getting, Starscream pretended to turn on his comm. and told Bumblebee to leave if he was so disgusted by him. And leave Bumblebee did. Starscream then allowed Blast Off to see Swindle while consulting Airachnid about how to help Windblade. The answer was simple: A third bot would enter her head and help her destroy Vigilem assuming the strain of three minds didn't kill all three. Reluctantly Starscream realized he had no choice but to help her. {{storylink|If I Know You}}

Starscream arrived and made a heroic entrance by shooting Vigilem in the back. Alas, Windblade was not grateful as Starscream had failed to consider a risk in the plan. By linking his mind to hers, Vigilem was able to access it and escape through Starscream. The evil Titan smirked and adopted the form of Starscream's worst fear: [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron.]]

[[File:Your First Mistake - Screamys True Form.jpg|right|thumb|250px|This ''is'' his final form.]]
Now in Starscream's mind, Vigilem began beating Starscream through all his bodies wearing down his confidence before he prepared to execute him and take his body. Windblade saved him by scooping up Starscream's spark before she witnessed his birth. Horrified by cold construction, Windblade summoned a mental copy of the [[Forge of Solus Prime]] and began forging Starscream's true self, each strike bringing up a mental projection of someone who had an impact on Starscream's life, the ghosts holding off Vigilem. When she was done, Starscream stood as a towering version of what he would like were his spark allowed to shape its own body. Stomping down Vigilem, the two jets were able to defeat the Titan and returned to the real world though Starscream insisted nothing had changed. Windblade cheekily bounced away telling Starscream not to be so foolish or close minded and that she'd now be her own bot and not just a mouthpiece for others. {{storylink|Your First Mistake}}

Optimus Prime later showed up to try and petition the [[Council of Worlds]] to grant [[Earth]] a spot on the Council and trade with the [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]]. Starscream refused both citing the [[Tyrest Accord]] saying Cybertron needed its resources to rebuild and that aliens were likely to use Cybertronian technology to attack Cybertron. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 3: Behind My Bleeding Back|Behind My Bleeding Back}} When [[Jazz (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jazz]] was interviewed by humans, he remembered Starscream's presence in the invasion of Earth as well as mentioning that Starscream now ruled Cybertron. {{storylink|What It's Really Like}} When [[Sideswipe (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Sideswipe]] was given a mental projection to die peacefully, he remembered Starscream's deal with Sunstreaker. {{storylink|The Life of Sideswipe}}

When Optimus and [[Pyra Magna]] returned to Cybertron to the [[Rust Sea|Sea of Rust]], Starscream spied on them from afar with Bumblebee. Starscream scoffed at how saccharine Bumblebee's origins were before the conversation turned to [[Onyx Prime]]. Starscream then flew off while commenting to Bumblebee that the yellow 'bot was just a figment of the Seeker's imagination. {{storylink|Ghost Stories}}

When Earth had finally chosen [[Marissa Faireborn|an ambassador]] to represent them on the Council of Worlds, Starscream began a speech only for an explosion to cut him off. Demanding a status report from Ironhide and Windblade, he learnt that tiny red robots were waiting to strike inside false Cybertronians. Starscream suspected human involvement and ordered the Space Bridge closed. {{storylink|First Strike issue 1|First Strike #1}}

==Spotlight: Mirage==
At the war's end, Starscream and a small team of Decepticons accompanied the mercenary [[Mirage (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Mirage]] to the [[Pegasus Star Cluster]]. He led the Decepticons into the Autobot bunker after Mirage destroyed the Autobot security system, but stood back during the ensuing fight. After Megatron ordered the Autobot prisoners executed, Starscream held [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] back as Mirage prepared to kill [[Hound (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hound]].

But it was all Mirage's dream... or was it? {{storylink|Spotlight: Mirage}}

==Notes==
[[File:Wfc-starscream-0.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb]]
*Starscream's appearance in ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' seems to be based more on this concept drawing of him for the ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (games)|War for Cybertron]]'' game, rather than his actual appearance in either of the two games. This is most noticeable when looking at his pelvic region and thighs.
*As the issues go by, Starscream takes to a habit of changing into a new body whenever the then-toyline at the time releases a new toy rendition of him.
*Also, the crown he occasionally wears in later issues of the comic is based on the crown he sports in ''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron]]'', which in itself is based on the crown he wears in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''.

==References==

[[Category:Decepticon leaders]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 Transformers]]
[[Category:Matrix bearers]]
[[Category:Neutrals]]
[[Category:Politicians]]
[[Category:Rulers of Cybertron]]
[[Category:Seekers]]
[[Category:Turncoats]]

Windblade (G1)

2017-08-26T14:07:55Z

Holomanga: winblade -> windblade

{{disambig3|Windblade}}
{{factions|autobot}}
:''Windblade is a [[Caminus|Camien]] [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Revolution5-Windbladeprofile.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|YOU MAAAAAAAAADE MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!]]
'''Windblade''' is a young [[Transformer]] who puts duty and truth first, even when both are difficult. Her friend and bodyguard [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] can get frustrated at times with the strength of Windblade's convictions, and Chromia believes Windblade trusts too much. This may not be a worldview that can survive sharing a planet with [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]], and she may learn that at times she will have to choose between truth or duty.

Windblade is a better-than-average swordswoman, but her claim to fame is her rare talent for communicating with dormant [[Titan (IDW)|Titans]], for which she bears the title of [[Cityspeaker]]. Like other Cityspeakers, her face bears the markings of [[Caminus]]. Unlike her peers, however, she is not particularly religious. She is sometimes partnered with the [[Titan Master]] [[Scorchfire]].

{{quote|I am a child of the Titan '''Caminus'''. I am the cityspeaker for the last city on '''Cybertron'''. And '''both''' are my home. I have only '''begun''' to fight.|Windblade|[[Windblade issue 4|''Windblade'' vol. 1 #4]]}}

==Fiction==
===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
{{ongoing}}
[[File:Windblade4-leavingCaminus.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|Caminus's Angels]]

Windblade was a Transformer who hailed from the planet Caminus, born from the [[hot spot]] within the Titan Caminus who colonized the world and for whom it became named. As on the other Titan colonies and unlike on Cybertron, the citizens of Caminus maintained gender dimorphism, with Windblade being female. Windblade had been eager to become a cityspeaker so as to aid Caminus in any way she could and threw herself into her work even when other told her to hold herself back. {{storylink|If I Know You}} She was friends with [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] and [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]], and sometimes discussed science and engineering with the latter. {{storylink|An Axe to Break the Ice}}

Long cut off from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Caminus' isolation ended wthe arrival of [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]]; Windblade, her bodyguard [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]], and quantum engineer [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] joined his crew in hopes of reconnecting with their homeworld and gaining aid for their ailing planet. {{storylink|A 'Bot and Her City}} Secretly however, Windblade wondered if she'd been chosen for the mission so Caminus could be rid of her and swore not to fail at the daunting task ahead of her. {{storylink|If I Know You}} Days after their joining Thunderclash's crew, his ship the ''[[Vis Vitalis]]'' came across the Autobot sage [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], who informed them that his longstanding partner, the Titan [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], was grievously wounded and required help. With Trion unable to help due to a quest that otherwise occupied him, and Thunderclash unwell, Windblade and her friends boarded a fast shuttlecraft and sped to the ocean world of [[Hydrophena]], where Metroplex was currently in hiding as an [[alchemical virus]] ravaged his body. The trio set themselves up inside his body, and began attempting to repair him. {{storylink|Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Burning Bright}}

[[File:BurningBright-Windblade.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.66|''They're Windblade and the brain Yes, Windblade and the brain One is an organ The other's fan-made!'']]

After some time, Windblade's group was found by a team of Autobots from the ''[[Lost Light]]'', who had been summoned there through complicated means by Metroplex himself. Using their ship's engines, they were able to give Metroplex's [[spark]] a jump-start, giving him the strength to [[space bridge]] back to Cybertron, where a battle between its inhabitants and the [[Necrotitan]] was taking place. {{storylink|Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Burning Bright}} Though surprised by the sight of another Titan, Windblade and the other Autobots refused to abandon Metroplex's body; presently, [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] returned Metroplex's severed thumb, laden with the transmutative [[Ore-7]], to him, healing him allowing him to defeat the Necrotitan. {{storylink|Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|Finis Temporis}} Following the battle, Windblade asked Metroplex about the ore's origins, and he explained that he had picked it up during his travels and jettisoned it when he was attacked by [[Ammonite]]s. Windblade related her findings to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]], but was unable to coax any information out of Metroplex that would help Magnus and the rest of the ''Lost Light'' crew in their search for the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} Not long afterwards, Ammonites began to swarm Cybertron, forcing Magnus to radio Windblade to ask Metroplex for aid. The titan needed no encouragement, and began to fight the horde. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} The Ammonites were subsequently destroyed by Metalhawk, after which Windblade and her fellow Camiens were called on by [[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]] to engage the splintered components of [[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]]. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

When the fighting was done, Windblade sought out [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]], to pass on a one-word message given to her by Alpha Trion before she had parted company with him: "[[Earth]]". {{storylink|Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|Hello Cruel World}} {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 3: The Mind Bomb|The Mind Bomb}} Prime first had to preside over the trial of Megatron, which Windblade was in the audience for, {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}} but after that was done, he prepared to leave to follow Trion's trail. Windblade and [[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] stayed behind on Cybertron, now under [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]]'s leadership; Prime warned her to be wary of the Seeker, but Windblade simply returned that she was wary of ''everyone'' on this war-blighted world. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|Hello Cruel World}}

[[File:BotAndHerCity-illustriousleader.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66|But aside from that, he's great!]]
Six months after the battle of the Titans, Windblade had tried settling into life on Cybertron as it had settled into Metroplex. She had an important role as Cityspeaker to the heavily-damaged Metroplex, though she was a novice at it and Starscream, the planet's leader, grew impatient and suspicious of her. Rolling blackouts threatened the city, and after she investigated the cause of those with Chromia, she also sought advice for how to best interact with Starscream. After talking with many of the denizens of [[Blurr (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Blurr]]'s bar, she came to the sobering realization that Starscream was a scheming opportunist who shouldn't be trusted. Not long after this revelation, an explosion seriously damaged her and put her under medical care. Moments before the explosion, she had seen [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], Starscream's henchman, leaving the scene, and as she awoke from her medical bed, seeing Starscream approach her, she suspected Cybertron's leader had tried to kill her. {{storylink|A 'Bot and Her City}}

[[File:Windblade3-altmodes.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
After giving Windblade a veiled threat, Starscream and Rattrap departed. Windblade revealed to Chromia that she had found traces of explosives, before the bodyguard discovered reporters spying on them. Later the two of them met up with Ironhide, who they had sent to guard Metroplex's brain. Windblade searched Metroplex's brain for reasons why Starscream would cause the blackouts, when Chromia noticed that [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] had let slipped in an interview that he knew something. Windblade was able to convince him to show her what he discovered despite his unwillingness to talk; a "mine" Starscream had build inside Metroplex, used to sift the Titan for the Regenesis ore in his body. Windblade returned to the reporters and brought them and the denizens of Blurr's bar down there to reveal the mine to them. Three of the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcon]]s guarded the mine, and they were more than happy to try to take down Windblade and her friends. {{storylink|Windblade issue 2|Windblade vol. 1 #2}} Though she fought back valiantly, at a moment of weakness Starscream and Rattrap interrupted the battle to arrest Windblade and the others (minus Chromia and Sky-Byte) for "crimes against Cybertron."

While the others were jailed, Windblade was interrogated violently by Rattrap. However, this interaction convinced her that while Starscream may be responsible for the mine, he was not responsible for the bomb that killed several citizens and nearly her. Then, Chromia and Sky-Byte invaded the compound to free Windblade and the others, and Windblade confided in her friend that she had discovered that Starscream was not the culprit they were after, to Chromia's shock. {{storylink|Windblade issue 3|Windblade vol. 1 #3}} Starscream and his goons were swiftly upon them, and the battle recommenced. Windblade and Chromia barely managed to duck inside Metroplex's brain room as Windblade attempted to hook up directly to Metroplex and solve everything. Merged mentally with Metroplex, finally she understood everything. She saw other Transformer colony worlds that had also broken off from Cybertron. She saw Caminus before he went lost. And, sadly, she saw Chromia in all her rage, and realized that her friend, her bodyguard, was the one who had placed the bombs in that street corner, that Chromia was willing to murder others to scare Windblade off the planet and to safety.

[[File:Windblade4-nolongerwindblade.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|"I am the Windblade Collective."]]
Supremely disappointed in Chromia, Windblade nevertheless had to keep the peace for the greater good. She plotted with Starscream to keep things buried, so that there would be a Cybertron for those lost colonies to eventually return to. Windblade left the both of them, wiser, but morally compromised. {{storylink|Windblade issue 4|Windblade vol. 1 #4}}

Windblade was present when [[Wheeljack (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Wheeljack]] emerged from medical rehabilitation. Recently betrayed by Chromia and bewildered by Starscream's machinations, Windblade sought out the nearly-murdered engineer as someone she could potentially trust. After Wheeljack reluctantly agreed to help rebuild [[Superion (G1)|Superion]], she and Ironhide observed in silent solidarity. {{storylink|The World of Tomorrow}}

[[File:ForeverIsALongTimeComing-MatrixofLeadership.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|"But sometimes 'Susan.'"]]
When Optimus Prime returned from Earth, Windblade, Starscream, and [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] told him about a series of murders that were targeting Decepticons. {{storylink|City of Steel (issue)|City of Steel}} The murderer struck again outside of [[Gutcruncher (G1)|Gutcruncher]]'s bar, killing one of his friends, and so she helped Optimus Prime follow this apparent lead. Inside the bar they found a very angry Gutcruncher and an expatriated [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]]. It seemed to be a dead end, and the two left, but shortly afterwards the bar exploded, {{storylink|Fight or Flee (issue)|Fight or Flee}} killing everyone inside. After Windblade returned with them to investigate, Sandstorm snapped at Optimus Prime for killing his friends. This anger was short lived, and the shell of an [[infernus bullet]] was found in the wreckage, so another lead was found to follow. {{storylink|Quest for Fire}} The lead culminated in the brutal treatment and incarceration of the [[Firecon]]s, and Windblade took this opportunity to raise an eyebrow at the Autobots' violent methods. Things escalate further when it seemed [[Slag (G1)|Slug]] was responsible for the murders, causing Windblade to pull Optimus Prime out of an imminent battle with him. {{storylink|The Killing Jar (issue)|The Killing Jar}} Optimus Prime realized who the real culprit was, and he enlisted Windblade and Starscream to set up a ruse to draw him out. Ultimately, the murderer was revealed to be Sandstorm. Afterwards, Windblade accompanied Optimus Prime on a personal errand to return the remaining half of the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to the spot where he had been given it millions of years ago. Optimus confided in Windblade that he was worried that violent Autobots like Slug and Sandstorm who had trouble acclimating to a post-war climate were the greatest threat to their race's newfound peace. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming (issue)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}}

On their way home, Optimus and Windblade were attacked by a group of angry Decepticons, but their attackers dispersed following the arrival of Ironhide and Chromia. Windblade escorted the other three back to Metroplex, where she revealed that the Titan's space bridge portal was back online and ready to interact with the long-lost Cybertronian colony worlds. Though she knew that reconnecting Cybertron and her homeworld Caminus could mean rebuilding the latter, she also expressed her worry to Optimus that Starscream could turn her world and the others into mere cogs in his empire. As they suspected, after Starscream learned the news of the operable space bridge, he chafed at the idea of opening up a truly representative system of government, but she and Optimus were adamant this would be the case. Later, after an awkward communication with the ''Lost Light'', Windblade realized that something elsewhere was wrong—Ironhide and Chromia, who had been guarding the active spacebridge portal, had been struck down, and [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] and a strangely rejuvenated [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] had traveled through to Caminus! {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}} Chromia and Ironhide were roused, and they dashed into the portal after Menasor, and Windblade followed them once she asked Optimus to stay behind for reasons she'd explain later. Once she was back on her homeworld, she rescued Chromia (though seemingly not 100% pleased to do so), and after sizing up their challenge, she radioed to Optimus Prime for support.

[[File:TheSumAndItsParts-MistressofFlame.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|"Can't you see I'm a little busy~?"]]
Optimus sent Superion, and the battle was quickly over. Quietly, Windblade met with her world's [[Forgefire Parliament]] and pleaded for understanding in response to Cybertron's terrible first impression, and then she returned to Cybertron to explain to Optimus why she had asked him to stay behind. Caminus was a theocracy and desperate for help, Windblade explained, and spelled out to Optimus that him being a "living [[Prime (rank)|Prime]]" would mean her people would regard him as a god. This would undercut Starscream's grab for power, but she noted this would be a potentially volatile situation. As Windblade expected, when she and Optimus walked back to Caminus through the space bridge, the [[Mistress of Flame]] and her citizens immediately ignored Starscream's bloviating and circled around Optimus to bow. {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}} As Starscream tried to salvage his grab for power, Optimus Prime and the Mistress of Flame bristled at their differences—Optimus insisted on helping Caminus rebuild, the Mistress of Flame considered the Prime's devotion to the will of the people to be sacrilege, and Windblade grimaced at the awkwardness. As Windblade and Optimus attended to survivors, Optimus fielded a call from [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]], and the former neglected to mention to the latter the involvement of Superion. Windblade noted that recently Optimus had claimed he never lied. {{storylink|The Possible Light}}

Back on Cybertron, Windblade, Optimus, Starscream, and two other Camiens tried to decide who would be representatives in the council, and Windblade and Starscream once again clashed in ideologies. Just as a group of representatives from the ''Lost Light'' had arrived, Windblade received word that Caminus was under attack by Prowl's [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], who was determined to cut off Cybertron from its colony worlds in order to stop Starscream from growing an empire. In order to stop Devastator, Starscream created [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]], who teamed up with Superion to defeat Devastator. Windblade, acting as Caminus's representative, wanted to imprison Prowl on Caminus for his actions for an eventual trial, thus saving him from immediate execution. {{storylink|Mistakes and Mayhem}}

Although she was busy with her political duties, Windblade found the time to work on Metroplex's space bridge with Wheeljack. As they worked, they chatted about the future and the implications of re-contacting the colonies. Windblade maintained that all Transformers had a common origin in the Guiding Hand, although neither of them knew if they were doing the right thing in following Starscream. {{storylink|You, Me, and the Universe}} Things quickly heated up after Menasor escaped from captivity and rallied the disenfranchised Decepticons; Windblade was present to see the newly-born [[Optimus Maximus (G1)|Optimus Maximus]] charge through the space bridge while she and Wheeljack tried to hold their positions against the rioting 'Cons. They were bolstered by the arrival of Starscream and his Badgeless, who provided crowd control. This allowed Windblade to set the space bridge back to Caminus, allowing Chromia and some emigrant Decepticons to help out. No sooner had they restored order before Defensor appeared, dragging the defeated Menasor behind him; Chromia, Starscream, and Windblade joined the fray and helped keep Menasor down.

After the conclusion of the "Combiner Wars", Windblade reported back to the Mistress of Flame, with the news that the [[Council of Worlds]] had been successfully formed. Although Windblade was still troubled by her looming duties, the Mistress's words provided encouragement. {{storylink|All That Remains}} She later returned to Cybertron. {{storylink|Now and On Earth}}

[[File:AnUneventfulNight-WindbladeArcee.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|Oh no, don't get her started on [[Spotlight: Arcee|that]] again.]]
The Mistress of Flame decided to celebrate the Caminus-Cybertron alliance by declaring an official holiday; Windblade temporarily donned some ceremonial paint in honor of the occasion. Windblade was soon contacted by Chromia, who informed her that [[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]] had just stolen the [[Enigma of Combination]]. The duo chased Arcee out to the [[Rust Sea|Sea of Rust]], where they encountered the [[Torchbearer]]s: Camien explorers on a mission of their own. In the ensuing fight, [[Rust Dust]] accidentally activated the Enigma, fusing the Torchbearers together into the huge and angry [[Victorion]]. Windblade and Chromia pulled Arcee to safety before fighting Victorion. After taking out Victorion's weapons, Windblade was able to talk the combiner down and persuade her to disassemble. With the Enigma back in Starscream's hands, Windblade requested that nobody speak of this event to protect the fragile peace. {{storylink|An Uneventful Night}}

With a growing number of Camiens emigrating to Cybertron, Windblade was forced to intervene in a dispute between the Camiens and Decepticons about the usage of energy from Metroplex. As a result, she was late for the first meeting between Cybertron and [[Velocitron]], another of the colony worlds. [[Knock Out (G1)|Knock Out]] wasn't impressed by her tardiness or her offers to help Velocitron improve its fuel efficiency, noting that on Velocitron politics were settled by races and no Cybertronian could outpace a Velocitronian. Undaunted, Windblade vowed to Starscream that she'd win over the Velocitronians. To this end, she invited Knock Out and his cohort [[Moonracer (G1)|Moonracer]] to a party at [[Maccadam's Old Oil House|Maccadam's]]. Windblade took the opportunity to talk with Moonracer, who confessed that Velocitron was in a period of cultural stagnation. She informed Windblade of a race taking place on Velocitron, and encouraged Windblade to send Blurr in the hopes of brokering an alliance anyway. Windblade discussed the matter with Metroplex, although the Titan's cryptic comments about his brother [[Navitas]] proved unhelpful. With Rattrap's help, Windblade, Chromia, Blurr, and Ironhide secretly bridged to Velocitron, where they were immediately confronted with freezing cold, a wall of fire, and the wheeled city of [[Delta]] bearing down on them! {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 4|Windblade vol. 2 #4}}

[[File:RaceAgainstTheLight-sowecanwin.jpg|thumb|left|thumb|300px|Windblade, champion of honor!]]

The quartet desperately tried to keep up with the city, and with Moonracer's help they were soon safely aboard. Moonracer filled them in on some of the less pleasant aspects of Velocitronian culture - in particular the steep social divide between racers and non-racers. While Blurr registered for the [[Benefit 500]], [[Clocker (G1)|Clocker]] showed Windblade and Chromia to Navitas's brain chamber; Windblade hoped to use her talents to help Blurr win the race. However, years of neglect had rendered Navitas all but senile, forcing Windblade to take drastic action. Clambering into the Titan's brain, Windblade took manual control of the Titan, reshaping the racetrack to eliminate the other competitors and guide Blurr to a suitably flashy victory, persuading the Velocitronians to join the Council. Windblade's elation was swiftly quashed when Wheeljack contacted her to reveal that Starscream was about to meet with ambassadors from one of the other colony worlds. {{storylink|Race Against the Light}}

[[File:Windblade6-abloobloo.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Try not to think too hard about this image out of context.]]

The other planet turned out to be [[Devisiun]], which Starscream and Superion had visited while Windblade was adventuring on Velocitron. She was momentarily confused by the dual presence of Devisiun's representatives [[Vanquish (G1)|Vanquish]] and [[Fireshot (G1)|Fireshot]], although they assured her that they would always vote as one entity. Windblade confronted Starscream about his deceptions, and together they agreed to visit the next colony world together. The next day, they bridged to [[Eukaris]]. The Eukarian [[beast mode]] Transformers proved distrustful of Transformers with vehicle modes, although Windblade's Camien origins allowed her to speak. On Rattrap's advice Windblade concentrated on winning over [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] and [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]]. The meeting was cut short by the revival of [[Chela]], who was intent on killing the two offworlders. Windblade tried to reach his brain so that she could negotiate with him, but Chela manipulated his own internal structures to pin her down. Starscream took a more direct approach and simply destroyed the Titan's brain, killing him. Although Windblade was saddened by Chela's death, Blackarachnia consoled her by reciting one of her prophecies: that Chela's death was the first step on changing Eukaris for the better. {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 6|Windblade vol. 2 #6}}

Windblade returned to Cybertron disgruntled at how events had gone, but after some encouraging words from Chromia and Metroplex, was soon accompanying Starscream to visit the next titan, [[Tempo]]. They found not the ship of pacifistic philosophers they were expecting, but a ship of warriors led by [[Elita One]]. When Elita was going to execute Starscream for lying, Windblade managed to talk her out of it and into joining the alliance. She was disturbed, however, at the secrets Elita One's people were keeping: Elita One claimed that her people had renamed Tempo to [[Vigilem|Carcer]] when Windblade knew from talking to Metroplex that "Carcer" was in fact the name of a different Titan. {{storylink|The Will of the Few}} After this, Windblade went to confer with Metroplex regarding the names of the Titan and the lack of records on "Carcer" on either Cybertron or Caminus. Metroplex however said Carcer was a Titan but separate from Tempo. {{storylink|Rubicon}}

With a steady tide of colonists travelling to Cybertron, Starscream suggested a new holiday in his honour: "[[Chosen One Day]]". Although Starscream's egocentric holiday didn't turn out as he had hoped, Windblade, her friends, and several Council members visited Starscream's quarters to throw him a party anyway, putting aside their differences for one night. {{storylink|Choose Me}}

[[File:NewWorldsOrder-WindbladeStarscream.jpg|left|thumb|300px|"An empire has ''followed me home''!"]]

After Optimus returned from a trip to Caminus, Windblade filled him on on recent events, and the pair watched as the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]s came into conflict with visiting Camiens [[Aileron]] and [[Sterling]]. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 1: Aphelion|Aphelion}} Starscream later contacted Windblade after a [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]]'s Decepticons sparked a riot. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}} Windblade and her team tried to maintain order against the Decepticon mob, who were trying to reach Metroplex's space bridge and warp to Earth as part of [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]]'s plan. Starscream and Optimus Prime deployed Victorion and Superion to disperse the remaining Decepticons. After Wheeljack brought the bridge back online, Optimus travelled to Earth and announced that Earth was now a member of the Council of Worlds {{storylink|Conquerors Part 4: Perihelion|Perihelion}}, much to Windblade's concern. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 1: Once Upon a Time on Earth|Once Upon a Time on Earth}} The Council of Worlds held an emergency meeting to discuss Optimus's course of action. Windblade suggested that they wait to get Optimus's side of the story, although she maintained that Optimus should not have a seat on the Council, and that the governing body should only limit itself to affairs between pre-existing colonies. Starscream was left agitated by how Windblade was willing ''to'' give Prime that benefit, when it was worse than anything ''he'd'' done.{{storylink|New Worlds Order}}

Shortly after, Windblade was left distraught by a broadcast from the ''Lost Light'': her old friend Velocity, among others, facing execution and stating how she wanted her funeral to go. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}}

Windblade met with the other members of the Council to discuss a recent slew of [[mnemosurgery|mnemosurgical]] attacks on Iacon's Decepticon population, including a supplier of parts for Carcer. Starscream was reluctant to investigate, but Windblade and Obsidian pushed the matter. When the meeting had been adjourned, their guest Ironhide invited Windblade and Chromia to help him deal with a rowdy customer at Maccadam's, but Windblade declined, citing paperwork. Windblade and Obsidian received a summons from Ironhide after things got out of control, culminating in the death of a bystander. Windblade accused Starscream of orchestrating the attacks, causing Starscream to threaten to drop the news about Chromia's bombings. Before they could discuss this further, [[Circuit (G1)|Circuit]] revealed that footage of the shooting had already been broadcast live across Iacon. {{storylink|07:00:00}}

[[File:TheLineBetweenUs-Windbladedroopy.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Droopy wings = Sad Windblade.]]

The footage incited an angry mob, who marched on Starscream's office demanding the truth about the attack. Windblade stormed into Starscream's office to blame him for his increasingly totalitarian government. At a later meeting of the Council, Windblade was present when Ironhide volunteered to step up as the new head of the Badgeless. As the crowd dispersed, Windblade pressed Starscream for answers about Swindle - thought dead since the disastrous "Combiner War" - but Starscream refused to play along, putting Windblade in charge of shutting down Onslaught and the surviving Combaticons, and once again threatening to spill the beans about the Metroplex bombings. {{storylink|Applicable Skills}} Following Starscream's instructions to keep watch on Onslaught, Windblade visited Metroplex's brain chamber; when Chromia arrived she revealed that she was being blackmailed by Starscream. Neither one of them were able to recover a cache from Chromia's hidden files which documented the space bridge incident, which had been corrupted by someone else. As weeks passed, Chromia worked to unscramble the files while Windblade played along with Starscream's forces - until things finally came to a head when Rattrap revealed Swindle to the other Combaticons, using the Enigma of Combination to probe Swindle's mind and inadvertently creating a new combiner - [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]!. {{storylink|Things We Said We'd Never Do}} As Bruticus ran amok in the streets of Iacon, Starscream blamed Windblade for failing to keep an eye on the Combaticon leader and demanded that she kill the combiner. Windblade initially refused, but when Starscream threatened to reveal Chromia's secret Windblade finally pushed back and contacted Chromia. Windblade asked her to help the Combaticons expose Starscream's own dirty secrets and return to Caminus before Starscream could retaliate. Windblade tried to talk down Bruticus, but the combiner retaliated against her - only Ironhide's intervention saved the two Camiens. When Bruticus had been reduced to his components, Windblade tried to resuscitate the unconscious Combaticons in the hopes of getting them to talk. With no other alternatives, Chromia finally went on live television and announces that she was responsible for the Acrolight bombings. All Windblade could do was watch as her best friend was arrested. {{storylink|The Line Between Us}}

The Council later met with Optimus to hear his side of the story. Windblade tried to be diplomatic, although [[Strika (BM)|Strika]] was quick to demand explanations for the Prime's behavior. Although Prime insisted that his intentions were pure, Windblade couldn't side with Optimus on the issue. Ultimately, the Council members unanimously voted against allowing Earth a seat on the council. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 3: The Medium and the Message|The Medium and the Message}} At another emergency meeting of the Council, Windblade witnessed footage of Optimus raising [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]] from the ground. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 6: No Fair Fights|No Fair Fights}}

When a massive energy discharge was detected at the former site of [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]], Windblade pushed Starscream to investigate, and the two fliers headed out. Shockingly, they found the city intact within a crater, but this matter was quickly forgotten when the two received news that the [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] had seemingly returned from the dead, and was slaughtering Decepticons in their ghetto. When the ex-Prime attacked Starscream with a [[Spark disruptor]], Windblade was able to jump the disruptor onto her own spark, where its detonation was non-fatal thanks to the differing frequency of Camien sparks. The pair quickly flew to regroup with the forces fighting Sentinel Prime at the space bridge. {{storylink|The Last Autobot}} When Optimus and [[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]] returned to Cybertron from their encounter with Sentinel on [[Prion]], Windblade met up with the duo, and encouraged the demoralized Autobot leader to take his victories where he could get them. {{storylink|White Heat}}

[[File:TheDivineSourceOfLiberty-RomMeetsTheAutobots.jpg|thumb|left|300px|It was at that moment, that Rom knew-]]

Some time later, Pyra Magna and Soundwave called Windblade to Earth to help deal with the recalcitrant Metrotitan, who had gone dormant and refused to communicate with anyone. However, days of searching his systems turned up no mechanical faults. {{storylink|Informed}} Windblade remained on Earth, and in the wake of an [[Ore-13]] explosion on [[Mount Olympus]] she helped coordinate Autobot relief efforts across the globe from within Metrotitan. When Jazz and Arcee ran afoul of [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] in [[Oregon]], Windblade arrived as part of the Autobot reinforcements. When a [[Rom|silver alien]] interrupted the fracas to kill several members of G.I. Joe, Windblade and the other Autobots evacuated the scene to pursue the intruder. {{storylink|Concorde Hymn}} Their chase took them to [[Umpqua National Forest]], where the alien, Rom, explained that he was tracking the malevolent, shapeshifting [[Dire Wraith]]s. {{storylink|The Divine Source of Liberty}}

[[File:Informed-WindbladeLadyShazraella.jpg|right|thumb|150px|[[George Takei|Oh, My.]]]]

Back at Autobot City, the efforts to communicate with Metrotitan continued, until Pyra Magna happened to suggest that the Titan was simply not willing to talk with anyone... except a Prime. Unsure of Metrotitan's true intentions and unwilling to endanger Optimus, Windblade merged her mind with Metrotitan's. The Titan wasn't happy to be communicating with her; he explained that he was merely trying to pass on a message from one of the Thirteen before shunting Windblade's consciousness into [[Microspace]], where she encountered [[Micronus Prime]]. The Prime told her that she would have to experience his message for herself - and so her new avatar was set adrift in the [[entropy cloud]]. The evil [[Baron Karza]] soon found the young Camien and had her interrogated by his wife [[Shazraella|Lady Shazraella]]; there, Windblade learned about the war that threatened the stability of the Microverse. One of Shazraella's handmaidens sacrificed herself to set Windblade free as soon as her mistress's back was turned, allowing Windblade's avatar to fade away and return her consciousness to her normal body. Optimus was hesitant to follow through on her plea to help Microspace, as the Prime had misgivings about her plan. Unable to blaspheme against Optimus Prime, Windblade grudgingly promised to follow her Prime and understand his motives. {{storylink|Informed}}

[[File:OShipOfState-Windblade.jpg|left|thumb|300px|You can feel the cyber-spittle splattering from here.]]
When the Transformers and Rom convened to strategize, Windblade argued that helping Microspace should be their top priority - a sentiment that Soundwave agreed with, believing that everything had to be connected. Optimus took command and decided that the Autobots would need to help Earth first. When Rom took matters into his own hands by sending Ore-13 through Metrotitan's space bridge to put them beyond the reach of the Wraiths, the Autobots moved to stop the Space Knight, and Optimus realized the error of his ways, resolving that they would have to find a way to save both worlds. {{storylink|O Ship of State}} Meanwhile, [[Snake-Eyes]] had infiltrated Autobot City and distracted Windblade long enough to sneak into the complex. There, he encountered Arcee and the recently arrived ''[[Heliopolis]]''; crew member [[Acroyear (Micronaut)|Acroyear]] joined the fight and drew the attention of the three Cybertronians. When Windblade investigated the tiny spaceship, she recognized the lifeforms from her own adventures within that realm. {{storylink|The New Colossus}} Things only got worse when Karza showed up in their universe, and fused with the Dire Wraiths and the technology of [[M.A.S.K.]] to form a gigantic super-powered colossus. Windblade realized that the monster was speaking Ancient Cybertronian. Following an impromptu team-up with the resident do-gooders, the team hatched a plan to send Karza back to whence he had came; Windblade used her cityspeaking talents to activate Metrotitan's flight mode, and lifted the entire city to safety. {{storylink|Valley Forge}}

After saving Earth and ensuring that the Autobots and other local peacekeepers would keep the planet safe, Windblade returned to Cybertron feeling very unsure of her role in the future. [[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]] offered her reassurance but was cut off when both their communicators pinged alerting them to an emergency. Said emergency was a fleet of undead Titans bearing down on Cybertron. Bringing this information to the [[Council of Worlds]], Starscream declared a state of war. Windblade herself was ordered to [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] to assist him in the coming battle. She worked to rewire power to his combat functions but was unable to warn him in time before he was tackled down by his undead brethren with herself trapped inside him. {{storylink|Ping}} Windblade was soon joined by [[Lightbright (G1)|Lightbright]] and the two disconnected Metroplex's brain module so that the undead would think Metroplex had perished. Regrouping at the [[Spire]], Starscream informed everyone that despite his repeated pleas, Elita One would ''not'' transform Carcer to robot mode. At wit's end, Windblade proposed a risky plan to sneak aboard Carcer with either herself or Lightbright manually reactivating the Titan in the hope that he could be reasoned with to provide the additional firepower to save Cybertron. After Lightbright had been given a holographic disguise to look like Windblade, the group boarded Carcer with Devastator acting as a distraction. {{storylink|Desperate Times}}
[[File:DesperateTimes-CarcerTeam.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Dramatic theme music goes here.]]

With Lightbright's team acting as a distraction, Windblade's managed to access the Titan's [[Brain module|brain module]] only to be confronted by [[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]] who had anticipated their actions. Windblade's team however managed to incapacitate Obsidian and she reactivated and merged with the brain module to try and convince Carcer to help. Much to her horror however, she learned that the Titan was neither Carcer or [[Tempo]] but Vigilem. {{storylink|Desperate Measures}} As the evil Titan was slow to reawaken after so long, Windblade seized the opportunity to take control of his body and puppeteer it to Cybertron to fight off the undead horde. The strain of fighting off Vigilem's influence and the undead horde proved taxing on Windblade and Vigilem was able to retake partial control and agreed to a temporary ceasefire to destroy the undead so that Vigilem himself could later destroy Cybertron. When the last of the undead fell, Vigilem tried to kill Metroplex but Windblade forced him away and then shifted her mental energies to try and stop him from freeing [[Liege Maximo]]. Were it not for the last of the undead distracting her, she may very well have succeeded but Vigilem used her moment of weakness to seize control of ''both'' their bodies. When Elita arrived to destroy Vigilem's brain, the Titan downloaded his mind into Windblade's sending her into stasis lock. {{storylink|If I Know You}} To the outside world however, Windblade appeared dead. {{storylink|Rubicon}}
[[File:Rubicon - Evil Windblade.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Team Evil: they're ''always'' hiring!]]

Her body was brought to a hospital where [[Windblade's doctor|a doctor]] deduced that Vigilem's mind was inside Windblade's own. Within their shared mindscape, Windblade fled from Vigilem's massive mental avatar who tried to convince her to merge their Sparks into one so they could both survive. Galvanized, Windblade attacked the evil Titan and swore to be his prison and would gladly die if it meant his death. Vigilem managed to convince Windblade that the two were not so different as Windblade herself had made countless morally grey choices and despite Starscream's worsening mental state, neither Optimus nor Elita were ideal replacements. Offering again to merge with her, Vigilem asked if Windblade had fallen from grace or simply opened her optics to the true nature of the world. {{storylink|If I Know You}}

{{spoiler|Your First Mistake|September 9}}

Windblade instead doubled down on her attempts at containing Vigilem. Resigned to the fact that she could not defeat him, Windblade opted to defend her brain module until her mind collapsed and killed them both. The stalemate continued until Starscream made a heroic entrance into her mind by blasting Vigilem in the back and announcing he'd selflessly come to help her. Far from being grateful, Windblade raged at Starscream for overlooking the major risk in his plan before Vigilem shot her and proceeded to take [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]'s form before smashing into Starscream's mind. Exasperated at Starscream, Windblade followed into a mental representation of [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]] where she scooped up Starscream's spark before the evil Titan could destroy it. Thinking his foe destroyed, Vigilem began rewriting the Seeker's mind while Windblade glimpsed Starscream's memories and was horrified at the process of cold construction by which he was created. Glimpsing Starscream's spark being placed in one of many identical, pre-built bodies, she speculated Starscream's constant changing of bodies was his attempt to escape the feeling of not belonging that came of not having been Forged. Summoning a mental copy of the [[Forge of Solus Prime]], Windblade began forging Starscream's "true" form out of his spark, each strike summoning a spectre of a Cybertronian who'd had a great impact on Starscream's life to fight off Vigilem before Starscream's mental avatar reformed as a towering version of his "true form", which promptly stomped on Vigilem. Assuming her own titanic form, Windblade shoved Vigilem into her own spark to burn away his impurities until the truth of him was found. Befitting the Titan of [[Liege Maximo]], there was no truth to be found and he was destroyed.

Returning to the waking world, Windblade cheekily smiled at Starscream and told him that by helping him find his truth, she'd found her own as well and would no longer be a mouthpiece for others, but instead her own bot. {{storylink|Your First Mistake}}

When [[Earth]] had chosen [[Marissa Faireborn|an ambassador]], Windblade attended the ceremony to commemorate Earth's joining the [[Council of Worlds]]. Before Starscream could give a speech, an explosion sent the crowd into a panic. As security conducted evacuations, Windblade noticed someone standing stock still and went aid them only to find a false Cybertronian filled with Red Shadow robots. She communicated this to Ironhide, who authorized lethal force. {{storylink|First Strike issue 1|First Strike #1}}

{{--}}

===''Kre-O'' online comic===
[[File:Windblade-KreO.jpg|upright=0.6|thumb]]
Windblade was one of several Autobots under attack by [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]. {{storylink|New Military Unit Combaticon! Bruticus, Combine!}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers Legends'' comic===
[[File:Legends Business Trip 12 Windblade.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|The fan of the Windblade.]]
Windblade, "little sister" to [[Nijika]], was created by the [[Zamojin (species)|Zamojin]] to keep watch on their dream world of the [[Legends Universe]], where wishes could come true. When it was decided that the experiment had come to a conclusion, Windblade announced the universe's imminent destruction to its denizens and used her fans to form a devastating storm. [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], realizing that the universe could grant any wish, summoned [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] to his world; the gigantic robot pulled Windblade from the sky, causing her to reset in the process and forget all about her mission. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 12|Bonus Edition Vol. 12}}

[[File:TFLegendsAutobotsHalloweenCostumes.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|Darn it Japan! Wait, 80% of me ''is'' Japan.]]
Without any memory, Windblade fell into a waitress job at a "little sister cafe" in [[Akihabara]], where she proved skilled at selling very expensive lunches to adoring customers. She also ended up squatting at [[Tigatron]]'s home, much to the chagrin of [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]]. {{storylink|Windblade Sequel}} Windblade was among the dimensionally-displaced Autobots and [[Transformers sickness]]-afflicted Maximals who gathered to defend the Legends Universe from the intruding [[Slipstream (Animated)|Slipstream]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 16|Bonus Edition Vol. 16}} During [[Halloween]], she dressed up as a schoolgirl to attend a Halloween party with Tigatron and Airazor, but they were interrupted by the trick-or-treating Slipstream, [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]], and [[Nightbird (G1)|Nightbird Shadow]]. Windblade teamed up with the similarly dressed up [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] to stop the Decepticons' antics, but all three were defeated and tied up by Blackarachnia. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 17|Bonus Edition Vol. 17}}

As the spirit energy generated by [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Armada Megatron]]'s greed empowered the Zamojin, they began working to regain control of Windblade, causing her to fall ill. She collapsed in the street, prompting the nearby [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Armada Starscream]] to fill in for her at the cafe. When she arrived there herself, she had fallen back under her makers' control and was muttering that she would destroy the world. Getting a hold of herself, she explained the situation to Starscream, lamenting that she was enjoying her new life in the Legends world and didn't want to destroy it. Starscream set out to put at end to Megatron's ambition, but warned Windblade that if it bad came to worse, he'd stop her himself. {{storylink|LG-18 Armada Starscream Super Mode Prologue}}

Megatron would not give up on his desires, however, and the Zamojin were able to take full control of Windblade. Starscream was ready to sacrifice himself to destroy her in a bid to save the world, but [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] found an alternate solution that led to both Megatron and Starscream being returned to their own universe. Restored to normal, Windblade was left chastising the local toy nerds for being just as greedy as Megatron when it came to rare toys. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 18|Bonus Edition Vol. 18}} When [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] arrived in the Legends Universe, Windblade and Chromia were ''very'' impressed with his handsome new body. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 19|Bonus Edition Vol. 19}} She was later caught up in another [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]'s attack on the city after he was turned into the insane [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 23|Bonus Edition Vol. 23}} Windblade was harassed by [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] while acting as cheerleader at a soccer game, {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 29|Bonus Edition Vol. 29}} and witnessed [[Weirdwolf (G1)|Weirdwolf]]'s living [[transtector]] run away from him. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 30|Bonus Edition Vol. 30}}
{{-}}

===''TransTech''===
Two separate Windblades were members of a crowd of countless off-worlders in [[Axiom Nexus]]'s Under City on the morning of the [[Waruder]] invasion. One of them had [[Windblade (G1)#Legends|black thighs]], the other had [[Windblade (G1)#Generations|red thighs]]. {{storylink|Cybertron's Most Wanted}}
{{--}}

===''Combiner Wars'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Abby Trott]]}}

[[File:PreludeToCombinerWarsWindblade-Windblade.jpg|left|thumb|300px|I'll cry when I'm done killing.]]

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Prelude to Transformers: Combiner Wars - Windblade}} {{storylink|The Fall}} {{storylink|The Council}} {{storylink|The Duel}} {{storylink|Unforgotten}} {{storylink|Homecoming (CW)|Homecoming}} {{storylink|A War of Giants}} {{storylink|Darkest Hour (CW)|Darkest Hour}} {{storylink|Destruction's Dawn}}}}

==Games==
===Transformers Legends===
Windblade and [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] were dispatched from the ''[[Lost Light]]'' to explore a distant planet. There they met a group of Decepticons, and joined forces with them to battle their mutual foes, the Ammonites. Though several Ammonite attacks were thwarted by the alliance, soon differing opinions caused infighting in the group. Eventually, both the Ammonites and the Decepticons were defeated, and the two Autobots returned to their spaceship. {{storylink|Into the Abyss}}

===''Transformers: Battle Tactics''===
[[File:Battle-Tactics-Windblade.jpg|thumb|thumb|upright=2|"Hi, I'm Windblade!"]]
Windblade participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of her! She was an Epic character who could be recruited by collecting 500 units of Cybermetal, 250 units of Transmetal, and 50 cores of this character. {{storylink|Transformers: Battle Tactics}}
{{--}}

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
[[File:Windblade-Earth-Wars.jpg|thumb|upright=2|I'm a main character! RESPECT MAH ATHORITAH! ]]
{{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars}}
*'''Class:''' Special
*'''Lowest Star Rating:''' 2 star (was 3 star)
*'''Weaponry:''' Wind has a rifle she fires a few shots from before slashing a target with her sword.
*'''Ability: Quick Strike:''' - Fires 6 rockets at a target, then lands nearby an empty space and engages it!
**'''Cost:''' 5 ability points +2 for reuses.

[http://wiki.transformersearthwars.com/character:windblade| Windblade at Transformers : Earth Wars Wiki]

{{-}}

===''Transformers: Forged to Fight''===
[[File:Windblade-Forged-to-Fight.jpg|thumb|300px]]
Windblade was one of the Autobots pulled from [[The Transformers (franchise)|her universe]] by the [[Quintesson|Quintessons]] and forced to fight. She eventually joins the [[You|Commander]]. There are at least a few of her running around! {{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight}}
[[File:ForgedToFight-Windbladepromo.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1]|she can defeat cybertronians, but can she defeat AIRMAN?]]
A controlled Windblade was under the tutelage of Bludgeon. {{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight|The Way of the Blade}}
Windblade was again exposed to a refined strain of Dark Energon as a test by the Quintesson Scientist, Hearing deafening voices in her head. Optimus urged her to focus and overcome the Dark Energon's effects of amplifying her cityspeaking ability, but she said the voices compel her to focus on his destruction. She believed the spirits of the Titans demand retribution for the wars and destruction wrought by Optimus. Optimus again urged her to resist the figments of her delusion, but she sought vengeance. Oddly, the Commander had a final showdown with Mirage instead of her. {{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight|Voices}}

*'''Class:''' Scout
*'''Basic Abilities'''
**''Passive''
***25% more Critical Hits on sword attacks.
***Windblade evades Ranged Attacks in jet mode.
**''Critical Sword Attack:'' 53-66% chance to '''Bleed''', dealing 30-68% damage over 4 seconds.
**''On Bleeding Opponent:''
***Ranged Attacks have a 35% chance to '''Stun''' for 1.5 seconds.
***Inflicting 4 Bleed stacks Stuns the opponent for 2 seconds once until the opponent's active Bleeds expire.
*'''Signature Ability: Resolution''' - Windblade's desire to finish the fight increases Critical Rate based on opponent's lost Health.
*'''Special Attacks'''
#'''Circuit Slicer''' - ''An experiment to see what kinds of shockwaves enemies make as they're slammed to the ground.'' - Stormfall Blast inflicts '''Shock''' for 20-60% Attack over 2-6 seconds. If the opponent activates a Power Gain effect, '''Power Failure''' will activate, Neutralizing and instant 90% attack will be inflicted as Shock Damage.
#'''Sword Dance''' - ''They'll be awe-struck, and sword-struck.'' - Attacks '''Armor Pierce''' 100% of the opponent's current Armor for 6 seconds.
#'''Strafing Run''' - ''Blow them apart from every direction.'' - 35% chance to Stun for 3 seconds.
*'''Synergy Bonuses'''
**'''Allies''' with Ironhide - +1-8% Armor.
**'''Swordmasters''' with Bludgeon and Drift - 3-10% Critical Damage for each non-critical Sword Attack until the next Critical Hit. +6-12% more Critical Hits in Solo Missions.
**'''Sky Assault''' with Waspinator - Opponents' Evade is decreased by 7-25%.
{{charstubgames}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===Generations===
====Thrilling 30====
[[File:Generationstoy-Windblade.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Built by the fans, for the fans, and... incorporating fans.]]
*'''Windblade''' (Deluxe, 2014)
**'''30 OF 30'''
**''Series / Number'': '''02 / #019'''
**''Accessories'': "[[Stormfall Sword]]", scabbard, tessen

:Part of the tenth wave of 2012-onwards ''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' Deluxe Class toys, ''[[Thrilling 30]]'' Windblade transforms from a jet with tilting, spinning VTOL fans and fold in front landing gear, into a robot with 'facepaint' evocative of Japanese [[Wikipedia:Kabuki|Kabuki]] theatre makeup. She comes with the Stormfall Sword, a translucent blade with a turbine at the hilt, which she can hold via its [[5mm post]]. The sword sheathes into the included scabbard, which can be held or tabbed onto slots on her thighs and back/cockpit sides, as well as be stored underneath her jet mode. Her headdress can also detach and be used as a "tessen" fan. A port under her nosecone is compatible with some action figure stands.

:She comes packaged with a copy of "[[Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8]]", and has a designated number as part of the ''Thrilling 30'' line.

:Care must be taken when detaching her headdress, as its painted ''and'' clear-plastic nature makes it very tight and susceptible to breakage. It must be pulled/wiggled '''back''', not pulled up as the [[instructions]] say.

:She was retooled to create ''Legends'' [[Slipstream (Animated)#Legends|Slipstream]], who was then redecoed into [[BotCon 2016]] souvenir [[Airazor (BW)#Combiner Wars|Airazor]]. This mold also served as the basis of the non-toy ''[[Beast Wars: Uprising]]'' incarnation of [[Stiletto (BW)#Beast Wars: Uprising|Stiletto]] and the ''[[Transformers: Combiner Wars (cartoon)|Combiner Wars]]'' character [[Maxima]].

::*''[http://tfu.info/2014/Autobot/GenWindblade/windblade.htm More information on Windblade at TFU.info]''

====Combiner Wars====
{{anchor|CHunters}}
[[File:Transformers-SDCC-Combiner-Hunters-Windblade.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|I'll kill You!...Just as soon as I figure out how to hold this thing.]]
*'''Combiner Hunters''' (gift set, 2015)
**''Accessories'': "Stormfall Sword," scabbard, tessen, Spectrospear

:The ''Combiner Hunters'' [[redeco]] of Windblade not only has many of her coloring details changed, but in fact mostly stands out for its new accessory: a gigantic [[Spectrospear]] pole-arm which is taller than Windblade herself. The tooling for this weapon was originally used for the 16"-tall electronic version of ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' ''[[Titan Heroes]]'' [[Bumblebee (WFC)/toys|Bumblebee]].

:This version of Windblade was only available in a [[giftset|gift set]] together with ''Combiner Hunters'' redecos of ''Generations'' [[Arcee (G1)/toys#CHunters|Arcee]] and [[Chromia (G1)#CHunters|Chromia]], each with their own giant new melee weapons. In the U.S., this set was [[exclusive]] to the [[Hasbro Toy Shop]] website and the Hasbro Toy Shop booth at [[San Diego Comic-Con]] 2015. In Asia, it was also available at Animation-Comic-Game Hong Kong 2015 and subsequently stocked by Toys"R"Us Hong Kong. Later, it was also available at The Falcon's Hangar booth at Singapore Toy, Game & Comic Convention 2015.

{{anchor|TitanForce}}
====Titans Return====
[[File:TF-Generations-Titans-Return-Titan-Force-Windblade.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|And next year, Hasbro will release a ''different'' version of me in an exclusive three pack.]]
*'''Titan Force''' (Gift set, [[2016]])
**''Accessories:'' Sword, Sheath

:Titan Force Windblade is a redeco of ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Windblade (RID)#WarriorClass|Warrior Class Windblade]] in a colour scheme reminiscent of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. She was only available in a [[giftset|gift set]] together with ''Titan Force'' redecoes of [[Sentinel Prime (G1)#TitanForce|Sentinel Prime]] and [[Brainstorm (G1)#TitanForce|Brainstorm]],

:In the United States, this set was [[exclusive]] to the [[Hasbro Toy Shop]] website and the Hasbro Toy Shop booth at [[San Diego Comic-Con]] 2016. In the United Kingdom, it was exclusive to the A1 Toys website and their booth at London Film & Comic Con 2016 (with Brainstorm renamed into "Charon" for [[trademark]] reasons); in China, it was exclusive to Cybertron Con Shanghai; in Hong Kong, it was exclusive to Animation-Comic-Game 2016; and in Canada, it was exclusive to the HasbroStore booth at Fan Expo 2016.

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[[File:TitansReturn-Windblade.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|And then Hasbro said, "Wait, we can make ''anyone'' into Titan Masters?"]]
*'''Scorchfire & Windblade''' (Deluxe, [[2017]])
**''Accessories'': Swords, Titan Master

: Windblade is an extensive [[retool]] of ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' Deluxe Class [[Highbrow (G1)#Generations|Highbrow]] (who was already an extensive retool of the same line's [[Scourge (G1)/toys#TitansReturn|Scourge]], the three only sharing the innermost torso assemblies and the upper legs), transforming into a VTOL jet. She comes with the [[Titan Master]] [[Scorchfire]], who fits into her vehicle mode cockpit and transforms into her robot mode head. As with other ''Titans Return'' toys, Windblade can accommodate any Titan Master figure in both robot and vehicle mode. Windblade's two swords can stow on her back or combine into a larger weapon/Titan Master vehicle which can also attach just behind the cockpit in jet mode.

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===Legends===
[[File:Legends Windblade.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Better red than dead.]]
*'''Windblade''' (Deluxe, 2015-[[February 14|02-14]])
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''LG12'''
**''Accessories:'' Sword, scabbard, tessen

:''[[Transformers Legends (franchise)|Legends]]'' Windblade is a redeco of ''Thrilling 30'' Windblade with various changes in color layout, mostly in [[Alternate mode|vehicle mode]] which features much more red. Her wings and much of her fuselage are cast in red, pushing most of the black to her tail section and some highlights such as around the VTOL fans. Her nosecone features more extensive white paint and some new yellow eye-like markings on her nosecone, as well as a translucent dark blue canopy. In [[robot mode]] she has some changes to be more comic-accurate, like a slightly different hue of her Stormfall blade, red pelvis with black upper legs and much more accurate facepaint.

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==Notes==
[[File:Windblade concept.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|The face of [[democracy]].]]

*Windblade is the first "officially fan-created" Transformer ever, the culmination of [[Hasbro]]'s "[[Fan Built Bot]]" initiative program. Two polls on Hasbro's official website allowed fans to determine her character and physical traits (well, ''most'' of her traits - her [[Japan]]ese motifs ''weren't'' an option in the poll and seem to be the work of the design team).
**From [[April 18]]th to [[May 5]]th, 2013,<ref>http://investor.hasbro.com/releasedetail.cfm?releaseid=757648</ref> fans decided her faction (Autobot over Decepticon), alternate mode (jet over car, truck, tank, spaceship, terran beast [land], avian beast [airborne], helicopter, motorcycle, and construction), signature weapon (sword over blaster cannon, flame thrower, mace, spear/harpoon, morning star, Cybertronian taser, nunchucks, crossbow, and long-range blaster), color scheme (red & black over green & gold, blue & silver, orange & white, or purple & bronze) and personality (valiant over sneaky, hotshot, secretive, wild man, and grumpy).<ref>http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-fan-built-bot-poll/27089/</ref>
**From [[May 10]]th to [[May 17]]th, fans voted on name (Windblade over Autobot Eclipse, Charon, Centuritron, Cashtron, Autobot Wraith), gender (female over male), origin (from Kaon over Iacon, Altihex, Kalis, and Praxus) and specialty (telepath over combat medic, bodyguard, recon, and close combat specialist).<ref>http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-fan-built-bot-poll-second-round/27272/</ref>
**Subsequently, Windblade was revealed at [[San Diego Comic-Con|San Diego Comic-Con 2013]], where concept sketches of her (and the piece of finished art to the right) were part of the ''Transformers'' brand presentation.
**Some of the concepts that fans voted for were tweaked or outright dropped when Windblade made her official debut. Rather than hailing from Kaon, she originated on the planet Caminus. Instead of being broadly telepathic, Windblade's job was being a cityspeaker for Metroplex.
*Concept sketches at San Diego Comic-Con showed that European knight (with visor, arm shield, and fencing foil-esque sword) and Roman warrior (with twin swords) concepts for Windblade were considered before her Japanese stylings were finalized. A different pre-production sketch gave her a Japanese hand-fan weapon in addition to her sword. Speaking of her Japanese motifs, her finalized helmet was apparently designed to resemble the hairstyle commonly worn by the ''[[wikipedia:onna bugeisha|onna bugeisha]]'', the upper-class warrior-women of feudal Japan.
*At [[Toy Fair 2014]], Windblade was noted as being the handiwork of designer [[Lenny Panzica]], who put "probably five times as much energy" into her as the rest of his workload. A [https://www.facebook.com/transformers/posts/723592181044312 gallery] of his work was posted by Hasbro on Facebook.
*Her name works on many levels: "Wind Blade" is a real variety of industrial fan blade; she turns into a jet with VTOL turbofans; Hasbro designers had said they envisioned her coursing more energy into her sword blade through a spinning turbine fan in the hilt; She has a tessen, or iron fan; and, of course, she was the fans' choice character.
*Like all non-toy robot Kreons in the ''Kre-O'' manga, Windblade is made from existing ''Kre-O'' parts. She uses the [[Mirage (G1)/toys#Kre-O|Mirage]] helmet, the [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Kre-O|Starscream]] wing-pack and the curved blade first used by [[Insecticon (WFC)#Kre-O|Insecticon]] and [[Rampage (G1)#Kre-O|Rampage]].

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Windblade''' (ウインドブレード ''Uindoburēdo'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Fēngrèn''' (风刃, "Windblade")

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{i|Windblade}} at the IDW Hasbro Wiki

[[Category:Caminus]]
[[Category:Combiner Wars]]
[[Category:Council members]]
[[Category:Fandom]]
[[Category:Female Transformers]]
[[Category:Generations]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Kre-O Autobots]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Legends Autobots]]
[[Category:Titans Return]]
[[Category:TransTech Autobots]]