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Stormbringer issue 1

2022-03-14T08:32:47Z

JDspeeder1: /* Transformers references */

{{Comicstory
|series=stormbringer|issueno=1
|prev=Infiltration issue 6
|next=Stormbringer issue 2
|image=Stormbringer 1b.jpg
|caption=Thunderwing—that's hot!
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[July 19]], [[2006]]
|coverdate=July 2006
|story by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[Don Figueroa]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Robbie Robbins]]
|edits by=[[Chris Ryall]] & [[Dan Taylor (IDW)|Dan Taylor]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2006-7|2006-7]]
}}
'''An unidentified energy source is discovered on a long abandoned world... Cybertron.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Stormbringer1 Jetfire Strafe.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6]]
''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] is a 'bot haunted by millennia of war: even now, centuries later, he's unable to forget the horrific images of an apocalyptic figure rising from the flames—a monster, he remembers, that they were responsible for creating.''

In the present day, the crew of the [[Autobot]] science vessel ''[[Calabi-Yau]]'' arrive over a dead, lifeless planet: their home world of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. [[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] reveals to his captain [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] that the ''Calabi-Yau'' has detected something completely unexpected: an energy source, 700 years after their world was declared uninhabitable. [[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] confirms his shipmate's theory, and the crew assemble to analyze these findings. Nosecone confirms that this anomalous energy source is, in fact, [[energon]], a pocket of leftover fuel, he postulates, that's been contaminated by exotic material from somewhere else in the galaxy after the destruction of Cybertron's atmosphere. Jetfire is intrigued by the idea that Cybertron could be gradually healing itself from "what was done," and decides to take some crew members to investigate further.

The ''Calabi-Yau'' touches down over a rubble-strewn canyon as Jetfire, [[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]], [[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]], and [[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] disembark. The four Autobots are glad to have returned to Cybertron after centuries away, but their home has changed greatly in their absence: radiation storms scour the planet, and the Autobots are forced to adjust their personal shield harmonics just to stay alive in the wasteland. The radiation plays havoc with their instrument readouts, making it impossible to track the energon signature from the surface; Jetfire radios the ''Calabi-Yau'', back in orbit, so Afterburner can track it from above. As he does so, however, the group comes to a massive ravine: [[Thunderhead Pass]], the place where it "all fell apart..."

''On Cybertron, many years ago, [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] pulls Optimus Prime out of the rubble. Their mutual adversary has breached their siege walls, and Megatron tells his old enemy to get up and fight, because it's now or never for the both of them.''

[[File:Stormbringer1 Searchlight OptimusPrime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
At the [[Autobot Orbital Command Hub]], Optimus Prime receives a message from [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'s unit on [[Earth]]. It informs him that the [[Decepticon]] [[Infiltration protocol|infiltration unit]] has enacted [[Infiltration protocol|siege mode]] prematurely (as seen in ''[[Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration #3]]''). Prime orders [[Searchlight (G1)|Searchlight]] to keep him informed of the situation while, despite his misgivings, he thinks back to that "adversary..."

As the Autobot explorers deploy their scientific equipment and set up a probe, [[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]] grows concerned about the possible effects their snooping will have. Jetfire has his own doubts about the situation, but he's adamant that they must do all they can do to prevent any similar disaster from happening again. Indeed, Jetfire thinks back to how he and the others ignored all the warnings...

''In a holographic conference, [[Decepticon]] scientist [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] has messaged Cybertron's top minds, both Autobot and Decepticon, to discuss the future. The [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] and its need for resources has taken its toll on the planet, and the lack of energon, contraction of the planet's core, and the dissolution of its atmosphere has led [[Bludgeon (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Bludgeon]] to conclude that their homeworld is, in effect, dying. [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] rejects Thunderwing's hypothesis, and Thunderwing tells him that he can either follow his lead or die when Cybertron can no longer support life.''

[[File:Stormbringer1 Lightspeed attacked.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Comin' out of nowhere, drivin' like rain; Stormbringer dance on the thunder again!]]
The Autobot survey team launches a probe into the depths of Thunderhead Pass; as they prepare to move out in advance of an oncoming particle storm, Lightspeed is blasted by an unseen attacker and taken out of commission, and the other three Autobots try to get their bearings before Scattershot realizes the truth: their enemies are invisible! In orbit, Nosecone and Afterburner try to restore contact with their comrades, until a missile volley launched from Cybertron destroys the ''Calabi-Yau'' as the two Autobots scramble for an emergency escape pod.

''During the Cybertronian apocalypse, Autobot and Decepticon are united against a mysterious, flame-wreathed figure: the avatar of the catastrophe. The combined might of the Transformers is ineffectual against it; in the end, the planet itself seems to swallow up the figure.''
From his position aboard the command hub, Optimus wonders if their sin can stay buried... and Jetfire, waking up deep beneath the surface of Cybertron, gets the answer, as he discovers a group of strange mechanoids worshiping a massive, inert winged figure—a figure they call "Thunderwing!"
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] (2)
*[[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] (3)
*[[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] (4)
*[[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]] (5)
*[[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] (6)
*[[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]] (7)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] (9)
*[[Searchlight (G1)|Searchlight]] (10)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]/"[[Bluster]]" (11, see [[#Errors]])
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (12)
*''[[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]]'' (13)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (16)''
*''[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]'' (23)
*[[Siren (G1)|Siren]] (24)
*[[Overdrive]] (25)
*[[Downshift (G1)|Downshift]] (26)
*[[Groundbreaker]] (27)
*[[Gunrunner (G1)|Gunrunner]] (28)
*[[Kick-Off (G1)|Kick-Off]] (29)
*[[Pincher (G1)|Pincher]] (30)
*[[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] (31)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*''[[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]'' (1)
*''[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'' (8)
*''[[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]]'' (14)
*''[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]]'' (15)
*[[Iguanus (G1)|Iguanus]] (17)
*[[Finback]] (18)
*[[Skullgrin]] (19)
*[[Bomb-Burst (G1)|Bomb-Burst]] (20)
*[[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] (21)
*''[[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]'' (22)
}}

==Quotes==
"We'll need to rotate personal shield harmonics just to maintain the most '''basic''' epidermal integrity. '''Hardly''' what I'd call a pleasant stroll down Memory Lane."
:—'''Strafe'''

"I see '''the end'''. But the shuddering, lurching instant brings scant comfort. For I know, deep down... it '''never''' ends."
:—'''Optimus Prime'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Our first look at Cybertron—it is a dark, hellish wasteland with enormous killer storms, constant lightning, and an utterly ruined surface.
*Optimus Prime is seen here receiving [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]]'s secret transmission, which was beamed to the Autobot leader during [[Infiltration issue 4|''Infiltration'' #3]].
*The Matrix makes its first blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance in IDW continuity during Optimus Prime's first flashback to the past; the way it's depicted inside Prime's chest panel is possibly a visual homage to Furman and Figueroa's work in ''[[Transformers: The War Within|The War Within]]''.

===Transformers references===
*Cybertron being an energy-starved wasteland hearkens back to the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original Generation 1 cartoon]]; here, however, Cybertron is reimagined as being so inhospitable that it's fundamentally incapable of supporting Transformer life. A similar backstory found its way into the development of the later [[Aligned continuity family]].
*When Jetfire, who normally uses his cartoon-and-comic-accurate humanoid face, sets foot on Cybertron, the visored, masked appearance of his toy is reimagined as a protective helmet. Jetfire's design here would be the first glimpse at the design for what would become ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'' Jetfire. The fans rejoiced... and complained.
*While IDW's debut ''Infiltration'' mini-series had a reader-friendly 1984-based cast, ''Stormbringer'' does a deeper dive into the franchise's history. Cast members include characters drawn from the ranks of [[Pretenders]], [[Omnibots]], [[Action Masters]], [[Throttlebots]], and more.

===Errors===
[[File:Bluster.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Twincast? Twinblast? Whatever.]]
*On the cover, Jetfire sports Autobot symbols from a fan-made font, one that erroneously gives the symbol three hashes on each side of the forehead instead of two.
*The placement of symbols is particularly bad in this issue, with the contours rarely conforming to the contours of the surface they're placed on. In fact, the symbols on Jetfire are so badly photoshopped in they actually erase some of Don Figueroa's pencilling near the edges of the symbols.
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] can be seen aboard the Autobot Orbital Command Hub; while not an error at the time of printing, the later ''[[Spotlight: Blaster]]'' would establish a history that's irreconcilable with this cameo. Author [[Simon Furman]], tongue firmly in cheek, would later "fix" this mistake by declaring that this 'bot here is Blaster's [[twin]] brother, [[Bluster]].
*In the flashback on page 7, Megatron's chest is missing the "squiggle" design seen in all the other flashbacks featuring him.
*On page 19, all three word balloons are attributed to Afterburner, though they read like they should be attributed to Afterburner, Nosecone, and then Afterburner again. This error was corrected when the issue was published in trade paperback.
*Optimus's narration on page 20 is missing a "we", reading "There is no hiding from it, from what did - and didn't - do."

===Other trivia===
*The Matrix appearing in Optimus Prime's chest was something of an error at the time of ''Stormbringer'''s initial publication; [[Simon Furman]]'s original pitch for the Matrix was that it had vanished into history with [[Nova Prime]]. Utimately, [[Shane McCarthy|later writers]] would overrule this pitch, while Phase Two of the IDW comics introduced a definitive history of the artifact, so it's all good now.
*The first few pages of this story were reprinted as part of a [[Free Comic Book Day]] issue by [[IDW Publishing]] on [[May 6]], [[2006]].

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Jetfire and the Technobots by [[Don Figueroa]] and [[Josh Burcham]]. This cover can be combined with similar ones from the other three issues to form a giant battle scene.
*'''Cover B:''' Thunderwing in flames by Don Figueroa and Josh Burcham.
*'''Cover RI-A:''' Cover A uncolored
<gallery>
File:Stormbringer 1a full.jpg|Jetfire ready to kick tailpipe and take names
File:Stormbringer 1b.jpg|Thunderwing is a [[Tracks (G1)|flamer]].
File:Stormbringer 1ria.jpg|Cover RI-A
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Optimus Prime ''Alternators'' toy]]
*[[Hearts of Steel issue 1|''Hearts of Steel'' #1]] + a 8-page preview
*Transformers posters (back cover)

===Reprints===
In addition to [[The Transformers: Stormbringer#Collections|collections of the full series]].
*N/A

Stormbringer issue 1

2022-03-14T08:23:23Z

JDspeeder1: /* Continuity notes */ Formatting; corrected issue #4 to #3 (according to the article on #3 from this wiki)

{{Comicstory
|series=stormbringer|issueno=1
|prev=Infiltration issue 6
|next=Stormbringer issue 2
|image=Stormbringer 1b.jpg
|caption=Thunderwing—that's hot!
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[July 19]], [[2006]]
|coverdate=July 2006
|story by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[Don Figueroa]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Robbie Robbins]]
|edits by=[[Chris Ryall]] & [[Dan Taylor (IDW)|Dan Taylor]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2006-7|2006-7]]
}}
'''An unidentified energy source is discovered on a long abandoned world... Cybertron.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Stormbringer1 Jetfire Strafe.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6]]
''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] is a 'bot haunted by millennia of war: even now, centuries later, he's unable to forget the horrific images of an apocalyptic figure rising from the flames—a monster, he remembers, that they were responsible for creating.''

In the present day, the crew of the [[Autobot]] science vessel ''[[Calabi-Yau]]'' arrive over a dead, lifeless planet: their home world of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. [[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] reveals to his captain [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] that the ''Calabi-Yau'' has detected something completely unexpected: an energy source, 700 years after their world was declared uninhabitable. [[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] confirms his shipmate's theory, and the crew assemble to analyze these findings. Nosecone confirms that this anomalous energy source is, in fact, [[energon]], a pocket of leftover fuel, he postulates, that's been contaminated by exotic material from somewhere else in the galaxy after the destruction of Cybertron's atmosphere. Jetfire is intrigued by the idea that Cybertron could be gradually healing itself from "what was done," and decides to take some crew members to investigate further.

The ''Calabi-Yau'' touches down over a rubble-strewn canyon as Jetfire, [[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]], [[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]], and [[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] disembark. The four Autobots are glad to have returned to Cybertron after centuries away, but their home has changed greatly in their absence: radiation storms scour the planet, and the Autobots are forced to adjust their personal shield harmonics just to stay alive in the wasteland. The radiation plays havoc with their instrument readouts, making it impossible to track the energon signature from the surface; Jetfire radios the ''Calabi-Yau'', back in orbit, so Afterburner can track it from above. As he does so, however, the group comes to a massive ravine: [[Thunderhead Pass]], the place where it "all fell apart..."

''On Cybertron, many years ago, [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] pulls Optimus Prime out of the rubble. Their mutual adversary has breached their siege walls, and Megatron tells his old enemy to get up and fight, because it's now or never for the both of them.''

[[File:Stormbringer1 Searchlight OptimusPrime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
At the [[Autobot Orbital Command Hub]], Optimus Prime receives a message from [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'s unit on [[Earth]]. It informs him that the [[Decepticon]] [[Infiltration protocol|infiltration unit]] has enacted [[Infiltration protocol|siege mode]] prematurely (as seen in ''[[Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration #3]]''). Prime orders [[Searchlight (G1)|Searchlight]] to keep him informed of the situation while, despite his misgivings, he thinks back to that "adversary..."

As the Autobot explorers deploy their scientific equipment and set up a probe, [[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]] grows concerned about the possible effects their snooping will have. Jetfire has his own doubts about the situation, but he's adamant that they must do all they can do to prevent any similar disaster from happening again. Indeed, Jetfire thinks back to how he and the others ignored all the warnings...

''In a holographic conference, [[Decepticon]] scientist [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] has messaged Cybertron's top minds, both Autobot and Decepticon, to discuss the future. The [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] and its need for resources has taken its toll on the planet, and the lack of energon, contraction of the planet's core, and the dissolution of its atmosphere has led [[Bludgeon (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Bludgeon]] to conclude that their homeworld is, in effect, dying. [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] rejects Thunderwing's hypothesis, and Thunderwing tells him that he can either follow his lead or die when Cybertron can no longer support life.''

[[File:Stormbringer1 Lightspeed attacked.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Comin' out of nowhere, drivin' like rain; Stormbringer dance on the thunder again!]]
The Autobot survey team launches a probe into the depths of Thunderhead Pass; as they prepare to move out in advance of an oncoming particle storm, Lightspeed is blasted by an unseen attacker and taken out of commission, and the other three Autobots try to get their bearings before Scattershot realizes the truth: their enemies are invisible! In orbit, Nosecone and Afterburner try to restore contact with their comrades, until a missile volley launched from Cybertron destroys the ''Calabi-Yau'' as the two Autobots scramble for an emergency escape pod.

''During the Cybertronian apocalypse, Autobot and Decepticon are united against a mysterious, flame-wreathed figure: the avatar of the catastrophe. The combined might of the Transformers is ineffectual against it; in the end, the planet itself seems to swallow up the figure.''
From his position aboard the command hub, Optimus wonders if their sin can stay buried... and Jetfire, waking up deep beneath the surface of Cybertron, gets the answer, as he discovers a group of strange mechanoids worshiping a massive, inert winged figure—a figure they call "Thunderwing!"
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] (2)
*[[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] (3)
*[[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] (4)
*[[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]] (5)
*[[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] (6)
*[[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]] (7)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] (9)
*[[Searchlight (G1)|Searchlight]] (10)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]/"[[Bluster]]" (11, see [[#Errors]])
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (12)
*''[[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]]'' (13)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (16)''
*''[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]'' (23)
*[[Siren (G1)|Siren]] (24)
*[[Overdrive]] (25)
*[[Downshift (G1)|Downshift]] (26)
*[[Groundbreaker]] (27)
*[[Gunrunner (G1)|Gunrunner]] (28)
*[[Kick-Off (G1)|Kick-Off]] (29)
*[[Pincher (G1)|Pincher]] (30)
*[[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] (31)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*''[[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]'' (1)
*''[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'' (8)
*''[[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]]'' (14)
*''[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]]'' (15)
*[[Iguanus (G1)|Iguanus]] (17)
*[[Finback]] (18)
*[[Skullgrin]] (19)
*[[Bomb-Burst (G1)|Bomb-Burst]] (20)
*[[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] (21)
*''[[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]'' (22)
}}

==Quotes==
"We'll need to rotate personal shield harmonics just to maintain the most '''basic''' epidermal integrity. '''Hardly''' what I'd call a pleasant stroll down Memory Lane."
:—'''Strafe'''

"I see '''the end'''. But the shuddering, lurching instant brings scant comfort. For I know, deep down... it '''never''' ends."
:—'''Optimus Prime'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Our first look at Cybertron—it is a dark, hellish wasteland with enormous killer storms, constant lightning, and an utterly ruined surface.
*Optimus Prime is seen here receiving [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]]'s secret transmission, which was beamed to the Autobot leader during [[Infiltration issue 4|''Infiltration'' #3]].
*The Matrix makes its first blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance in IDW continuity during Optimus Prime's first flashback to the past; the way it's depicted inside Prime's chest panel is possibly a visual homage to Furman and Figueroa's work in ''[[Transformers: The War Within|The War Within]]''.

===Transformers references===
*Cybertron being an energy-starved wasteland hearkens back to the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original Generation 1 cartoon]]; here, however, Cybertron is reimagined as being so inhospitable that it's fundamentally incapable of supporting Transformer life. A similar backstory found its way into the development of the later [[Aligned continuity family]].
*When Jetfire, who normally uses his cartoon-and-comic-accurate humanoid face, sets foot on Cybertron, the visored, masked appearance of his toy is reimagined as a protective helmet. Jetfire's design here would be the first glimpse at the design for what would become ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'' Jetfire. The fans rejoiced... and complained.
*While IDW's debut ''Infiltration'' mini-series had a reader-friendly 1984-based cast, ''Stormbringer'' does a deeper dive into the franchise's history. Cast members include characters drawn from the ranks of Pretenders, Omnibots, Action Masters, Throttlebots, and more.

===Errors===
[[File:Bluster.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Twincast? Twinblast? Whatever.]]
*On the cover, Jetfire sports Autobot symbols from a fan-made font, one that erroneously gives the symbol three hashes on each side of the forehead instead of two.
*The placement of symbols is particularly bad in this issue, with the contours rarely conforming to the contours of the surface they're placed on. In fact, the symbols on Jetfire are so badly photoshopped in they actually erase some of Don Figueroa's pencilling near the edges of the symbols.
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] can be seen aboard the Autobot Orbital Command Hub; while not an error at the time of printing, the later ''[[Spotlight: Blaster]]'' would establish a history that's irreconcilable with this cameo. Author [[Simon Furman]], tongue firmly in cheek, would later "fix" this mistake by declaring that this 'bot here is Blaster's [[twin]] brother, [[Bluster]].
*In the flashback on page 7, Megatron's chest is missing the "squiggle" design seen in all the other flashbacks featuring him.
*On page 19, all three word balloons are attributed to Afterburner, though they read like they should be attributed to Afterburner, Nosecone, and then Afterburner again. This error was corrected when the issue was published in trade paperback.
*Optimus's narration on page 20 is missing a "we", reading "There is no hiding from it, from what did - and didn't - do."

===Other trivia===
*The Matrix appearing in Optimus Prime's chest was something of an error at the time of ''Stormbringer'''s initial publication; [[Simon Furman]]'s original pitch for the Matrix was that it had vanished into history with [[Nova Prime]]. Utimately, [[Shane McCarthy|later writers]] would overrule this pitch, while Phase Two of the IDW comics introduced a definitive history of the artifact, so it's all good now.
*The first few pages of this story were reprinted as part of a [[Free Comic Book Day]] issue by [[IDW Publishing]] on [[May 6]], [[2006]].

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Jetfire and the Technobots by [[Don Figueroa]] and [[Josh Burcham]]. This cover can be combined with similar ones from the other three issues to form a giant battle scene.
*'''Cover B:''' Thunderwing in flames by Don Figueroa and Josh Burcham.
*'''Cover RI-A:''' Cover A uncolored
<gallery>
File:Stormbringer 1a full.jpg|Jetfire ready to kick tailpipe and take names
File:Stormbringer 1b.jpg|Thunderwing is a [[Tracks (G1)|flamer]].
File:Stormbringer 1ria.jpg|Cover RI-A
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Optimus Prime ''Alternators'' toy]]
*[[Hearts of Steel issue 1|''Hearts of Steel'' #1]] + a 8-page preview
*Transformers posters (back cover)

===Reprints===
In addition to [[The Transformers: Stormbringer#Collections|collections of the full series]].
*N/A

Stormbringer issue 1

2022-03-14T07:58:31Z

JDspeeder1: /* Synopsis */

{{Comicstory
|series=stormbringer|issueno=1
|prev=Infiltration issue 6
|next=Stormbringer issue 2
|image=Stormbringer 1b.jpg
|caption=Thunderwing—that's hot!
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[July 19]], [[2006]]
|coverdate=July 2006
|story by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[Don Figueroa]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Robbie Robbins]]
|edits by=[[Chris Ryall]] & [[Dan Taylor (IDW)|Dan Taylor]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2006-7|2006-7]]
}}
'''An unidentified energy source is discovered on a long abandoned world... Cybertron.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Stormbringer1 Jetfire Strafe.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6]]
''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] is a 'bot haunted by millennia of war: even now, centuries later, he's unable to forget the horrific images of an apocalyptic figure rising from the flames—a monster, he remembers, that they were responsible for creating.''

In the present day, the crew of the [[Autobot]] science vessel ''[[Calabi-Yau]]'' arrive over a dead, lifeless planet: their home world of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. [[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] reveals to his captain [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] that the ''Calabi-Yau'' has detected something completely unexpected: an energy source, 700 years after their world was declared uninhabitable. [[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] confirms his shipmate's theory, and the crew assemble to analyze these findings. Nosecone confirms that this anomalous energy source is, in fact, [[energon]], a pocket of leftover fuel, he postulates, that's been contaminated by exotic material from somewhere else in the galaxy after the destruction of Cybertron's atmosphere. Jetfire is intrigued by the idea that Cybertron could be gradually healing itself from "what was done," and decides to take some crew members to investigate further.

The ''Calabi-Yau'' touches down over a rubble-strewn canyon as Jetfire, [[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]], [[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]], and [[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] disembark. The four Autobots are glad to have returned to Cybertron after centuries away, but their home has changed greatly in their absence: radiation storms scour the planet, and the Autobots are forced to adjust their personal shield harmonics just to stay alive in the wasteland. The radiation plays havoc with their instrument readouts, making it impossible to track the energon signature from the surface; Jetfire radios the ''Calabi-Yau'', back in orbit, so Afterburner can track it from above. As he does so, however, the group comes to a massive ravine: [[Thunderhead Pass]], the place where it "all fell apart..."

''On Cybertron, many years ago, [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] pulls Optimus Prime out of the rubble. Their mutual adversary has breached their siege walls, and Megatron tells his old enemy to get up and fight, because it's now or never for the both of them.''

[[File:Stormbringer1 Searchlight OptimusPrime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
At the [[Autobot Orbital Command Hub]], Optimus Prime receives a message from [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'s unit on [[Earth]]. It informs him that the [[Decepticon]] [[Infiltration protocol|infiltration unit]] has enacted [[Infiltration protocol|siege mode]] prematurely (as seen in ''[[Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration #3]]''). Prime orders [[Searchlight (G1)|Searchlight]] to keep him informed of the situation while, despite his misgivings, he thinks back to that "adversary..."

As the Autobot explorers deploy their scientific equipment and set up a probe, [[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]] grows concerned about the possible effects their snooping will have. Jetfire has his own doubts about the situation, but he's adamant that they must do all they can do to prevent any similar disaster from happening again. Indeed, Jetfire thinks back to how he and the others ignored all the warnings...

''In a holographic conference, [[Decepticon]] scientist [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] has messaged Cybertron's top minds, both Autobot and Decepticon, to discuss the future. The [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] and its need for resources has taken its toll on the planet, and the lack of energon, contraction of the planet's core, and the dissolution of its atmosphere has led [[Bludgeon (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Bludgeon]] to conclude that their homeworld is, in effect, dying. [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] rejects Thunderwing's hypothesis, and Thunderwing tells him that he can either follow his lead or die when Cybertron can no longer support life.''

[[File:Stormbringer1 Lightspeed attacked.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Comin' out of nowhere, drivin' like rain; Stormbringer dance on the thunder again!]]
The Autobot survey team launches a probe into the depths of Thunderhead Pass; as they prepare to move out in advance of an oncoming particle storm, Lightspeed is blasted by an unseen attacker and taken out of commission, and the other three Autobots try to get their bearings before Scattershot realizes the truth: their enemies are invisible! In orbit, Nosecone and Afterburner try to restore contact with their comrades, until a missile volley launched from Cybertron destroys the ''Calabi-Yau'' as the two Autobots scramble for an emergency escape pod.

''During the Cybertronian apocalypse, Autobot and Decepticon are united against a mysterious, flame-wreathed figure: the avatar of the catastrophe. The combined might of the Transformers is ineffectual against it; in the end, the planet itself seems to swallow up the figure.''
From his position aboard the command hub, Optimus wonders if their sin can stay buried... and Jetfire, waking up deep beneath the surface of Cybertron, gets the answer, as he discovers a group of strange mechanoids worshiping a massive, inert winged figure—a figure they call "Thunderwing!"
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] (2)
*[[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] (3)
*[[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] (4)
*[[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]] (5)
*[[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] (6)
*[[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]] (7)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] (9)
*[[Searchlight (G1)|Searchlight]] (10)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]/"[[Bluster]]" (11, see [[#Errors]])
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (12)
*''[[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]]'' (13)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (16)''
*''[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]'' (23)
*[[Siren (G1)|Siren]] (24)
*[[Overdrive]] (25)
*[[Downshift (G1)|Downshift]] (26)
*[[Groundbreaker]] (27)
*[[Gunrunner (G1)|Gunrunner]] (28)
*[[Kick-Off (G1)|Kick-Off]] (29)
*[[Pincher (G1)|Pincher]] (30)
*[[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] (31)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*''[[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]'' (1)
*''[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'' (8)
*''[[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]]'' (14)
*''[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]]'' (15)
*[[Iguanus (G1)|Iguanus]] (17)
*[[Finback]] (18)
*[[Skullgrin]] (19)
*[[Bomb-Burst (G1)|Bomb-Burst]] (20)
*[[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] (21)
*''[[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]'' (22)
}}

==Quotes==
"We'll need to rotate personal shield harmonics just to maintain the most '''basic''' epidermal integrity. '''Hardly''' what I'd call a pleasant stroll down Memory Lane."
:—'''Strafe'''

"I see '''the end'''. But the shuddering, lurching instant brings scant comfort. For I know, deep down... it '''never''' ends."
:—'''Optimus Prime'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Our first look at Cybertron—it is a dark, hellish wasteland with enormous killer storms, constant lightning, and an utterly ruined surface.
*Optimus Prime is seen here receiving [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]]'s secret transmission, which was beamed to the Autobot leader during [[Infiltration issue 4|Infiltration #4]].
*The Matrix makes its first blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance in IDW continuity during Optimus Prime's first flashback to the past; the way it's depicted inside Prime's chest panel is possibly a visual homage to Furman and Figueroa's work in ''[[Transformers: The War Within|The War Within]]''.

===Transformers references===
*Cybertron being an energy-starved wasteland hearkens back to the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original Generation 1 cartoon]]; here, however, Cybertron is reimagined as being so inhospitable that it's fundamentally incapable of supporting Transformer life. A similar backstory found its way into the development of the later [[Aligned continuity family]].
*When Jetfire, who normally uses his cartoon-and-comic-accurate humanoid face, sets foot on Cybertron, the visored, masked appearance of his toy is reimagined as a protective helmet. Jetfire's design here would be the first glimpse at the design for what would become ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'' Jetfire. The fans rejoiced... and complained.
*While IDW's debut ''Infiltration'' mini-series had a reader-friendly 1984-based cast, ''Stormbringer'' does a deeper dive into the franchise's history. Cast members include characters drawn from the ranks of Pretenders, Omnibots, Action Masters, Throttlebots, and more.

===Errors===
[[File:Bluster.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Twincast? Twinblast? Whatever.]]
*On the cover, Jetfire sports Autobot symbols from a fan-made font, one that erroneously gives the symbol three hashes on each side of the forehead instead of two.
*The placement of symbols is particularly bad in this issue, with the contours rarely conforming to the contours of the surface they're placed on. In fact, the symbols on Jetfire are so badly photoshopped in they actually erase some of Don Figueroa's pencilling near the edges of the symbols.
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] can be seen aboard the Autobot Orbital Command Hub; while not an error at the time of printing, the later ''[[Spotlight: Blaster]]'' would establish a history that's irreconcilable with this cameo. Author [[Simon Furman]], tongue firmly in cheek, would later "fix" this mistake by declaring that this 'bot here is Blaster's [[twin]] brother, [[Bluster]].
*In the flashback on page 7, Megatron's chest is missing the "squiggle" design seen in all the other flashbacks featuring him.
*On page 19, all three word balloons are attributed to Afterburner, though they read like they should be attributed to Afterburner, Nosecone, and then Afterburner again. This error was corrected when the issue was published in trade paperback.
*Optimus's narration on page 20 is missing a "we", reading "There is no hiding from it, from what did - and didn't - do."

===Other trivia===
*The Matrix appearing in Optimus Prime's chest was something of an error at the time of ''Stormbringer'''s initial publication; [[Simon Furman]]'s original pitch for the Matrix was that it had vanished into history with [[Nova Prime]]. Utimately, [[Shane McCarthy|later writers]] would overrule this pitch, while Phase Two of the IDW comics introduced a definitive history of the artifact, so it's all good now.
*The first few pages of this story were reprinted as part of a [[Free Comic Book Day]] issue by [[IDW Publishing]] on [[May 6]], [[2006]].

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Jetfire and the Technobots by [[Don Figueroa]] and [[Josh Burcham]]. This cover can be combined with similar ones from the other three issues to form a giant battle scene.
*'''Cover B:''' Thunderwing in flames by Don Figueroa and Josh Burcham.
*'''Cover RI-A:''' Cover A uncolored
<gallery>
File:Stormbringer 1a full.jpg|Jetfire ready to kick tailpipe and take names
File:Stormbringer 1b.jpg|Thunderwing is a [[Tracks (G1)|flamer]].
File:Stormbringer 1ria.jpg|Cover RI-A
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Optimus Prime ''Alternators'' toy]]
*[[Hearts of Steel issue 1|''Hearts of Steel'' #1]] + a 8-page preview
*Transformers posters (back cover)

===Reprints===
In addition to [[The Transformers: Stormbringer#Collections|collections of the full series]].
*N/A

Stormbringer issue 1

2022-03-14T07:32:33Z

JDspeeder1: /* Synopsis */

{{Comicstory
|series=stormbringer|issueno=1
|prev=Infiltration issue 6
|next=Stormbringer issue 2
|image=Stormbringer 1b.jpg
|caption=Thunderwing—that's hot!
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[July 19]], [[2006]]
|coverdate=July 2006
|story by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[Don Figueroa]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Robbie Robbins]]
|edits by=[[Chris Ryall]] & [[Dan Taylor (IDW)|Dan Taylor]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2006-7|2006-7]]
}}
'''An unidentified energy source is discovered on a long abandoned world... Cybertron.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Stormbringer1 Jetfire Strafe.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6]]
''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] is a 'bot haunted by millennia of war: even now, centuries later, he's unable to forget the horrific images of an apocalyptic figure rising from the flames—a monster, he remembers, that they were responsible for creating.''

In the present day, the crew of the [[Autobot]] science vessel ''[[Calabi-Yau]]'' arrive over a dead, lifeless planet: their home world of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. [[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] reveals to his captain [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] that the ''Calabi-Yau'' has detected something completely unexpected: an energy source, 700 years after their world was declared uninhabitable. [[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] confirms his shipmate's theory, and the crew assemble to analyze these findings. Nosecone confirms that this anomalous energy source is, in fact, [[energon]], a pocket of leftover fuel, he postulates, that's been contaminated by exotic material from somewhere else in the galaxy after the destruction of Cybertron's atmosphere. Jetfire is intrigued by the idea that Cybertron could be gradually healing itself from "what was done," and decides to take some crew members to investigate further.

The ''Calabi-Yau'' touches down over a rubble-strewn canyon as Jetfire, [[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]], [[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]], and [[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] disembark. The four Autobots are glad to have returned to Cybertron after centuries away, but their home has changed greatly in their absence: radiation storms scour the planet, and the Autobots are forced to adjust their personal shield harmonics just to stay alive in the wasteland. The radiation plays havoc with their instrument readouts, making it impossible to track the energon signature from the surface; Jetfire radios the ''Calabi-Yau'', back in orbit, so Afterburner can track it from above. As he does so, however, the group comes to a massive ravine: [[Thunderhead Pass]], the place where it "all fell apart..."

''On Cybertron, many years ago, [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] pulls Optimus Prime out of the rubble. Their mutual adversary has breached their siege walls, and Megatron tells his old enemy to get up and fight, because it's now or never for the both of them.''

[[File:Stormbringer1 Searchlight OptimusPrime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
At the [[Autobot Orbital Command Hub]], Optimus Prime receives a message from [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'s unit on [[Earth]]. It informs him that the [[Decepticon]] [[Infiltration protocol|infiltration unit]] has enacted [[Infiltration protocol|siege mode]] prematurely (as seen in (''[[Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration #3]]''). Prime orders [[Searchlight (G1)|Searchlight]] to keep him informed of the situation while, despite his misgivings, he thinks back to that "adversary..."

As the Autobot explorers deploy their scientific equipment and set up a probe, [[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]] grows concerned about the possible effects their snooping will have. Jetfire has his own doubts about the situation, but he's adamant that they must do all they can do to prevent any similar disaster from happening again. Indeed, Jetfire thinks back to how he and the others ignored all the warnings...

''In a holographic conference, [[Decepticon]] scientist [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] has messaged Cybertron's top minds, both Autobot and Decepticon, to discuss the future. The [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] and its need for resources has taken its toll on the planet, and the lack of energon, contraction of the planet's core, and the dissolution of its atmosphere has led Bludgeon to conclude that their homeworld is, in effect, dying. [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] rejects Thunderwing's hypothesis, and Thunderwing tells him that he can either follow his lead or die when Cybertron can no longer support life.''

[[File:Stormbringer1 Lightspeed attacked.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Comin' out of nowhere, drivin' like rain; Stormbringer dance on the thunder again!]]
The Autobot survey team launches a probe into the depths of Thunderhead Pass; as they prepare to move out in advance of an oncoming particle storm, Lightspeed is blasted by an unseen attacker and taken out of commission, and the other three Autobots try to get their bearings before Scattershot realizes the truth: their enemies are invisible! In orbit, Nosecone and Afterburner try to restore contact with their comrades, until a missile volley launched from Cybertron destroys the ''Calabi-Yau'' as the two Autobots scramble for an emergency escape pod.

''During the Cybertronian apocalypse, Autobot and Decepticon are united against a mysterious, flame-wreathed figure: the avatar of the catastrophe. The combined might of the Transformers is ineffectual against it; in the end, the planet itself seems to swallow up the figure.''
From his position aboard the command hub, Optimus wonders if their sin can stay buried... and Jetfire, waking up deep beneath the surface of Cybertron, gets the answer, as he discovers a group of strange mechanoids worshiping a massive, inert winged figure—a figure they call "Thunderwing!"
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] (2)
*[[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] (3)
*[[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] (4)
*[[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]] (5)
*[[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] (6)
*[[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]] (7)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] (9)
*[[Searchlight (G1)|Searchlight]] (10)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]/"[[Bluster]]" (11, see [[#Errors]])
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (12)
*''[[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]]'' (13)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (16)''
*''[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]'' (23)
*[[Siren (G1)|Siren]] (24)
*[[Overdrive]] (25)
*[[Downshift (G1)|Downshift]] (26)
*[[Groundbreaker]] (27)
*[[Gunrunner (G1)|Gunrunner]] (28)
*[[Kick-Off (G1)|Kick-Off]] (29)
*[[Pincher (G1)|Pincher]] (30)
*[[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] (31)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*''[[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]'' (1)
*''[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'' (8)
*''[[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]]'' (14)
*''[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]]'' (15)
*[[Iguanus (G1)|Iguanus]] (17)
*[[Finback]] (18)
*[[Skullgrin]] (19)
*[[Bomb-Burst (G1)|Bomb-Burst]] (20)
*[[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] (21)
*''[[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]'' (22)
}}

==Quotes==
"We'll need to rotate personal shield harmonics just to maintain the most '''basic''' epidermal integrity. '''Hardly''' what I'd call a pleasant stroll down Memory Lane."
:—'''Strafe'''

"I see '''the end'''. But the shuddering, lurching instant brings scant comfort. For I know, deep down... it '''never''' ends."
:—'''Optimus Prime'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Our first look at Cybertron—it is a dark, hellish wasteland with enormous killer storms, constant lightning, and an utterly ruined surface.
*Optimus Prime is seen here receiving [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]]'s secret transmission, which was beamed to the Autobot leader during [[Infiltration issue 4|Infiltration #4]].
*The Matrix makes its first blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance in IDW continuity during Optimus Prime's first flashback to the past; the way it's depicted inside Prime's chest panel is possibly a visual homage to Furman and Figueroa's work in ''[[Transformers: The War Within|The War Within]]''.

===Transformers references===
*Cybertron being an energy-starved wasteland hearkens back to the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original Generation 1 cartoon]]; here, however, Cybertron is reimagined as being so inhospitable that it's fundamentally incapable of supporting Transformer life. A similar backstory found its way into the development of the later [[Aligned continuity family]].
*When Jetfire, who normally uses his cartoon-and-comic-accurate humanoid face, sets foot on Cybertron, the visored, masked appearance of his toy is reimagined as a protective helmet. Jetfire's design here would be the first glimpse at the design for what would become ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'' Jetfire. The fans rejoiced... and complained.
*While IDW's debut ''Infiltration'' mini-series had a reader-friendly 1984-based cast, ''Stormbringer'' does a deeper dive into the franchise's history. Cast members include characters drawn from the ranks of Pretenders, Omnibots, Action Masters, Throttlebots, and more.

===Errors===
[[File:Bluster.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Twincast? Twinblast? Whatever.]]
*On the cover, Jetfire sports Autobot symbols from a fan-made font, one that erroneously gives the symbol three hashes on each side of the forehead instead of two.
*The placement of symbols is particularly bad in this issue, with the contours rarely conforming to the contours of the surface they're placed on. In fact, the symbols on Jetfire are so badly photoshopped in they actually erase some of Don Figueroa's pencilling near the edges of the symbols.
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] can be seen aboard the Autobot Orbital Command Hub; while not an error at the time of printing, the later ''[[Spotlight: Blaster]]'' would establish a history that's irreconcilable with this cameo. Author [[Simon Furman]], tongue firmly in cheek, would later "fix" this mistake by declaring that this 'bot here is Blaster's [[twin]] brother, [[Bluster]].
*In the flashback on page 7, Megatron's chest is missing the "squiggle" design seen in all the other flashbacks featuring him.
*On page 19, all three word balloons are attributed to Afterburner, though they read like they should be attributed to Afterburner, Nosecone, and then Afterburner again. This error was corrected when the issue was published in trade paperback.
*Optimus's narration on page 20 is missing a "we", reading "There is no hiding from it, from what did - and didn't - do."

===Other trivia===
*The Matrix appearing in Optimus Prime's chest was something of an error at the time of ''Stormbringer'''s initial publication; [[Simon Furman]]'s original pitch for the Matrix was that it had vanished into history with [[Nova Prime]]. Utimately, [[Shane McCarthy|later writers]] would overrule this pitch, while Phase Two of the IDW comics introduced a definitive history of the artifact, so it's all good now.
*The first few pages of this story were reprinted as part of a [[Free Comic Book Day]] issue by [[IDW Publishing]] on [[May 6]], [[2006]].

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Jetfire and the Technobots by [[Don Figueroa]] and [[Josh Burcham]]. This cover can be combined with similar ones from the other three issues to form a giant battle scene.
*'''Cover B:''' Thunderwing in flames by Don Figueroa and Josh Burcham.
*'''Cover RI-A:''' Cover A uncolored
<gallery>
File:Stormbringer 1a full.jpg|Jetfire ready to kick tailpipe and take names
File:Stormbringer 1b.jpg|Thunderwing is a [[Tracks (G1)|flamer]].
File:Stormbringer 1ria.jpg|Cover RI-A
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Optimus Prime ''Alternators'' toy]]
*[[Hearts of Steel issue 1|''Hearts of Steel'' #1]] + a 8-page preview
*Transformers posters (back cover)

===Reprints===
In addition to [[The Transformers: Stormbringer#Collections|collections of the full series]].
*N/A

Stormbringer issue 1

2022-03-14T07:27:37Z

JDspeeder1: /* Synopsis */ Clarification and rewording

{{Comicstory
|series=stormbringer|issueno=1
|prev=Infiltration issue 6
|next=Stormbringer issue 2
|image=Stormbringer 1b.jpg
|caption=Thunderwing—that's hot!
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[July 19]], [[2006]]
|coverdate=July 2006
|story by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[Don Figueroa]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Robbie Robbins]]
|edits by=[[Chris Ryall]] & [[Dan Taylor (IDW)|Dan Taylor]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2006-7|2006-7]]
}}
'''An unidentified energy source is discovered on a long abandoned world... Cybertron.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Stormbringer1 Jetfire Strafe.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6]]
''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] is a 'bot haunted by millennia of war: even now, centuries later, he's unable to forget the horrific images of an apocalyptic figure rising from the flames—a monster, he remembers, that they were responsible for creating.''

In the present day, the crew of the [[Autobot]] science vessel ''[[Calabi-Yau]]'' arrive over a dead, lifeless planet: their home world of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. [[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] reveals to his captain [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] that the ''Calabi-Yau'' has detected something completely unexpected: an energy source, 700 years after their world was declared uninhabitable. [[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] confirms his shipmate's theory, and the crew assemble to analyze these findings. Nosecone confirms that this anomalous energy source is, in fact, [[energon]], a pocket of leftover fuel, he postulates, that's been contaminated by exotic material from somewhere else in the galaxy after the destruction of Cybertron's atmosphere. Jetfire is intrigued by the idea that Cybertron could be gradually healing itself from "what was done," and decides to take some crew members to investigate further.

The ''Calabi-Yau'' touches down over a rubble-strewn canyon as Jetfire, [[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]], [[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]], and [[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] disembark. The four Autobots are glad to have returned to Cybertron after centuries away, but their home has changed greatly in their absence: radiation storms scour the planet, and the Autobots are forced to adjust their personal shield harmonics just to stay alive in the wasteland. The radiation plays havoc with their instrument readouts, making it impossible to track the energon signature from the surface; Jetfire radios the ''Calabi-Yau'', back in orbit, so Afterburner can track it from above. As he does so, however, the group comes to a massive ravine: [[Thunderhead Pass]], the place where it "all fell apart..."

''On Cybertron, many years ago, [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] pulls Optimus Prime out of the rubble. Their mutual adversary has breached their siege walls, and Megatron tells his old enemy to get up and fight, because it's now or never for the both of them.''

[[File:Stormbringer1 Searchlight OptimusPrime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
At the [[Autobot Orbital Command Hub]], Optimus Prime receives a message from [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'s unit on [[Earth]]. It informs him that the [[Decepticon]] [[Infiltration protocol|infiltration unit]] has enacted [[Infiltration protocol|siege mode]] prematurely (as seen in (''[[Transformers: Infiltration #3]]''). Prime orders [[Searchlight (G1)|Searchlight]] to keep him informed of the situation while, despite his misgivings, he thinks back to that "adversary..."

As the Autobot explorers deploy their scientific equipment and set up a probe, [[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]] grows concerned about the possible effects their snooping will have. Jetfire has his own doubts about the situation, but he's adamant that they must do all they can do to prevent any similar disaster from happening again. Indeed, Jetfire thinks back to how he and the others ignored all the warnings...

''In a holographic conference, [[Decepticon]] scientist [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] has messaged Cybertron's top minds, both Autobot and Decepticon, to discuss the future. The [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] and its need for resources has taken its toll on the planet, and the lack of energon, contraction of the planet's core, and the dissolution of its atmosphere has led Bludgeon to conclude that their homeworld is, in effect, dying. [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] rejects Thunderwing's hypothesis, and Thunderwing tells him that he can either follow his lead or die when Cybertron can no longer support life.''

[[File:Stormbringer1 Lightspeed attacked.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Comin' out of nowhere, drivin' like rain; Stormbringer dance on the thunder again!]]
The Autobot survey team launches a probe into the depths of Thunderhead Pass; as they prepare to move out in advance of an oncoming particle storm, Lightspeed is blasted by an unseen attacker and taken out of commission, and the other three Autobots try to get their bearings before Scattershot realizes the truth: their enemies are invisible! In orbit, Nosecone and Afterburner try to restore contact with their comrades, until a missile volley launched from Cybertron destroys the ''Calabi-Yau'' as the two Autobots scramble for an emergency escape pod.

''During the Cybertronian apocalypse, Autobot and Decepticon are united against a mysterious, flame-wreathed figure: the avatar of the catastrophe. The combined might of the Transformers is ineffectual against it; in the end, the planet itself seems to swallow up the figure.''
From his position aboard the command hub, Optimus wonders if their sin can stay buried... and Jetfire, waking up deep beneath the surface of Cybertron, gets the answer, as he discovers a group of strange mechanoids worshiping a massive, inert winged figure—a figure they call "Thunderwing!"
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] (2)
*[[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] (3)
*[[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] (4)
*[[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]] (5)
*[[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] (6)
*[[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]] (7)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] (9)
*[[Searchlight (G1)|Searchlight]] (10)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]/"[[Bluster]]" (11, see [[#Errors]])
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (12)
*''[[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]]'' (13)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (16)''
*''[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]'' (23)
*[[Siren (G1)|Siren]] (24)
*[[Overdrive]] (25)
*[[Downshift (G1)|Downshift]] (26)
*[[Groundbreaker]] (27)
*[[Gunrunner (G1)|Gunrunner]] (28)
*[[Kick-Off (G1)|Kick-Off]] (29)
*[[Pincher (G1)|Pincher]] (30)
*[[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] (31)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*''[[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]'' (1)
*''[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'' (8)
*''[[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]]'' (14)
*''[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]]'' (15)
*[[Iguanus (G1)|Iguanus]] (17)
*[[Finback]] (18)
*[[Skullgrin]] (19)
*[[Bomb-Burst (G1)|Bomb-Burst]] (20)
*[[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] (21)
*''[[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]'' (22)
}}

==Quotes==
"We'll need to rotate personal shield harmonics just to maintain the most '''basic''' epidermal integrity. '''Hardly''' what I'd call a pleasant stroll down Memory Lane."
:—'''Strafe'''

"I see '''the end'''. But the shuddering, lurching instant brings scant comfort. For I know, deep down... it '''never''' ends."
:—'''Optimus Prime'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Our first look at Cybertron—it is a dark, hellish wasteland with enormous killer storms, constant lightning, and an utterly ruined surface.
*Optimus Prime is seen here receiving [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]]'s secret transmission, which was beamed to the Autobot leader during [[Infiltration issue 4|Infiltration #4]].
*The Matrix makes its first blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance in IDW continuity during Optimus Prime's first flashback to the past; the way it's depicted inside Prime's chest panel is possibly a visual homage to Furman and Figueroa's work in ''[[Transformers: The War Within|The War Within]]''.

===Transformers references===
*Cybertron being an energy-starved wasteland hearkens back to the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original Generation 1 cartoon]]; here, however, Cybertron is reimagined as being so inhospitable that it's fundamentally incapable of supporting Transformer life. A similar backstory found its way into the development of the later [[Aligned continuity family]].
*When Jetfire, who normally uses his cartoon-and-comic-accurate humanoid face, sets foot on Cybertron, the visored, masked appearance of his toy is reimagined as a protective helmet. Jetfire's design here would be the first glimpse at the design for what would become ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'' Jetfire. The fans rejoiced... and complained.
*While IDW's debut ''Infiltration'' mini-series had a reader-friendly 1984-based cast, ''Stormbringer'' does a deeper dive into the franchise's history. Cast members include characters drawn from the ranks of Pretenders, Omnibots, Action Masters, Throttlebots, and more.

===Errors===
[[File:Bluster.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Twincast? Twinblast? Whatever.]]
*On the cover, Jetfire sports Autobot symbols from a fan-made font, one that erroneously gives the symbol three hashes on each side of the forehead instead of two.
*The placement of symbols is particularly bad in this issue, with the contours rarely conforming to the contours of the surface they're placed on. In fact, the symbols on Jetfire are so badly photoshopped in they actually erase some of Don Figueroa's pencilling near the edges of the symbols.
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] can be seen aboard the Autobot Orbital Command Hub; while not an error at the time of printing, the later ''[[Spotlight: Blaster]]'' would establish a history that's irreconcilable with this cameo. Author [[Simon Furman]], tongue firmly in cheek, would later "fix" this mistake by declaring that this 'bot here is Blaster's [[twin]] brother, [[Bluster]].
*In the flashback on page 7, Megatron's chest is missing the "squiggle" design seen in all the other flashbacks featuring him.
*On page 19, all three word balloons are attributed to Afterburner, though they read like they should be attributed to Afterburner, Nosecone, and then Afterburner again. This error was corrected when the issue was published in trade paperback.
*Optimus's narration on page 20 is missing a "we", reading "There is no hiding from it, from what did - and didn't - do."

===Other trivia===
*The Matrix appearing in Optimus Prime's chest was something of an error at the time of ''Stormbringer'''s initial publication; [[Simon Furman]]'s original pitch for the Matrix was that it had vanished into history with [[Nova Prime]]. Utimately, [[Shane McCarthy|later writers]] would overrule this pitch, while Phase Two of the IDW comics introduced a definitive history of the artifact, so it's all good now.
*The first few pages of this story were reprinted as part of a [[Free Comic Book Day]] issue by [[IDW Publishing]] on [[May 6]], [[2006]].

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Jetfire and the Technobots by [[Don Figueroa]] and [[Josh Burcham]]. This cover can be combined with similar ones from the other three issues to form a giant battle scene.
*'''Cover B:''' Thunderwing in flames by Don Figueroa and Josh Burcham.
*'''Cover RI-A:''' Cover A uncolored
<gallery>
File:Stormbringer 1a full.jpg|Jetfire ready to kick tailpipe and take names
File:Stormbringer 1b.jpg|Thunderwing is a [[Tracks (G1)|flamer]].
File:Stormbringer 1ria.jpg|Cover RI-A
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Optimus Prime ''Alternators'' toy]]
*[[Hearts of Steel issue 1|''Hearts of Steel'' #1]] + a 8-page preview
*Transformers posters (back cover)

===Reprints===
In addition to [[The Transformers: Stormbringer#Collections|collections of the full series]].
*N/A

Stormbringer issue 1

2022-03-12T06:14:20Z

JDspeeder1: /* Synopsis */

{{Comicstory
|series=stormbringer|issueno=1
|prev=Infiltration issue 6
|next=Stormbringer issue 2
|image=Stormbringer 1b.jpg
|caption=Thunderwing—that's hot!
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[July 19]], [[2006]]
|coverdate=July 2006
|story by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[Don Figueroa]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Robbie Robbins]]
|edits by=[[Chris Ryall]] & [[Dan Taylor (IDW)|Dan Taylor]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2006-7|2006-7]]
}}
'''An unidentified energy source is discovered on a long abandoned world... Cybertron.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Stormbringer1 Jetfire Strafe.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6]]
''[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] is a 'bot haunted by millennia of war: even now, centuries later, he's unable to forget the horrific images of an apocalyptic figure rising from the flames—a monster, he remembers, that they were responsible for creating.''

In the present day, the crew of the [[Autobot]] science vessel ''[[Calabi-Yau]]'' arrive over a dead, lifeless planet: their home world of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. [[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] reveals to his captain [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] that the ''Calabi-Yau'' has detected something completely unexpected: an energy source, 700 years after their world was declared uninhabitable. [[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] confirms his shipmate's theory, and the crew assemble to analyze these findings. Nosecone confirms that this anomalous energy source is, in fact, [[energon]], a pocket of leftover fuel, he postulates, that's been contaminated by exotic material from somewhere else in the galaxy after the destruction of Cybertron's atmosphere. Jetfire is intrigued by the idea that Cybertron could be gradually healing itself from "what was done," and decides to take some crew members to investigate further.

The ''Calabi-Yau'' touches down over a rubble-strewn canyon as Jetfire, [[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]], [[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]], and [[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] disembark. The four Autobots are glad to have returned to Cybertron after centuries away, but their home has changed greatly in their absence: radiation storms scour the planet, and the Autobots are forced to adjust their personal shield harmonics just to stay alive in the wasteland. The radiation plays havoc with their instrument readouts, making it impossible to track the energon signature from the surface; Jetfire radios the ''Calabi-Yau'', back in orbit, so Afterburner can track it from above. As he does so, however, the group comes to a massive ravine: [[Thunderhead Pass]], the place where it "all fell apart..."

''On Cybertron, many years ago, [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] pulls Optimus Prime out of the rubble. Their mutual adversary has breached their siege walls, and Megatron tells his old enemy to get up and fight, because it's now or never for the both of them.''

[[File:Stormbringer1 Searchlight OptimusPrime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]
At the [[Autobot Orbital Command Hub]], Optimus Prime receives a message from [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]]'s unit on [[Earth]]. It informs him that the [[Decepticon]] [[Infiltration protocol|infiltration unit]] has enacted [[Infiltration protocol|siege mode]] prematurely. Prime orders [[Searchlight (G1)|Searchlight]] to keep him informed of the situation while, despite his best urges, he thinks back to that "adversary..."

As the Autobot explorers deploy their scientific equipment and set up a probe, [[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]] grows concerned about the possible effects their snooping will have. Jetfire has his own doubts about the situation, but he's adamant that they must do all they can do to prevent any similar disaster from happening again. Indeed, Jetfire thinks back to how he and the others ignored all the warnings...

''In a holographic conference, [[Decepticon]] scientist [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] has messaged Cybertron's top minds, both Autobot and Decepticon, to discuss the future. The [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] and its need for resources has taken its toll on the planet, and the lack of energon, contraction of the planet's core, and the dissolution of its atmosphere has led Bludgeon to conclude that their homeworld is, in effect, dying. [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] rejects Thunderwing's hypothesis, and Thunderwing tells him that he can either follow his lead or die when Cybertron can no longer support life.''

[[File:Stormbringer1 Lightspeed attacked.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Comin' out of nowhere, drivin' like rain; Stormbringer dance on the thunder again!]]
The Autobot survey team launches a probe into the depths of Thunderhead Pass; as they prepare to move out in advance of an oncoming particle storm, Lightspeed is blasted by an unseen attacker and taken out of commission, and the other three Autobots try to get their bearings before Scattershot realizes the truth: their enemies are invisible! In orbit, Nosecone and Afterburner try to restore contact with their comrades, until a missile volley launched from Cybertron destroys the ''Calabi-Yau'' as the two Autobots scramble for an emergency escape pod.

''During the Cybertronian apocalypse, Autobot and Decepticon are united against a mysterious, flame-wreathed figure: the avatar of the catastrophe. The combined might of the Transformers is ineffectual against it; in the end, the planet itself seems to swallow up the figure.''
From his position aboard the command hub, Optimus wonders if their sin can stay buried... and Jetfire, waking up deep beneath the surface of Cybertron, gets the answer, as he discovers a group of strange mechanoids worshiping a massive, inert winged figure—a figure they call "Thunderwing!"
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] (2)
*[[Nosecone (G1)|Nosecone]] (3)
*[[Afterburner (G1)|Afterburner]] (4)
*[[Strafe (G1)|Strafe]] (5)
*[[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] (6)
*[[Scattershot (G1)|Scattershot]] (7)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] (9)
*[[Searchlight (G1)|Searchlight]] (10)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]/"[[Bluster]]" (11, see [[#Errors]])
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (12)
*''[[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]]'' (13)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (16)''
*''[[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]'' (23)
*[[Siren (G1)|Siren]] (24)
*[[Overdrive]] (25)
*[[Downshift (G1)|Downshift]] (26)
*[[Groundbreaker]] (27)
*[[Gunrunner (G1)|Gunrunner]] (28)
*[[Kick-Off (G1)|Kick-Off]] (29)
*[[Pincher (G1)|Pincher]] (30)
*[[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] (31)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*''[[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]'' (1)
*''[[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'' (8)
*''[[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]]'' (14)
*''[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]]'' (15)
*[[Iguanus (G1)|Iguanus]] (17)
*[[Finback]] (18)
*[[Skullgrin]] (19)
*[[Bomb-Burst (G1)|Bomb-Burst]] (20)
*[[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] (21)
*''[[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]'' (22)
}}

==Quotes==
"We'll need to rotate personal shield harmonics just to maintain the most '''basic''' epidermal integrity. '''Hardly''' what I'd call a pleasant stroll down Memory Lane."
:—'''Strafe'''

"I see '''the end'''. But the shuddering, lurching instant brings scant comfort. For I know, deep down... it '''never''' ends."
:—'''Optimus Prime'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Our first look at Cybertron—it is a dark, hellish wasteland with enormous killer storms, constant lightning, and an utterly ruined surface.
*Optimus Prime is seen here receiving [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]]'s secret transmission, which was beamed to the Autobot leader during [[Infiltration issue 4|Infiltration #4]].
*The Matrix makes its first blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance in IDW continuity during Optimus Prime's first flashback to the past; the way it's depicted inside Prime's chest panel is possibly a visual homage to Furman and Figueroa's work in ''[[Transformers: The War Within|The War Within]]''.

===Transformers references===
*Cybertron being an energy-starved wasteland hearkens back to the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original Generation 1 cartoon]]; here, however, Cybertron is reimagined as being so inhospitable that it's fundamentally incapable of supporting Transformer life. A similar backstory found its way into the development of the later [[Aligned continuity family]].
*When Jetfire, who normally uses his cartoon-and-comic-accurate humanoid face, sets foot on Cybertron, the visored, masked appearance of his toy is reimagined as a protective helmet. Jetfire's design here would be the first glimpse at the design for what would become ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'' Jetfire. The fans rejoiced... and complained.
*While IDW's debut ''Infiltration'' mini-series had a reader-friendly 1984-based cast, ''Stormbringer'' does a deeper dive into the franchise's history. Cast members include characters drawn from the ranks of Pretenders, Omnibots, Action Masters, Throttlebots, and more.

===Errors===
[[File:Bluster.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Twincast? Twinblast? Whatever.]]
*On the cover, Jetfire sports Autobot symbols from a fan-made font, one that erroneously gives the symbol three hashes on each side of the forehead instead of two.
*The placement of symbols is particularly bad in this issue, with the contours rarely conforming to the contours of the surface they're placed on. In fact, the symbols on Jetfire are so badly photoshopped in they actually erase some of Don Figueroa's pencilling near the edges of the symbols.
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] can be seen aboard the Autobot Orbital Command Hub; while not an error at the time of printing, the later ''[[Spotlight: Blaster]]'' would establish a history that's irreconcilable with this cameo. Author [[Simon Furman]], tongue firmly in cheek, would later "fix" this mistake by declaring that this 'bot here is Blaster's [[twin]] brother, [[Bluster]].
*In the flashback on page 7, Megatron's chest is missing the "squiggle" design seen in all the other flashbacks featuring him.
*On page 19, all three word balloons are attributed to Afterburner, though they read like they should be attributed to Afterburner, Nosecone, and then Afterburner again. This error was corrected when the issue was published in trade paperback.
*Optimus's narration on page 20 is missing a "we", reading "There is no hiding from it, from what did - and didn't - do."

===Other trivia===
*The Matrix appearing in Optimus Prime's chest was something of an error at the time of ''Stormbringer'''s initial publication; [[Simon Furman]]'s original pitch for the Matrix was that it had vanished into history with [[Nova Prime]]. Utimately, [[Shane McCarthy|later writers]] would overrule this pitch, while Phase Two of the IDW comics introduced a definitive history of the artifact, so it's all good now.
*The first few pages of this story were reprinted as part of a [[Free Comic Book Day]] issue by [[IDW Publishing]] on [[May 6]], [[2006]].

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Jetfire and the Technobots by [[Don Figueroa]] and [[Josh Burcham]]. This cover can be combined with similar ones from the other three issues to form a giant battle scene.
*'''Cover B:''' Thunderwing in flames by Don Figueroa and Josh Burcham.
*'''Cover RI-A:''' Cover A uncolored
<gallery>
File:Stormbringer 1a full.jpg|Jetfire ready to kick tailpipe and take names
File:Stormbringer 1b.jpg|Thunderwing is a [[Tracks (G1)|flamer]].
File:Stormbringer 1ria.jpg|Cover RI-A
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Optimus Prime ''Alternators'' toy]]
*[[Hearts of Steel issue 1|''Hearts of Steel'' #1]] + a 8-page preview
*Transformers posters (back cover)

===Reprints===
In addition to [[The Transformers: Stormbringer#Collections|collections of the full series]].
*N/A

Thunderwing (G1)

2022-03-12T01:35:00Z

JDspeeder1: Wikification

{{factions|decepticon|unicron|primusvanguard}}
{{disambig3|Thunderwing}}
{{featured}}
:''Thunderwing is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Thunderwing with matrix.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|And we are dutifully impressed.]]
In a better world, '''Thunderwing''' would be the ideal Decepticon leader. He's fearless, ruthless, and immensely powerful, while uncommonly concerned about the welfare of his fellow Decepticons. For this mindset, Thunderwing gets a high approval rating from his peers, but, sadly, this is not the whole story.

Thunderwing's vice is, simply, obsession. When his mind sets its sights on a who or what that furthers his goals, he will stop at nothing to achieve victory. Slowly but surely, his esteem for his colleagues is replaced by single-mindedness, until finally Thunderwing awakens from his haze, potentially victorious, but either abandoned or surrounded by the bodies of the few friends who tried valiantly to snap him out of it. In these dark moments, the usually noble Thunderwing is as deceitful and two-faced as any halfwit Decepticon.

But what separates Thunderwing from the rest is his sheer power. His [[Pretender]] shell is likely the most powerful ever built, and it forms impenetrable armor around his robot body. Every inch is covered in weaponry, from the [[electrostatic gun]]s in his shoulders, to the hoses in his chest that emit dangerous gases, to even the rarely-used metal-eating laser beam that fires out of his forehead. In addition to this built-in arsenal, he carries around his signature [[cyclone cannon]], the power of which is increased 50% by the [[powerpack]] his shell houses on its back. In jet mode, Thunderwing can unleash a never-ending torrent of [[plasma charge]]s.

Because of all this, Thunderwing is almost always successful in hunting down his obsessions, though at regrettable costs.

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Magnificent Six Megadeath Past.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|No, my visual appearance is not a [[Pretender to the Throne!|continuity error]]. Why do you ask?]]
A handful of Transformers are born with a natural affinity to the [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]]. Though these special few are usually Autobots, Thunderwing was an exception. Thunderwing felt that the Matrix called to him, and believed that he would become the first Decepticon to possess it. {{storylink|Deadly Obsession}}

''Early on in the war, he served at [[Fort Scyk]]. He became a protege of Fort commander [[Megadeath (G1)|Megadeath]], who saw and encouraged the burning ambition within the lad, grooming Thunderwing as an asset and potential general for when he'd make a bid for leadership. For his part, Thunderwing thought Megadeath was utterly mental but also that he'd be his ticket to the top. When the [[Magnificent Six]] were holed up in the [[neutral]] town of [[Yuss]], it was Thunderwing who broke the siege by destroying the town's [[Yuss#Locations|Ampodrome]] with a [[thermo-charge]], which was instrumental in turning the neutralists against their would-be saviours. He later soured on Megadeath when he viciously tortured the Magnificent Six, which Thunderwing felt was ill-fitting for such valiant enemies, and then Megadeath let himself and the whole of [[Stanix]] get nuked to slag ''anyway''.'' {{storylink|The Magnificent Six!}}

''Four million years later, a vacuum in [[Decepticon High Command]] allowed a driven Thunderwing to rise quickly from relative obscurity to a command position in the ranks. Thunderwing oversaw an operation that lured the [[Battle Patrol]] into a Decepticon facility in order to capture them and steal [[Micromaster]] technology from the Autobots. The [[Race Car Patrol|Race Car]] and [[Off Road Patrol|Off Road]] Patrols staged a successful rescue operation but failed to stop the Decepticons from making their own Micromasters.'' {{storylink|A Small War!}}

[[File:Thunderwingisapretender.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Thunderwing is a Pretender? The hell you say!]]
''Fourteen months later, to test of his readiness to takeover leadership of the Decepticons, Thunderwing was given a hunting mission: Three Autobot prisoners were released on Earth, and Thunderwing was charged with chasing down and executing them on his own. While [[Playback]] and [[Horsepower (G1)|Horsepower]] did fall before his cyclone cannon, the last runner, [[Hosehead (G1)|Hosehead]], was saved by his fellow Autobots [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] and [[Siren (G1)|Siren]]. The [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] exploded the fuel core in Playback's corpse at close range to Thunderwing, nearly cooking him alive inside his own impenetrable [[Pretender]] shell. Shrieking in agony, Thunderwing plunged into the nearby surf.'' {{storylink|The Big Shutdown!}}

[[File:AssaultontheArk-Thunderwing.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|This is exactly how cable news pundits are hired.]]
''Thunderwing eventually rose from the waters, his still-cooling shell juxtaposed with the growing intensity of his rage at being beaten. Thunderwing lashed out at everything around him and very nearly destroyed a ship of his fellow Decepticons who had been sent to find him. As a duly appointed officer of the [[Decepticon High Council]], [[Ruckus (G1)|Ruckus]] was sent to inform Thunderwing that his bid for leadership was not being rejected outright, but was still under review, and the Councilors had asked that he return to Cybertron. Instead, Thunderwing violently conscripted Ruckus and his team into joining him for an assault on the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] in order to get revenge on Hosehead and his ilk.'' {{storylink|Rage!}} ''Thunderwing single-handedly blasted his way into the Ark and confronted [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] directly before Ruckus convinced him to save the fight for another day. Returning to Cybertron, Thunderwing was surprised to learn that the Decepticon High Council was impressed by his initiative and the strength of his vendetta, and so granted him full leadership of the Decepticons of Cybertron.'' {{storylink|Assault on the Ark!}}

''One of Thunderwing's first actions on taking over Decepticon leadership was to abolish [[neutral]] territories, making places such as [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]] Decepticon-only establishments.'' {{storylink|Out to Lunch!}} Despite these movements, Lord Thunderwing became displeased with the growing success of the newly rebuilt [[Jazz (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Jazz]], [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]], and [[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]] and their raiding of [[Decepticon fuel store|Decepticon fuel]] and ammunition depositories. Fearing the Autobot resistance movement was gaining momentum, he ordered [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]], and [[Stranglehold]], the [[Mayhem Attack Squad]], to find and kill the Autobot Pretenders. {{storylink|Yesterday's Heroes!}}

[[File:Thunderwingmindleech.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|This is probably the closest look we'll get at Thunderwing's unpublished character model. [[José Delbo]] was a copier.]]
When the Mayhem Attack Squad failed, Thunderwing became curious when teams of Autobots were subsequently ordered to search an area of space. Trailing a team on [[Pz-Zazz]] which included ''(again)'' Nightbeat, Hosehead, and Siren, he waited until the right moment to blast and capture them. {{storylink|Bird of Prey!}} As Thunderwing's Decepticons began trailing another team of Autobots on [[Cheyne]] ([[Backstreet (G1)|Backstreet]], [[Dogfight (G1)|Dogfight]], and [[Override (G1)|Override]]), he subjected the captured first group to his [[Mind Leech]] machine. He learned from these torture sessions that the Autobots were scouring the universe for the lost Creation Matrix. Unfortunately, the second group was no closer to finding the Matrix either, and he left them to their own devices. {{storylink|Kings of the Wild Frontier.}} His obsession with finding the Creation Matrix caused some concerns for the Decepticons under his command, and he even began attacking his own troops when accused of taking his personal quest too far. These outbursts began coming to a head when he found traces of Matrix energy in a [[Klud|sea monster]] on [[Pequod]]. Ruckus made the mistake of questioning his leader's growing obsession, and Thunderwing backhanded him into some equipment (unknowingly shorting out the Mind Leech which held their captive Autobots immobile). While his troops battled the Autobots searching there, he used his affinity for the Matrix to mind-link with the sea monster. Discovering that the Matrix was on [[Cameron]]'s third moon, [[VsQs]], he abandoned the battle, much to the growing frustration of his troops. {{storylink|Deadly Obsession}}

[[File:Thunderwingwhereisthecreationmatrix.jpg|left|upright=1.66|thumb|Obsessed much?]]
As it happened, between the revival of the Klud and the arrival of Thunderwing, the Creation Matrix had become warped. Thunderwing fought intensely with Bumblebee, Jazz, and Grimlock on VsQs, and they were overwhelmed not only by his vastly superior might, but by the strength of his desire to possess the Matrix. However, he and his troops were subdued by a [[Matrixspawn]], a darkly-evolved creature contaminated by the Matrix, allowing Bumblebee and the other Autobots to grab the Matrix and head for their ship. {{storylink|Dark Creation}} The Autobots were low on fuel however, and struggling against the moon's high gravity. Thunderwing overtook them with ease, snatched away the Matrix, and stole their shuttle. {{storylink|All Fall Down}} Thus, when the Autobots allowed their shuttlecraft to board the Ark, it was Thunderwing who emerged, in full possession of the Creation Matrix, enshrouded in its energies. {{storylink|Dark Creation}}

[[File:AllFallDown-Thunderwingpossessed.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|We are '''power incarnate!''' We are '''unstoppable!''' We are a '''really short Deluxe Class toy!''']]
On board the Ark, Thunderwing savagely beat Optimus Prime, the latter of whom was afraid to return the violence in kind, in fear that the Matrix would be destroyed and their race would be doomed against Unicron. Waves of Autobots stormed against Thunderwing, ending in [[Landmine (G1)|Landmine]] and others being killed or critically wounded. Quickly, the increasingly-evil Matrix took over Thunderwing, overpowering his thoughts and controlling his actions. After turning his power on his own troops, he had one final moment of clarity at what he had become, but it was too late. He was consumed. Nightbeat, Siren, and Hosehead, who Thunderwing had captured earlier, had escaped their constraints, and after releasing the bay doors, harpooned Thunderwing to the shuttlecraft. The shuttle self-destructed and Thunderwing and the Creation Matrix were seemingly lost, out in the void of space. {{storylink|All Fall Down}}

Optimus Prime would later refer to Thunderwing (and the lost Matrix) in his pitch to [[Scorponok (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Scorponok]] for an alliance against [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]. {{storylink|Surrender!}}

[[File:G1thunderwingthevoid.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Thunderwing displays that, yes, he has an alt mode just before showing up to die again.]]
The Matrix, however, was made of sterner stuff, and after some time reactivated alongside Thunderwing's body and the Autobot shuttlecraft on the surface of a planet. {{storylink|Out of Time!}} As time passed, and though only the "barest spark of life remained," it healed Thunderwing's body, eventually allowing it to transform and escape. It (they) now hungered for revenge! {{storylink|The Void! (US)|The Void!}}

Thunderwing, completely controlled by the Creation Matrix, arrived on Cybertron just as Unicron had attacked. Through Thunderwing, the Matrix continued to manifest as a frightening demon, which blasted Unicron and buried its tendrils within him. Though Unicron was momentarily stunned, once the Matrix revealed that it was now attempting to be a force of Evil, Unicron ripped the manifestation apart. Unicron has no equal in the arena of evil. Thunderwing's body fell in tatters, and the Matrix casing dropped to the planet below. {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}}
{{-}}

====''Transformers Comic-Magazin''====
Emerging from a dimensional bridge that linked [[Earth]] to parallel worlds and times, Thunderwing attacked [[Vroom (G1)|Vroom]] and [[Crossblades (G1)|Crossblades]]. {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 9|Headmaster of the Dimensions}} Later, this Thunderwing or another Thunderwing trailed a nuclear submarine in preparation for the Decepticons stealing its [[plutonium]] rods. {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 13|The Energon Trap}}

====''United''====
[[File:FierceFightingonPlanetNebulos-Thunderwing.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Thunderwing was so disappointed he later [[Transformers United|painted his arms gray]].]]
Thunderwing originated from another universe, where he was said to have possessed the Matrix and nearly defeated the Autobots. {{storylink|#United 2|''United'' Thunderwing bio}}

As Decepticon leader, Thunderwing had a [[nano-virus]] released that afflicted most Autobots save those with [[Nebulan]] partners, tricking them to go to [[Nebulos]] for an anti-virus so they could be ambushed and their partners taken! His minion [[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]] botched the mission though. Thunderwing chewed him out and decided he needed to take a more active role... {{storylink|The Fierce Fighting on Planet Nebulos}}
{{-}}

====''Regeneration One''====
{{NoteRG1}}
[[File:Kup thunderwing destiny.jpg|thumb|left]]
At some point following the battle with Unicron, Thunderwing's remains were recovered and interred in the [[Hall of Silence]] on Cybertron. Twenty-one years later, Optimus Prime departed Cybertron, bound for Earth to end the threat of Megatron. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 3}} [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] seized this opportunity to attack the Hall of Silence to steal what was left of Thunderwing for Bludgeon, and to gain control of the residual Matrix energy stored in his corpse. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 4}} Soundwave reached the remains, and used the emergency destruct charges triggered by [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] in the event of a break-in to cover his teleportation escape. {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part One}}

Rendezvousing at Bludgeon's ''[[Warworld]]'', Soundwave provided the Pretender what he needed to augment his [[Blitz Engine]]s before the attack on Cybertron. {{storylink|Destiny, Part One}} When the Autobots fought back, that last remnants of Thunderwing and the Matrix energy were seemingly lost with the ''Warworld''. {{storylink|Destiny, Part Five}}
{{-}}

====''Transformers '84''====
[[File:Thunderwing secrets and lies.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8]]
After [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] was lost aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], Thunderwing, [[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]], and [[Scorponok (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Scorponok]] formed an alliance to wipe out the remaining Autobots on Cybertron. There was a degree of contentiousness between the three about divvying up personal territories, and Thunderwing raised the question of what would happen if Megatron were to return—a possibility that Straxus readily dismissed. {{storylink|Secrets & Lies issue 3|Secrets & Lies #3}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Armada'' continuity===
[[File:Thunderwingg1worldscollide.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|They weren't even trying to color me right!]]

====Ask Vector Prime====
Thunderwing was the most recent addition to a crew of dimension-traveling [[Herald of Unicron|Heralds]] of [[Unicron]]. He was addicted to [[Dark Energon]], and the prospect of an endless supply of [[Angolmois Energy|angolmois energy]] was enough to convince him to join. He went to [[Aurex 402.24 Gamma]] with the other heralds when his home universe was destroyed. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#September 19, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 19/09/2015}}

====Dreamwave ''Armada'' comic====
Thunderwing, along with [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]], and [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], was sent to prepare [[Aurex 402.24 Gamma|another universe]] for Unicron's arrival. Porting into [[Decepticon Command Headquarters]] on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Galvatron left Thunderwing and the others on Cybertron to accomplish their task. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 1 of 4}} Though they destroyed all of the Decepticons in their headquarters and established a network of [[space bridge]] portals, this universe's [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] was not amongst their victims. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 2 of 4}}

Traveling to Earth's Decepticon headquarters (but leaving Bludgeon behind on Cybertron to guard the portal), they found it momentarily abandoned, so Thunderwing suggested they hunt down this universe's [[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]] to learn Megatron's location. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 3 of 4}} However, Thrust knew nothing, and they quickly returned to Decepticon Earth headquarters when Thunderwing detected that their space bridge nexus on Cybertron had been breached. Ultimately, Thunderwing and the other servants of Unicron were destroyed when this universe's [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] detonated a bomb in Cybertron's Decepticon Command Headquarters, incinerating them all. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 4 of 4}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
:*''First Appearance:'' [[Stormbringer issue 1|Transformers: Stormbringer #1]]
[[File:Thunderwingwhathaveyoudone.jpg|thumb|Moral of Stormbringer: Pretenders [[Ruined FOREVER|ruined Transformers]].]]
Seven hundred years ago, during the height of the Autobot-Decepticon war on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Thunderwing was a Decepticon scientist who alerted both sides to the damage that the ongoing conflict was doing to their planet and the resultant danger of an impending catastrophic event. According to [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], his warnings were ignored, even by [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]].

[[File:Thunderwing stormbringer.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Y'know, Thunderwing, Al Gore was content with just making a slide show.]]
Subsequently, Thunderwing took action on his own, subjecting himself to a "polydermal grafting" process of his own design, one that had previously been summarily rejected by [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] as "unnatural" and "ill-conceived". This process of grafting tissue culled from living subjects onto a Transformer to create an armored symbiotic carapace somehow also appears to have made him the avatar of the very apocalypse he had warned against. The process drove Thunderwing insane but made him invulnerable; even the combined might of the Autobots and Decepticons couldn't stop him. In the end, he was swallowed whole by Cybertron itself, leaving the planet completely uninhabitable. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 1|Stormbringer #1}}

An indeterminate time later, Bludgeon—who had been assigned by Megatron to dig into the missing [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]]'s research—discovered Thunderwing's resting place. Bludgeon and the Decepticons serving under him decided to continue where Thunderwing left off, {{storylink|Spotlight: Soundwave}} and in the present day completed their project using a combination of "[[Ore-13|Ultra-Energon]]" (culled from Shockwave's research) and a set of imprinted commands. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 2|Stormbringer #2}} Thunderwing was thus resurrected and immediately departed for [[Nebulos]], following Bludgeon's plans to sacrifice that world to somehow restore Cybertron. There, Thunderwing was engaged by the local Decepticon Infiltration team, which did not want to see Nebulos completely destroyed. Thunderwing totaled [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]], [[Ruckus (G1)|Ruckus]], [[Skullcruncher (G1)|Skullcruncher]], and [[Roadgrabber]], and the survivors ([[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]], [[Darkwing (G1)|Darkwing]], and [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]]) abandoned the planet. However, after the destruction of Bludgeon's control harness, Thunderwing changed course—back towards Cybertron. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 3|Stormbringer #3}}

[[File:Thunderwingidwultramode.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|"Ultra mode" puts all that wing kibble to use!]]
There, he was attacked by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]], the [[Wrecker]]s, the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]], and reprogrammed [[Centurion droid|Centurion drones]]. Jetfire revealed that enough punishment would eventually cause Thunderwing to drain most of his [[energon]] reserves. However, Thunderwing revealed a third "[[Super Mode|Ultra]]" robot configuration. Thanks to the Wreckers, the Decepticons, the instability of Ultra Energon, and a speech/salvo combination from Optimus Prime, he was stopped dead in his tracks. His inanimate form was taken into custody by the [[Autobot]]s. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 4|Stormbringer #4}}

[[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]] would later steal Thunderwing's body from [[Hound (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hound]]'s detail of Autobots, in service of [[Nova Prime|his master]] in the [[Dead Universe]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Galvatron}} Since the Dead Universe Transformers can only spend a limited amount of time in the land of the living, they programmed Thunderwing to guard the cave entrance to the [[Nega-Core]] on planet [[Corata-Vaz]]. He easily batted away Hound's crew and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]], but did not pursue them, as his programming seemed to keep him on a leash that only included the cave entrance. It did, however, allow [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]] the time he needed to escape. {{storylink|Spotlight: Cyclonus}}

[[File:SpotlightSideswipe ThunderwingVSWreckers.jpg|left|upright=1.5|thumb|The Wreckers return to star in '''''“Nothing Can Stop The Thunderwing! Part III”'''''.]]
The [[Wrecker]]s later attempted to penetrate Thunderwing's defenses and reach the Nega-Core, but apparently had no more success than Ultra Magnus and company. {{storylink|Spotlight: Hardhead}} Jetfire came up with the idea to try and take control of Thunderwing using Bludgeon's (apparently repaired) control harness. This alerted [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]], who activated Bludgeon (now under his control) to put a stop to it. {{storylink|Spotlight: Doubledealer}} While Jetfire managed to halt Thunderwing in his tracks for a brief time, a visit from the Jhiaxus-controlled Bludgeon forced Jetfire to focus on other, more pressing issues. While the Wreckers were successful in disabling the Nega-Core, Thunderwing once again began to advance on them. All of the Wreckers survived the experience, so Thunderwing was presumably disabled along with the other guardians when Jhiaxus was defeated. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

Thunderwing's attacks had left [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] with a notable head wound. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} The Decepticon often spoke about Thunderwing on [[The Big Conversation]] which caused some confusion (and a healthy dose of panic) when the [[Dire Wraith]] known as "[[CONS4EVA]]" adopted Thunderwing's form to meet Crankcase. {{storylink|Nothing Will Ever Be the Same Again!}}

===''Wings Universe''===
Thunderwing was captured by the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticon]]s after being cornered and making an unsuccessful attempt to defend himself with what turned out to be a dud bomb. {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 3}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
[[File:KreO-webcomic-10-Thunderwing.jpg|upright=0.5|thumb]]
Thunderwing was among the Decepticons that invaded [[Metroplex (Kre-O)|Metroplex]]. {{storylink|Two Giant Bases! Everybody Getting Along, Come On, Fight!}}

===''Of Masters and Mayhem''===
Seeking ultimate power, Thunderwing experimented on himself, managing to turn his [[Point One Percenter|spark green]]. [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] learned of this, had Thunderwing imprisoned and removed the spark, placing it in a special container and creating the [[Matrix of Malice]]. The Matrix of Malice became the core of [[Thunder Mayhem]], a monstrously-powerful [[combiner]] formed from the [[Mayhem Attack Squad]] that wore Thunderwing's visage. Thunder Mayhem rampaged across the universe, proving near-unstoppable and reducing the Cybertronian race to only a handful of survivors. {{storylink|Foundation and Wreckage Part 1: Deadly Aim|Deadly Aim}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
Some time after the [[Scouring of Nebulos]] saw the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] restricted to a [[Allowed Zone|handful of planets]], Thunderwing succeeded [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]] as Decepticon leader, becoming known to future generations as the Last Decepticon Emperor. {{storylink|Not All Megatrons}} {{storylink|Derailment}} He led an expedition to [[Moonbase Two|Artemis]] in search of the [[Underbase]]. His quest proved successful–thus empowered by the artifact, he fused his sparks with those of the [[Mayhem Attack Squad]] and wreaked havoc across Cybertron, killing the [[Wrecker]]s. {{storylink|Not All Megatrons}} Around this time, he oversaw advances in military science, developing the [[Micromaster]] upgrade on [[Cyberdroid]] volunteers such as [[Caliburn (BWU)|Caliburn]] {{storylink|Derailment}} as well as a method of weaponizing [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmaster]]s' links with their partners' sparks to drain Cybertronians of life merely through presence. {{storylink|Trigger Warnings}} Thunderwing eventually uploaded himself into the [[Grand Mal]]; the floating fortress was only brought down after the Autobots and Decepticons teamed up to bring down their mutual enemy. Thunderwing died when the battle station crash-landed, but the Autobot-Decepticon alliance paved the way for the rise of the pan-factional [[Builder Assembly]]. {{storylink|Not All Megatrons}}

===''Prime Wars Trilogy'' marketing material===
[[File:SiegeOnCybertron-Pounce versus Metalhawk.jpg|thumb|350px]]
{{quote|The Autobots had their chance and failed. Now the power of the Matrix of Leadership will be mine to hold, and yours to behold!}}

The [[Titan Master]] Thunderwing participated in a Decepticon mission on Cybertron alongside [[Pounce]] and [[Tidal Wave (G1)|Tidal Wave]]. {{storylink|#TRSOC|Siege on Cybertron}}

[[File:POTP vote Thunderwing.jpeg|thumb|left|upright=0.5]]
Thunderwing was a potential bearer of the Matrix of Leadership. As a force for chaos, Thunderwing planned to unleash the unknown powers within the Matrix using its connection to his unique [[spark]]. Instead, the Matrix went to [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]]. {{storylink|Fan polls#2017|''Power of the Primes'' fan poll}}
{{-}}

===Precursor World===
Thunderwing<ref>This character probably had a name and title structured like that of [[White Gallant Convoy]] or [[Brightes|Blue Brightes Convoy]], but whatever it was remains speculation.</ref> was a leader of the [[White Order]] of the [[Primus Vanguard]]. He passed away and was memorialized with a hologram at the [[Ivory Towers]]. {{Storylink|Generations Selects Special Comic Finale Part 1|Finale Part 1}}

A [[Specter]] would later take on his visage. {{Storylink|Blue Big Convoy comic}}
{{-}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
[[File:LightStar Thunderwing.jpg|upright=1.35|thumb|left|Can't figure out how to do the [[Vulcan]] salute.]]
During the era of [[Expansion]], Thunderwing was a famed fleet commander and at the forefront of the movement, gathering resources to fuel the ever-growing Cybertronian race. After the Expansion had been halted, Thunderwing was consigned to the distant asteroid colony [[Hexagon]] as its administrator. Stewing in his perceived "retirement" and the [[Senate]]'s curtailing of his lofty ambitions, Thunderwing waited for the day he could again ascend to prominence. Upon receiving word of the rise of the [[Decepticon]] movement on Cybertron, he began hiring various mercenaries and malcontents like [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]], [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]], and [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] under the pretense of increasing security for Hexagon. Thunderwing also secretly sheltered and allowed [[Airachnid (G1)|Airachnid]]'s unholy experiments in creating synthetic versions of the [[Artifacts of the Primes]].

When [[Vigilem]] docked at Hexagon and Thunderwing heard of the Senate's dissolution, he saw an opportunity to ingratiate himself with the new Decepticon regime by repairing the fugitive [[Titan (group)|Titan]]. The [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]] soon arrived at Hexagon aboard [[Lodestar (Titan)|Lodestar]], seeking to apprehend Vigilem in the name of [[Colonial Security]]. Thunderwing held an audience with them and played dumb in regards to the Titan's crimes and what was occurring on Cybertron. The Technobots' suspicions were sparked by Thunderwing's choice in employees and his attempts to divert them, and a battle soon broke out on Hexagon. Intending to have the intruders killed, Thunderwing revealed the full scope of his plans, but the Technobots accidentally fell into Airachnid's experimental [[Combination Core]], which forcibly merged them into [[Computron (G1)|Computron]]. Furious at this turn of events, Thunderwing jettisoned the entire section of Hexagon that Computron was in out into space. Vigilem was soon thereafter destroyed by Lodestar, further stymying Thunderwing's ambitions. {{storylink|Light/Star}}

{{--}}

==Games==
===''Transformers Legends''===
During the Great War, Thunderwing almost destroyed [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], but was defeated and placed in a state of dormancy. Years later, [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] came up with a plan to revive Thunderwing and destroy the Autobots once and for all. The [[Wrecker]]s traveled to Cybertron in an attempt to stop Bludgeon and [[Darkwing (G1)|Darkwing]], but failed. Both the Autobots and Decepticons were forced to cooperate as Thunderwing proved uncontrollable, and they eventually wore him down until he ran out of [[Ore-13|Ultra Energon]]. {{storylink|Stormbringer (Legends)|Stormbringer}}

Sometime later, Thunderwing had become more amenable. He, [[Axer (G1)|Axer]], and [[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]] accompanied [[Nova Prime|Nemesis Prime]] on a mission to defeat Nemesis's former self, Nova Prime. {{storylink|Prime Evil}} He led a team of Decepticons including [[Banzai-Tron (G1)|Banzai-Tron]] and Bludgeon in a raid on an Autobot [[Sun-Farming facility]]. Despite the Autobots putting up more resistance than expected, Thunderwing and his men triumphed, conquering the facility and sending the Autobots packing. {{storylink|Revelation (Legends)|Revelation}}

===''Transformers: Battle Tactics''===
[[File:BattleTacticsThunderwing.jpg|thumb|400px|Not so menacing when you are a [[Super deformed|super deformer]], uh?]]
Thunderwing participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He was an Uncommon character who could be recruited after collecting 120 units of Cybermetal, and 56 units of Transmetal. {{storylink|Transformers: Battle Tactics}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===''The Transformers''===
[[File:G1Thunderwing toy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|You passed this up when you saw it in the stores. Then [[Simon Furman|Furman]] had to come along.]]
*'''Thunderwing''' (Mega Pretender, [[1989]])
**''Accessories'': Pretender shell, 2 heat-seeking laser blasters, [[cyclone cannon]]
:Thunderwing's inner robot transforms into a rather simple Cybertronic shuttlecraft. His [[Pretender]] shell also transforms into a starship mode of its own. The inner vehicle can be attached underneath the nose of the larger vehicle to create a combined starship mode. The inner robot is relatively generic in appearance (as with most Pretenders) while his outer Pretender shell resembles an alien warrior with Japanese {{w|Oni (folklore)|oni}} influences. The inner robot carries a small "cyclone cannon" laser, while the shell is armed with two large laser blasters. All three of his guns can be mounted on his shell's vehicle mode. The large laser blasters can be mounted on the jet two different ways, either perpendicular or parallel to the wing undersides.

:Unlike fellow Mega Pretenders [[Crossblades (G1)#Toys|Crossblades]] or [[Vroom (G1)#Toys|Vroom]], parts do not need to be removed and rearranged in order for Thunderwing to achieve any of his modes.

:This mold was [[retool]]ed to make [[Black Shadow (G1)#Toys|Black Shadow]].
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1989/Decepticon/Thunderwing/thunderwing.htm More information on Thunderwing at TFU.info]''
::*''[http://www.botchthecrab.com/archive/instructions/decepticon/1989/instr_thunderwing.jpg Instruction booklet for Thunderwing at Botchthecrab.com]''
{{--}}

===''Generations''===
[[File:Generationstoy-Thunderwing.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Matrix obsession sold separately.]]
*'''Thunderwing''' (Deluxe Class, [[2010]])
**''Accessories'': 2 missile launchers, 2 missiles, recon drone
:Part of the fifth wave of ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)|Generations]]'' Deluxe Class toys, Thunderwing's alternate mode is a fighter jet loosely based on an [[United States Air Force#F-22 Raptor|F-22 Raptor]], with different wings but retaining the F-22's characteristic zigzag patterns sculpted on the hull. He transforms into a robot that looks like the original Thunderwing toy's Pretender shell. The nose of the jet can detach and become a separate aerial drone, while the two missile launchers can detach from the wings and become handheld weapons or clip together into one massive gun. The middle section of the sculpted missiles on the sides of the guns are also compatible with [[C joint]] accessories. Thunderwing's colors seem to be inspired by his color scheme in the latter end of the Marvel run, considering his green arms. There is also an homage to [[Don Figueroa]]'s design in ''Stormbringer'' with Thunderwing's face and feet.

:At [[BotCon 2010]], the [[Hasbro]] design team noted that they had wanted to make the aerial drone unit transform into a robot but were unable to do so (presumably for budget reasons, though they didn't go into that detail).

:The toy is slightly mistransformed in packaging, with the chest section that conceals his head in jet mode in its robot mode position.

:This sculpt was retooled to make ''Generations'' [[Black Shadow (G1)#Generations|Sky Shadow]] and ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 toyline)|Adventure]]'' [[Black Shadow (RID)#Toys|Black Shadow]] as well as [[BotCon 2012]] [[Metalhawk (G1)#Timelines|Metalhawk]]. Thunderwing's [[instructions]] initially depicted him with Sky Shadow's head and chest. A [[Variant|running change]] version of the instructions depicts Thunderwing's own head, but keeps Sky Shadow's chest unchanged.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2010/Decepticon/Thunderwing/thunderwing.htm More information on ''Generations'' Thunderwing at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

===''United''===
[[File:Unitedtoy-Thunderwing.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Sometimes Hasbro beats Takara to media accuracy.]]
*'''Thunderwing''' (Deluxe Class, [[2012]]-[[January 28|01-28]])
**''ID number:'' '''UN-26'''
**''Accessories'': 2 missile launchers, 2 missiles, recon drone

:The ''[[Transformers United|United]]'' release of Thunderwing decos his robot mode to approximate the colors of the original toy rather than his Marvel appearances. It achieves this by changing the green plastic on his arms for gray and the green plastic on his thighs and waist side armor for black plastic. The clear orange plastic is now a clear cherry red, the light green and dark green paint is a hi-gloss forest green, and the blue paint is slightly darker. His light gray plastic is now a cream color. Last but not least the purple plastic is a very light purple on this release.

:The soft-plastic spikes on ''United'' Thunderwing's arms are much softer than either his ''Generations'' counterpart or Sky Shadow's.

:Like the 5th and 6th wave figures, Thunderwing's package feature a sticker that said "limited quantity (数量限定)", indicating that this figure is released in limited numbers after its first and only shipment.
{{--}}

===''Titans Return''===
{{anchor|TRSOC}}
[[File:TitansReturn TitanMaster Thunderwing.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Evil cute little robot but still dangerous.]]
*'''Siege on Cybertron''' (2017)

:''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' Thunderwing is a retool of [[Titan Master]] [[Fangry (G1)#Generations|Fangry]], with a new die-cast metal head mode face based on Thunderwing's Pretender Shell face, and a torso shared with Titan Master [[Hot Rod (G1)/toys#TRCOV|Rodimus Prime]]. The robot mode face is based on [[Don Figueroa]]'s ''Stormbringer'' design.

:Thunderwing was only available as part of the "Siege of Cybertron" set, which also includes [[Ginrai (robot)#Titans Return|Magnus Prime]] & [[Ginrai (human)#Generations|Ginrai]], [[Fathom#Toys|Fathom]] & [[Tidal Wave (G1)#Generations|Tidal Wave]], [[Haruma Gō#Toys|Professor Go]] & [[Metalhawk (G1)#Generations|Metalhawk]], and [[Pounce#Generations|Decepticon Pounce]]. In the United States, this set was exclusive to [[BigBadToyStore]], but it saw a wider release in Canada where it was available at [[Toys"R"Us]], [[Amazon (website)|Amazon]], the Canadian [[Walmart]] online store, book store chain Indigo and several PC retailers (seriously!). Additionally, it was also available at retail in Hong Kong and Singapore and even saw an official in the Netherlands, where it was exclusively available from BOL.

:This sculpt was also used to make [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys#Titans Return|Ultra Magnus]] and [[Scorponok (G1)/toys#Generations|Scorponok]].
{{TRFangryMold}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
[[File:Thunderwingisdeath.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Like that cannon he always carries around? Too bad, the toy ain't got it.]]
[[File:Thunderwingg1catalog.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|<s>Also available in Violent Violet.</s>]]
*According to the Marvel UK story, "[[The Big Shutdown!]]", Thunderwing stands at 40 feet tall while in his Pretender shell.
*Thunderwing only transformed out of his humanoid shell mode once in the entire United States run of the Marvel Comics series. Even then, it was into his non-combined shell-only jet mode, leaving no hint that he had an inner robot mode at all. The only time we see his inner robot mode is in his first appearance, the Marvel United Kingdom story, "[[The Big Shutdown!]]".
*Thunderwing's Marvel Comics appearances give him a four-barreled hand weapon that's completely fabricated, as it's not based on any of the toy's three guns. As with the melee weapons [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], [[Stranglehold]], and [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]] use in the comic, his four-barreled cannon likely originated from his unpublished [[character model]].
*A phenomenon [[Straxus (G1)|seen]] [[Circuit Breaker (G1)|often]] in the Marvel United States material, Thunderwing suffered from color scheme shift. At first, he appears in colors that approximate his toy's layout as best as the printing process allowed. Suddenly, in his biggest, most memorable appearances in [[Dark Creation|#65]] and [[All Fall Down|#66]], much of his blacks, grays, and blues were replaced by light greens. As a side effect of this phenomenon, since covers are colored in advance of the interiors, #66's cover featured a blue-armed Thunderwing with a green-armed Thunderwing inside.
*Hasbro [[stock photography|photography]] of Thunderwing shows some plastic color differences from the final product. His shell's arms are the same purple as his guns instead of gray, and his inner robot's thighs are that purple as well, instead of the final toy's black. Black paint is applied to the shell's thighs differently, and the inner robot's forearms seem to be painted light gray. Additionally, the smaller robot is incapable of toting either of the larger guns in jet mode, as the peghole isn't large enough.
*Speaking of pegholes, both of Thunderwing's large guns have [[5 mm post]]s with holes in the center that can function very much like [[Powerlinx]]able pegs, which means one can store [[Mini-Con]]s on them, if one so desires.
*Fitting with [[Don Figueroa]]'s method of making all of his robot designs able to be easily turned into toys, IDW Thunderwing's Ultra Mode is telegraphed by his kibble. An image in the ''[[The Transformers: Stormbringer|Stormbringer]]'' trade paperback's sketch section shows exactly how he transforms into it.
*Kreon Thunderwing's appearance in the comic is extremely small, making it difficult to tell what Kre-O parts he's made out of.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Thunderwing''' (サンダーウイング ''Sandāuingu''; サンダーウィング<ref>Japanese translation of ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron]]''</ref> ''Sandāwingu'')
*''French:'' '''Aérofoudre''' (Canada, "Aerolightning"), '''Foudre''' (France, "Lightning")
*''Mandarin:'' '''Léi Yì''' (Taiwan, 雷翼, "Thunder Wing"), '''Léi Yì Wáng''' (China, 雷翼王, "King Thunder Wing")
*''Hungarian:'' '''Mennydörgés''' ("Thunder")

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Armada Decepticons]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Decepticons]]
[[Category:Decepticon leaders]]
[[Category:Dimension hoppers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generations]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Decepticons]]
[[Category:IDW (2019) Transformers]]
[[Category:Kre-O Decepticons]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Matrix bearers]]
[[Category:Pretenders]]
[[Category:Regeneration One Decepticons]]
[[Category:Royalty]]
[[Category:Scientists]]
[[Category:Titan Masters]]
[[Category:Titans Return Decepticons]]
[[Category:Unicron-related characters]]
[[Category:United Decepticons]]
[[Category:White Order]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Decepticons]]

Infiltration issue 3

2022-03-03T01:38:18Z

JDspeeder1: /* Transformers references */

{{Comicstory
|series=infiltration|issueno=3
|prev=Infiltration issue 2
|next=Infiltration issue 4
|image=Infiltration_3b.jpg
|caption=Eat foot, dig?
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[March 8]], [[2006]]
|coverdate=March 2006
|written by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[E. J. Su]]
|colors by=[[John Rauch]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|edits by=[[Chris Ryall]] & [[Dan Taylor (IDW)|Dan Taylor]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2006-7|2006-7]]
}}
'''The Decepticons attempt to erase evidence while Ratchet warns Prowl of the situation.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Infiltration3 Prowl saveit.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]
Trapped in a containment cell, [[Verity Carlo]] offers an ultimatum to her [[Autobot]] captors: if they don't let her and her friends out, she wipes the [[SM-40]] that's prompted such interest from both sides. [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] is unmoved, and flicks the security camera to "mute" as [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] gives [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] a thorough dressing-down for disobeying his orders and breaking cover. The Autobot medic tells ''his'' side of the story: having arrived too late to prevent the Decepticon assassination of their [[Stoker|target of interest]], Ratchet wound up clashing with [[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] and eventually ran across Verity Carlo and [[Hunter O'Nion]]. Ratchet concludes his case by arguing that the Autobots are on [[Earth]] to ''save'' lives from wanton Decepticon action, and that's exactly what he tried to do.

Prowl is unmoved: not only did the medic fail to rescue his primary target, he points out, but his attempt to play hero has drawn three more innocent lives into the crossfire. Prowl orders Ratchet to find out what's on Verity's computer and then get rid of the [[human]]s, and although Ratchet suggests alerting [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] to the unusual Decepticon activity Prowl just ignores |him. In desperation, Ratchet points out to [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] that the local Decepticon cell might have potentially gone rogue... and even if they're acting under orders, their erratic behavior means only one thing: it's a matter of time before [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] arrives.

In [[Tucson]], [[Arizona]], a police officer is investigating the dead body of the businessman, and tracks his last known whereabouts to a nearby trailer park. No sooner has he arrived than a pair of warplanes—[[Skywarp (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|one black]], [[Blitzwing (G1)|one purple]]—appear out of thin air, annihilating the dead man's trailer before promptly disappearing again.

[[File:Infiltration3 skywarp and blitzwing.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

As the detained humans argue in their cell, Ratchet's holomatter avatar appears in front of them and persuades Verity to hand the computer over. Ratchet deactivates the holomatter walls of their cell and explains the situation: the humans have been brought aboard the [[Autobot]] starship ''[[Ark-19]]'', located at the bottom of [[Lake Michigan]]. Ratchet plugs in the palmtop into the ''Ark-19'''s systems to analyze its contents; at the same time, Ironhide, unbeknownst to all, finishes sending a secret pulsewave to Autobot high command—for Optimus Prime's eyes only.

Ratchet finally reveals the reason why the mysterious businessman had been targeted by the Decepticons: his photos show snapshots of a [[Decepticon Command Bunker|gigantic Decepticon bunker]] somewhere in the wilderness of [[Nebraska]]. As Ratchet explains the Decepticon [[infiltration protocol]] to the confused humans, he points out that something's gone wrong on Earth: the Decepticons have ''abandoned'' this base in favor of a secondary command bunker in [[Oregon]], and have initiated siege mode earlier than normal. More intriguingly, the previous holder of the palmtop computer broke into the Nebraska base, snapping photos of its derelict interior. Verity wonders aloud: why would the Decepticons relocate?

[[File:Infiltration3-BumblebeeEavesdropper.jpg|thumb|250px]]
In [[Riverside]], a news crew prepares to broadcast a report from the site of [[Jimmy Pink]]'s destroyed garage. As they set up, however, an ominous rumbling precludes the arrival of Blitzwing in his tank configuration, who levels what remains of Jimmy's garage before trundling over the broadcast vans. The assembled newcasters can only look on in confusion as the tank [[transformation|transforms]] into a fighter jet and zooms away.

Verity, Hunter and Jimmy insist that Ratchet take them to the [[Decepticon]] bunker in [[Nebraska]] so that they can locate the proof Ratchet needs to persuade Prowl of the severity of the situation. Ratchet isn't convinced: rescuing them from the crossfire is one thing, but willingly sending them into a dangerous situation is quite another. Their arguments wear him down, however, and Ratchet finally makes up his mind when [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]], who's overheard the argument, offers to help out. The three humans climb aboard as the two Autobots make their way to Nebraska.

In the bus depot in [[Phoenix (city)|Phoenix]], [[Arizona]], a [[bus lot manager]] investigates the salvaged bus targeted by the Decepticons. His maintenance concerns are quickly alleviated when the two Decepticons appear and annihilate the bus in another surgical strike. When asked for their ''next'' target, however, Decepticon lieutenant [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] orders Skywarp and Blitzwing to destroy the Nebraska bunker...

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (4)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] (5)
*[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] (6)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] (7)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] (8)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Wheeljack]] (9)
*[[Jazz (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jazz]] (10)
|c2=
*[[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]] (12)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Skywarp]] (13)
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (14)
*[[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] (16)
|c3=
*[[Hunter O'Nion]] (1)
*[[Verity Carlo]] (2)
*[[Jimmy Pink]] (3)
*[[Stoker]] (11)
*[[Lindy Simmons]] (15)
}}

==Quotes==
"Why are we '''here''', on this planet? We're here to '''save lives'''. Now okay, maybe we're talking mass numbers, a global scale of species saved, but me, I take it '''one life at a time.'''"
:—'''Ratchet'''

"'''What''' peril? You said yourself... it's abandoned." 
"Plus, our mystery man got in and out safely. We know '''that''' for a fact!" 
"And... we '''laugh''' in the face of danger!" 
''-everyone turns to look at Verity-'' 
"Did I '''really''' say that?"
:—'''Hunter''', '''Jimmy''', and '''Verity''' present their arguments

"Couldn't help but overhear... largely because I was lurking back here, where I had no real good reason to be."
:—'''Bumblebee'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Prowl dismisses Ratchet's actions as being to "give yourself ''another'' shot at being a hero", suggesting that the medic has a history of reckless behavior. This might just imply that this isn't the first time that Ratchet's compassionate nature has led him to interfere with native life-forms, but Prowl's off-hand comment has greater meaning in the wake of the "Shadowplay" two-parter in ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'', which revealed that Ratchet was once part of an elaborate heist to steal the [[Matrix of Leadership]] from the forces of the [[Senate]].
*This issue introduces the all-important [[infiltration protocol]] that the Decepticons operate under. Ratchet notes that he's only ever seen a phase five response once before, and shrugs off Jimmy's question of whether or not there's a phase six by telling him that he doesn't want to know. ''[[Spotlight: Sixshot]]'' will reveal just what happens in phase six and why Ratchet thinks he's better off not knowing.
*The Autobots have not come to Earth aboard the traditional ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' spaceship, but in the ''[[Ark-19]]''. The reasons behind this odd naming scheme will be expounded on in ''[[Spotlight: Nightbeat]]''.

===Transformers references===
*Our mysterious businessman is revealed to have operated under the alias of "Finklerock;" this name is a portmanteau derived from the names of [[Donny Finkleberg]] and [[G.B. Blackrock]], who were supporting characters from [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]]'s original [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|''Transformers'' comics]]. A reimagined Blackrock would show up a few years later in the pages of ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]''.
*The Decepticons' current command bunker being located in [[Oregon]] shouldn't raise any eyebrows amongst old-school Transformer fans, being the state containing [[Mount St. Hilary]] and the primary setting for a lot of classic ''Transformers'' material.

===Real-world references===
[[File:Infiltration3-VerityMeetsBumblebee.jpg|thumb|250px]]
*When Bumblebee transforms into his [[alternate mode]], his [[holomatter]] avatar resembles [[w:Lindsay Lohan|Lindsay Lohan]]. E.J. Su confirmed in January 2021 that this was a deliberate reference by him to ''[[w:Herbie Fully Loaded|Herbie: Fully Loaded]],'' a movie about a girl (Lohan) befriending a sentient [[Volkswagen]], which had come out a year before the comic's release. The script had already said the avatar was female. <ref>[https://twitter.com/ejsu28/status/1350155055849082880 Su's twitter, 15th Jan 2021:] "To answer a question in the article, the script called for a non-specified female avatar, I decided to make reference to Love Bug with Lindsay Lohan."</ref>

===Other trivia===
*Ratchet mentions his "batch proto-initiator;" presumably, this has something to do with the development of [[protoform]]s, but the significance of this statement (outside of being a jokey Transformer-ized colloquialism) has never been expounded on.
*The "Decepticomments" section featured mail answered by Chris Ryall and short ads for next month's issues: [[Infiltration issue 4|''Infiltration'' #4]], [[The Gathering issue 3|''The Gathering'' #3]], [[The Transformers: Generations (comic)|''Generations'' #2]].
*The first few pages of this story were reprinted as part of a [[Free Comic Book Day]] issue by [[IDW Publishing]] on [[May 6]]th, [[2006]].

===Covers (9)===
<gallery>
File:Infiltration 3a.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover A''' - See what happens when you're a prick!
File:Infiltration 3b.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover B''' - This time Jazz eats floor, dig?
File:Infiltration 3c.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover C''' - Triple takeover.
File:Infiltration 3d.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover D''' - Raiz draws better humans, hands down!
</gallery>
*'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover A:''' Prowl amongst explosions, part 2 of a larger image by [[E. J. Su]].
*'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover B:''' Blitzwing vs Jazz, by [[Guido Guidi]].
*'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover C:''' Blitzwing in tank mode, by [[Andrew Wildman]].
*'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover D:''' Humans at Ratchet's feet, by [[James Raiz]].
<gallery>
File:Infiltration 3ria.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover RI-A''' - Oooh, foily!
File:Infiltration 3rib.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover RI-B''' - Toy accurate prick!
File:Infiltration 3ric.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover RI-C''' - Mister deadlier-than-thou
File:FCBD 2006 coverA.jpg|'''Free Comic Book Day 2006 cover A'''
</gallery>
*'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover RI-A:''' foil stamp of cover D.
*'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover RI-B:''' Prowl, by Guido Guidi.
*'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover RI-C:''' Blitzwing, by Guido Guidi (includes 4 mini-prints).
*'''Free Comic Book Day 2006 cover A:''' reuse of page 1 of ''[[Transformers, Beast Wars: The Gathering|Beast Wars: The Gathering]]'' [[The Gathering issue 2|issue #2]] showing assorted [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]], art by [[Don Figueroa]], colors by [[Josh Burcham]].
<gallery>
File:FCBD 2006 coverB.jpg|'''Free Comic Book Day 2006 cover B'''
</gallery>
*'''Free Comic Book Day 2006 cover B:''' reuse of [[Infiltration issue 1|issue #1]]'s cover D.

===Advertisements===
*''[[Transformers: Beast Wars 10th Anniversary|10th Anniversary Beast Wars]]'' toys
*[[Infiltration issue 4|''Infiltration'' #4]], 2-page B&W sketch preview
*[[The Gathering issue 2|''The Gathering'' #2]]
*3-page preview of ''The Gathering'' #2
*''[[The Transformers: Generations (comic)|Generations]]''
*''[[The Transformers: Stormbringer|Stormbringer]]'' (back cover)

===Reprints===
Other than [[The Transformers: Infiltration#Collections|reprints of the full series]]
* N/A

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

Transformers: Earth Wars

2022-03-03T00:48:24Z

JDspeeder1: /* Campaigns */

[[File:TransformersEarthWars logo.png|center|400px]]
{{videogame
|title=''Transformers: Earth Wars''
|image=TransformersEarthWars header.jpg
|caption=''"...fuel cells!"''
|developer=[[Space Ape Games]]
|publisher=[[Backflip Studios]]
|date=[[June 2]], [[2016]]
|platform=Android, iOS
}}

'''''Transformers: Earth Wars''''' is a mobile game by [[Space Ape Games]]/[[Backflip Studios]] with a storyline written by [[Simon Furman]], which means plenty of [[Furmanism]]s. The aim of the game is to assemble an army and build a fortress, then try to defend your base while destroying the enemy's. Essentially, Transformers meets ''Clash of Clans'', without Hog Riders.

The setting is [[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]], though characters from the [[Beast Era]], [[Unicron Trilogy]] and currently [[Transformers: Shattered_Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass]] are present.

In 2019, the game introduced [[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]] characters.

It celebrated its fifth birthday on the last weekend of May 2021, with a special event where all players would get a "free 5-star bot" in an attempt to break more internal play records.<ref>[https://twitter.com/TransformersWar/status/1397322574783303683 Earth Wars twitter, 25th May: "Your leaders need you! Take part in our 5-year Anniversary event this weekend with your Alliance to obtain a 5-star bot at 115k!"]</ref>

==Plot==
The Autobots and Decepticons return to Earth to battle over resources. Furman promises that while it "appears to be about the same old stuff" initially, "as we progress through the game, more is revealed about Megatron’s master plan and what he’s looking for on Earth."<ref>[https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gaming/2016/02/10/transformers-land-mobile-earth-wars/80167164/ USA Today: "'Transformers' land on mobile in 'Earth Wars'"]</ref>

===Campaigns===
*'''Get Optimus / Get Megatron!'''
Jetfire and Starscream arrive on Earth and set up their base of operations. Soon, Ironhide and Bludgeon arrive through their Space Bridges, and after raiding a few bases, both factions find a [[Quantum Crystal]] powerful enough to power their spacebridges and bring their leaders to Earth.
*'''The Lost Map'''
With the arrival of Optimus Prime and Megatron, the Autobots and/or Decepticons set out to find the [[Fractal Map]] pieces with the help of their human allies. Both sides find a Gunner Crystal and recruit Sunstreaker and Swindle.
*'''Power Play'''
After collecting three of the map pieces, both factions try putting the pieces they collected together, only to find out they need a [[Codex Key]] to break the encryption.
*'''The Codex Showdown'''
With the help of the recently recruited medics, Ratchet and Hook, both sides fight over the Codex Key, and find the location of a [[Enigma of Combination|legendary artifact]].
*'''Secrets of Nebulos'''
Some weird pieces of [[Nebulos]] technology called '''"Power Cores"''' have landed on Earth. Starscream and Optimus gather some troops, and both Starscream and Optimus Prime fight over the Power Cores. The power cores gathered, however, have been rigged to explode, and so both sides have to start from scratch with building up their power core stocks.
*'''Combiner Wars'''
With the Enigma of Combination, the Autobots and Decepticons harness the power of Combiners. The gestalts prove unstable, however, and require Ore-13 and high-ranking bots to be useful.
*'''Return to Cybertron'''
A power play involving Starscream, Straxus, and Rodimus Unicronus results in the Autobots and Decepticons teaming up to assault Cybertron-based fortresses with overpowered defenses.
*'''War For Cybertron'''
Flashbacks introduce the Omega Supreme and Overlord combiners, along with the War for Cybertron cosmetic skin cores.

==Gameplay==
===Alliances===
Alliances are the primary way to gain access to bots firsthand via events. Your alliance can also compete in Alliance Wars to determine who is better, and to see who comes up top! Compete in Alliance wars to gain resources, league promotions, and bragging rights!

You can join with other players in an alliance, or you can create your own for 15,000 Alloy! There are many notable alliances within the community!

A player must have Level 4 Headquarters or higher to join an Alliance, and up to 40 people can be in an Alliance.

===Classes===
*'''Warriors''' are armored front line melee fighters that rush into enemy defenses to open up the attack and protect other bots, but they have the lowest Damage per second (DPS). Warriors generally have a speed of 1.7, but some are slightly faster.
*'''Aerial''' units deal the highest DPS at a short range and can perform powerful airstrikes on single targets from great distances, but have low health. All air units have a speed of 2.
*'''Gunners''' shoot over walls and bombard large areas with their abilities from long range. like the Air units, they're deadly but vulnerable. All gunners have a speed of 1.8.
*'''Medics''' heal and support other bots in battle. They are only a few medics in the game, and they aren't durable themselves, so keep them in the back. Medics have a speed of 2.6.
*'''Special''' bots are highly individualized fighters with unique capabilities. This class incorporates leaders, scouts, and deployers.
*'''Combiners''' are a special class that must be summoned individually. They deal massive amounts of damage, but can only stay on the battlefield for so long. Their three abilities do not use ability points, but have cooldown times.

===Power Cores===
Power Cores are pieces of Nebulan Technology that are used to enhance bots and buildings, that can be obtained from ‘’’Power Chips’’’ or from Bot duplicates. Unused cores can be "fused" to active ones, increasing the effectiveness of the latter, but annihilating the former.

Building Cores

*Universal Building Cores:
**'''Attack''': Increases attack.
**'''Defense''': Increases initial building health.
**'''Repair''': Restores building health periodically after receiving damage.

*Auto Cannon Cores:
**'''Explosive Shells''': Deals a reduced amount of damage to all targets in a small area, and eliminates knockback.

*Mortar Cores:
**'''Incendiary''': Fiery explosions deal increased damage over 6 seconds, and eliminate knockback.
**'''Target Protocol''': Prioritizes gunners and medics, while increasing range and decreasing damage.

*Missile Launcher cores:
**'''Guided Missiles''': Laser-guided single target missiles, dealing a reduced amount of damage.

*Laser Turret Cores:
**'''Anti-Air Laser''': Increases range and damage, but restricts weapon to attack only airborne targets.

*HQ Cores:
**'''Adaptive Shielding''': Partial protection from Combiner damage and Special Ability damage.
**'''Omni-Flamer''': Torches all nearby enemies.
**'''Point Defense Beam''': Deals damage to a single nearby target. Can target airborne attackers, and prioritizes gunners.

Bot Cores

*Universal Bot Cores:
**'''Attack''': Boosts damage of regular attacks.
**'''Vitality''': Increases bot's health.
**'''Rejuvenate''': Heals bot every 5 seconds.
**'''Tactician''': The bot prioritizes defenses for a period immediately after deployment.
**'''Wallbuster''': Damage to walls increased.

*Warrior Bot Cores
**'''Trithyllium Plating''': Partial protection from Auto Cannons.
**'''Death Pulse''': On 0 health, the warrior creates an EMP explosion, stunning targets in a large area.

*Air Bot Cores:
**'''Reflective Coating''': Partial protection from Laser Turrets and Beam Lasers.
**'''Enhanced Ordnance''': Increases special ability damage.

*Gunner Cores:
**'''Flak Jacket''': Partial protection from Mortars and Missile Launchers.
**'''Volatile Mixture''': Increases special ability damage.

*Medic Cores:
**'''Ray Boosters''': Increases power of healing done.

*Bot Specific Cores:
Certain bots have bot-specific cores that can only be equipped to one particular bot. Their effects are unique, and they also modify the visual appearance of the bot on which they're equipped - for instance, Optimus Prime and Rodimus Prime each have "Matrix" cores, which cause the Matrix to appear on their chests.

*G1 Cores:
A successor to the Bot Specific Cores are the G1 cores. Again, these can be equipped to specific bots, and modify the visual appearance of the bots. But in the case of the G1 cores, the visual modification takes the form of a thicker black outline around the edges of each bot, approximating the appearance of the classic animated series.

*Prime Cores:
12 unique cores (each corresponding to one of the ancient [[Thirteen|Primes]]) that provide particularly potent abilities, and in some cases alter the physical appearance of each bot. Prime cores are not obtainable from bot duplicates or standard core chips, and can be obtained only through the collection of 5,000 Prime Core shards (typically special rewards from weekend events).

*Limited Time Cores:
Temporary cores that provide an XP boost for a specific period after being equipped. One the period is completed, they are automatically destroyed.

*Squad cores
Faction- and class-specific cores that confer two buffs - one to the bot on whom it is equipped, and another on any bots of the same class in the same squad.

===Resources===
*'''Alloy'''- A metal substance used to upgrade buildings and walls.
*'''[[Energon]]'''- Energon is used to upgrade buildings, upgrade Bots' special abilities, and to perform research on Bots to make them stronger.
*'''[[Ore-13]]'''- A potent substance used to activate Combiners.
*'''[[Spark]]'''- Obtained from holographic summons in the Space bridge and Event rewards, Spark is used to upgrade Bots' abilities. Special Spark can be received from Combiner team bots.
*'''Crystal Shards'''- Also the result of Holographic summons and events, shards are used to create powerful crystals to summon high star rating Bots.
*'''[[Cybercoin]]'''- Premium currency used for instantly obtaining resources and [[Quantum Crystal|crystals.]]
*'''Combiner Spark''' - This type of spark is used only for combiners. Obtained when you get a duplicate of a Combiner Bot.
[http://wiki.transformersearthwars.com/wiki:currencies Currencies and Resources at Transformers: Earth Wars Wiki]

===Battle Boosts===
Battle Boosts are like Spells in Clash of Clans. They can only be used once in a battle, but provide extra offense or defense for your team.
*'''Incendiary Barrage MK. 1, II, and III''' Rain down an artillery battery of Incendiary shells on the battlefield dealing medium damage
*'''Orbital Strike MK. I, II, and III''' summon a powerful Orbital Strike from above dealing massive damage.
*'''Forcefield MK. I, II, and III''' Provides a forcefield that blocks 45% to 75% of damage taken and makes them immune to knockbacks for 6 seconds.
*'''Smart Bomb MK. I, II, and III''' Deals a set amount of damage to a single target.
*'''EMP blast MK. I, II, and III''' Stun all targets in a large radius for a set amount of time depending on the level.
*'''Field Repairs MK. I, II, and III''' Heal all friendly bots for a set amount of HP over 5 seconds.
*'''Shark Attack MK I, II, and III''' Call for 3 vicious 2-star Sharkticons (level 14, 30, and 40, respectively) to attack a target. '''Warning''': Fallen Sharkticons are ''highly'' explosive.
*'''Nanofrost MK. I, II, and III''' Freeze a building for 8–12 seconds, then destroy it to freeze and slow down all buildings around the Bomb radius by 40% for 10 seconds.
*'''[[Kremzeek]]''' Coming in 5 variants, Kremzeeks can do quite a lot of things.
**Red Kremzeeks set buildings on fire dealing 128 damage per second for 6 seconds, increasing every second if you destroy the building they are currently deployed on.
**Yellow Kremzeeks deal 96 damage over 15 seconds. Can jump to other buildings up to 4 times.
**Purple Kremzeeks hack defenses and make them attack other defenses for you, albeit with less damage.
** The rare Blue Kremzeek can stun defenses over a brief period of time.
** The White Kremzeek makes the target building take more damage.

[http://wiki.transformersearthwars.com/wiki:battleboosts Battle Boosts at Transformers: Earth Wars Wiki]

==Buildings==
===Main===
*'''Headquarters''' - The heart of your Autobot/Decepticon outpost, protect yours well, and destroy an opponent's Headquarters to win a battle! Upgrade it to unlock more upgrades and buildings!
*'''Shuttle''' - The shuttle carries Autobots and Decepticons into battle! Upgrade with Energon to increase maximum capacity.

===Defense===
*'''[[Autogun|Auto Cannon]]''' - Provides a decent amount of damage and has medium range. Cannot target flying units.
*'''Laser Turret''' - Shoots off 4 smaller lasers that deal constant damage at shorter range, but deals double damage to flying units!
*'''Mortar''' - Long range defense that targets ground units and deals explosive damage from far away.
*'''Outpost''' - Assign an Autobot or Decepticon with a fraction of their normal stats to defend against attacks on your base.
*'''Beam Laser''' - Shoots off a long range Photon laser to deal the Highest DPS on a single ground unit.
*'''Shock Tower''' - Delivers a nasty jolt of electricity to nearby bots and knocks them back, and is immune to EMP effects! (Except for [[Star Saber (G1)|shock]][[Deathsaurus (G1)|fire]])
*'''Missile Launcher''' - Shoots off a barrage of rockets over a very long range at both ground and air units. Cannot target troops within its blind spot.
*'''Stasis Mine''' - Doesn't deal damage, but freezes enemies in place for 2–5 seconds.
*'''Wall''' - Used to shield defenses and slow down invaders. Upgrading each wall post gives it more health to better defend against opponent bots.

*'''Combiner Outpost''' - Originally unavailable to players and only seen in the Combiner Wars Campaign, this very long-ranged outpost activates a Combiner to defend against other Combiners!

===Utility===
*'''Energon Harvester''' - Harvests precious Energon for research and upgrading buildings. Upgrade with Alloy to increase production rate.
*'''Energon Storage''' - Stores Energon for later usage. Upgrade with Alloy to increase maximum storage capacity.
*'''Alloy Harvester''' - Harvests Alloy to upgrade buildings. Upgrade with Energon to increase production rate.
*'''Alloy Storage''' - Stores Alloy for later usage. Upgrade with Energon to increase maximum storage capacity.
*'''Ore-13 Harvester''' - Harvests the rare mineral [[Ore-13]] for sending out Combiners to battle.
*'''Ore-13 Storage''' - A storage device strong enough to contain the power of Ore-13.
*'''[[Space bridge]]''' - The Space bridge is used to activate [[Quantum Crystal]]s to bring in bots and resources!
*'''Research Lab''' - Upgrade your bots and their abilities with Energon and Spark to make them more powerful! Upgrade the lab to increase the max level that bots can be upgraded to.
*'''Combiner Lab''' - Used to activate Combiners and upgrade their abilities using combiner Spark.
*'''Build Bot''' - Build Bots will build and upgrade buildings, but the bots themselves cannot be upgraded and have very low health. The number of buildings that can be upgraded at a time depends on the number of Build Bots on base. More Build Bots can be bought at 2000 [[Cybercoin]]s or 5000 [[Shanix]] each.
*'''Scanner''' - Provides locations of rivals' bases so you can raid them. Upgrading it will give access to tougher battle zones.
*'''Power Core Lab''' -

[http://wiki.transformersearthwars.com/wiki:buildings Buildings at Transformers: Earth Wars Wiki]

==Featured characters==

{{featuredcharacters
|nonumbering=true
|c1=
{{collist|6|
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Jetfire (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Jetfire]]
*[[Ironhide (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Ironhide]]
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Sunstreaker]]
*[[Ratchet (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Ratchet]]
*[[Bumblebee (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Bumblebee]]
*[[Prowl (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Prowl]]
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Cliffjumper]]
*[[Grimlock (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Grimlock]]
*[[Mirage (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Mirage]]
*[[Wheeljack (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Wheeljack]]
*[[Blaster (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Blaster]]
*[[Silverbolt (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Silverbolt]]
*[[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Skydive]]
*[[Air Raid (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Air Raid]]
*[[Powerglide (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Powerglide]]
*[[Alpha Bravo#Transformers: Earth Wars|Alpha Bravo]]
*[[Fireflight (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Firefly]]
*[[Jazz (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Autobot Jazz]]
*[[Windblade (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Windblade]]
*[[Pyra Magna#Transformers: Earth Wars|Pyra Magna]]
*[[Rust Dust#Transformers: Earth Warst|Rust Dust]]
*[[Dust Up#Transformers: Earth Wars|Dustup]]
*[[Jumpstream#Transformers: Earth Wars|Jumpstream]]
*[[Skyburst (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Skyburst]]
*[[Stormclash#Transformers: Earth Wars|Stormclash]]
*[[Slag (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Slug]]
*[[Huffer (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Huffer]]
*[[Arcee (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Arcee]]
*[[Sideswipe (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Sideswipe]]
*[[Swoop (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Swoop]]
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Ultra Magnus]]
*[[Hot Rod (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Hot Rod]]
*[[Hot Spot (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Hot Spot]]
*[[Seaspray (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Seaspray]]
*[[Pipes (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Pipes]]
*[[Star Saber (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Star Saber]]
*[[Hound (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Hound]]
*[[Perceptor (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Perceptor]]
*[[Smokescreen (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Smokescreen]]
*[[First Aid (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|First Aid]]
*[[Optimus Primal (BW)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Optimus Primal]]
*[[Sludge (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Sludge]]
*[[Kup (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Kup]]
*[[Drift (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Drift]]
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Laser Optimus Prime]]
*[[Snarl (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Snarl]]
*[[Cheetor (BW)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Cheetor]]
*[[Springer (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Springer]]
*[[Cosmos (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Cosmos]]
*[[Hot Rod (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Rodimus Prime]]
*[[Sky Lynx (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Sky Lynx]]
*[[Warpath (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Warpath]]
*[[Elita One (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Elita-1]]
*[[Tracks (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Tracks]]
*[[Inferno (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Inferno]]
*[[Tigerhawk#Transformers: Earth Wars|Tigerhawk]]
*[[Sentius Magnus]]
*[[Slash (POTP)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Slash]]
*[[Sandstorm (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Sandstorm]]
*[[Bumblebee (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Goldfire]]
*[[Streetwise (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Streetwise]]
*[[Jetfire (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Cybertron Jetfire]]
*[[Blades (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Blades]]
*[[Rook (CW)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Rook]]
*[[Rhinox (BW)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Rhinox]]
*[[Punch (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Punch]]
*[[Hound (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Hound V.A.M.P.]]
*[[Jetfire (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Jetfire Skystriker]]
*[[Red Alert (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Red Alert]]
*[[Strafe (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Strafe]]
*[[Dinobot (BW)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Dinobot]]
*[[Nosecone (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Nosecone]]
*[[Brainstorm (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Brainstorm]]
*[[Six-Gun#Transformers: Earth Wars|Sixgun]]
*[[Chromia (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Chromia]]
*[[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Lightspeed]]
*[[Afterburner (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Afterbreaker]]
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Trailbreaker]]
*[[Scattershot (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Scattershot]]
*[[Hoist (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Hoist]]
*[[Grapple (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Grapple]]
*[[Prowl (Magnaboss)#Transformers: Earth Wars|BW Prowl]]
*[[Silverbolt (Magnaboss)#Transformers: Earth Wars|BW Silverbolt]]
*[[Optimus Primal (BW)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Optimal Optimus]]
*[[Ironhide (BW)|BW Ironhide]]
*[[Broadside (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Broadside]]
*[[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]]
*[[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]]

'''[[Combiner]]s/[[Guardian robot|Guardians]]'''
*[[Superion (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Superion]]
*[[Optimus Maximus (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Optimus Maximus]]
*[[Volcanicus (POTP)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Volcanicus]]
*[[Victorion#Transformers: Earth Wars|Victorion]]
*[[Defensor (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Defensor]]
*[[Omega Supreme (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Omega Supreme]]
*[[Computron (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Computron]]
*[[Magnaboss (BW)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Magnaboss]]

'''[[Titans]]'''
*[[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]}}
}}
{{featuredcharacters
|nonumbering=true
|c2=
{{collist|6|
*[[Megatron (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Megatron]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Starscream (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Starscream]]
*[[Bludgeon (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Bludgeon]]
*[[Swindle (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Swindle]]
*[[Hook (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Hook]]
*[[Shrapnel (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Skrapnel]]
*[[Brawl (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Brawl]]
*[[Kickback (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Kickback]]
*[[Razorclaw (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Razorclaw]]
*[[Breakdown (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Breakdown]]
*[[Shockwave (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Shockwave]]
*[[Soundwave (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Soundwave]] (Frank Welker)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Thundercracker]]
*[[Skywarp (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Skywarp]]
*[[Slipstream (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Slipstream]]
*[[Cyclonus (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Cyclonus]]
*[[Long Haul (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Long Haul]]
*[[Blast Off (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Blast Off]]
*[[Mixmaster (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Mixmaster]]
*[[Divebomb (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Divebomb]]
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Bonecrusher]]
*[[Scavenger (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Scavenger]]
*[[Vortex (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Vortex]]
*[[Scrapper (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Scrapper]]
*[[Onslaught (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Onslaught]]
*[[Viper (CW)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Viper]]
*[[Rampage (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Rampage]]
*[[Lockdown (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Lockdown]]
*[[Nightbird (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Nightbird]]
*[[Offroad (CW)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Offroad]]
*[[Scourge (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Scourge]]
*[[Galvatron (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Galvatron]]
*[[Nemesis Prime (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Nemesis Prime]]
*[[Tantrum (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Tantrum]]
*[[Octopunch (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Octopunch]]
*[[Headstrong (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Headstrong]]
*[[Deathsaurus (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Deathsaurus]]
*[[Drag Strip (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Drag Strip]]
*[[Bombshell (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Bombshell]]
*[[Wildrider (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Brake-Neck]]
*[[Reflector (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Reflector]]
*[[Megatron (BW)#Transformers: Earth Wars|''Beast Wars'' Megatron]]
*[[Straxus (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Straxus]]
*[[Dead End (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Dead End]]
*[[Barricade (IDW)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Barricade]]
*[[Megatron (Armada)#Transformers: Earth Wars|''Armada'' Megatron]]
*[[Hun-Gurrr (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Hun-Gurrr]]
*[[Blackarachnia (BW)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Blackarachnia]]
*[[Astrotrain (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Astrotrain]]
*[[Mindwipe (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Mindwipe]]
*[[Motormaster (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Motormaster]]
*[[Blitzwing (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Blitzwing]]
*[[Skullcruncher (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Skullsmasher]]
*[[Lugnut (TF 2010)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Lugnut]]
*[[Cutthroat (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Cutthroat]]
*[[Hot Rod (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Rodimus Unicronus]]
*[[Waspinator (BW)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Waspinator]]
*[[Sentius Malus]]
*[[Rippersnapper (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Rippersnapper]]
*[[Octane#Transformers: Earth Wars|Octone]]
*[[Ramjet (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Ramjet]]
*[[Sinnertwin (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Sinnertwin]]
*[[Starscream (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Cybertron Starscream]]
*[[Dirge (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Dirge]]
*[[Blot (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Blot]]
*[[Tarantulas (BW)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Tarantulas]]
*[[Punch (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Counterpunch]]
*[[Soundwave (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Soundwave H.I.S.S.]]
*[[Skywarp (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Skywarp Nightraven]]
*[[Runamuck (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Runamuck]]
*[[Thrust (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Thrust]]
*[[Dinobot II#Transformers: Earth Wars|Dinobot II]]
*[[Drillhorn (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Drillhorn]]
*[[Guyhawk#Transformers: Earth Wars|Guyhawk]]
*[[Triggerhappy (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Triggerhappy]]
*[[Hellbat (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Fellbat]]
*[[Killbison#Transformers: Earth Wars|Ironbison]]
*[[Flamewar (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Flamewar]]
*[[Exhaust#Transformers: Earth Wars|Exhaust]]
*[[Leozack#Transformers: Earth Wars|Leozack]]
*[[Crankcase (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Crankcase]]
*[[Dirtbag#Transformers: Earth Wars|Dirtbag]]
*[[Ram Horn#Transformers: Earth Wars|Ram Horn]]
*[[Cicadacon#Transformers: Earth Wars|Cicadacon]]
*[[Megatron (BW)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Transmetal 2 Megatron]]
*[[Sea Clamp#Transformers: Earth Wars|Sea Clamp]]
*[[Apeface#Transformers: Earth Wars|Apeface]]
*[[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]]
*[[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]]

'''Combiners/[[Godmaster (lifeform)|Godmasters]]'''
*[[Devastator (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Devastator]]
*[[Bruticus (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Bruticus]]
*[[Predaking (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Predaking]]
*[[Menasor (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Menasor]]
*[[Abominus (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Abominus]]
*[[Overlord (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Overlord]]
*[[Liokaiser#Transformers: Earth Wars|Liokaiser]]
*[[Tripredacus#Transformers: Earth Wars|Tripredacus]]

'''Titans'''
*[[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]}}
}}
{{featuredcharacters
|nonumbering=true
|h3=Trans-factional|c3=
*[[Gnaw (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Gnaw]]
*[[Impactor (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Impactor]]
'''[[Mercenary|Mercenaries]]'''
*[[Doubledealer#Transformers: Earth Wars|Doubledealer]]
*[[Snapdragon (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Snapdragon]]

|h4=Negative universe|c4=
'''Evil Autobots'''
*[[Goldbug (SG)|Goldbug*]]
'''Heroic Decepticons'''
*[[Shockwave (SG)|SG Shockwave*]]

|h5=Support characters|c5=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
'''[[Autobot Mini-Cassette]]s'''
*[[Eject (G1)|Eject]]
*[[Steeljaw (G1)|Steeljaw]]
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]]
*[[Ramhorn (G1)|Ramhorn]]
'''[[Decepticon Mini-Cassette]]s'''
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]]
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]]
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]]
*[[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]]
'''[[Sharkticon (species)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Sharkticons]]'''
* Generic Mini-Sharkticons
'''[[Drone]]s'''
* Generic Medibots
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
'''[[C.O.M.B.A.T. System|C.O.M.B.A.T]] Autobots'''
*[[Nightstalker (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Nightstalker]]
*[[Firebolt (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Firebolt]]
*[[Flak (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Flak]]
*[[Pteraxadon#Transformers: Earth Wars|Pteraxadon]]
*[[Lionizer (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Lionizer]]
*[[Big Shot#Transformers: Earth Wars|Topshot]]
*[[Trenchfoot#Transformers: Earth Wars|Trenchfoot]]
*[[Rung (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Rung]]
*[[Dile#Transformers: Earth Wars|Dile]]
*[[Smashdown#Transformers: Earth Wars|Smashdown]]
*[[Glitch (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Glitch]]
*[[Soundbarrier#Transformers: Earth Wars|Soundbarrier]]
*[[Stripes#Transformers: Earth Wars|Stripes]]
*[[Top-Heavy#Transformers: Earth Wars|Top-Heavy]]
*[[Red Hot#Transformers: Earth Wars|Red Heat]]
*[[Spoilsport#Transformers: Earth Wars|Spoilsport]]
*[[Rattrap (BW)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Rattrap]]
*[[Airazor (BW)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Airazor]]
*[[Sheeldron#Transformers: Earth Wars|Sheeldron]]
*[[Dazzlestrike#Transformers: Earth Wars|Dazzlestrike]]
*[[Roadburner]]
*[[Pinpointer (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Pinpointer]]
*[[Steeljaw (SG)#Transformers: Earth Wars|SG Steeljaw]]
{{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
'''[[C.O.M.B.A.T. System|C.O.M.B.A.T]] Decepticons'''
*[[Ravage (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Ravage]]
*[[Blowpipe (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Blowpipe]]
*[[Cratermaker#Transformers: Earth Wars|Cratermaker]]
*[[Terror-Daxtyl#Transformers: Earth Wars|Terror-Daxtyl]]
*[[Catgut#Transformers: Earth Wars|Catgut]]
*[[Fireline#Transformers: Earth Wars|Fireline]]
*[[Caliburst (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Caliburst]]
*[[Hairsplitter#Transformers: Earth Wars|Shrute]]
*[[Overkill (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Overkill]]
*[[Razor-Sharp#Transformers: Earth Wars|Razor-Sharp]]
*[[Gatoraider#Transformers: Earth Wars|Gatorface]]
*[[Doublecrosser (Earthrise)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Doublecrosser]]
*[[Glit (KP)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Glit]]
*[[Sights (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Sights]]
*[[Bombshock (G1)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Bombshock]]
*[[Aimless#Transformers: Earth Wars|Aimless]]
*[[Vertebreak (Kingdom)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Vertebreak]]
*[[Tonbot#Transformers: Earth Wars|Tonbot]]
*[[Fangtron#Transformers: Earth Wars|Fangtron]]
*[[Giza (POTP)#Transformers: Earth Wars|Giza]]
*[[Power Punch]]
*[[Singe#Transformers: Earth Wars|Singe]]
*[[Ravage (SG)#Transformers: Earth Wars|SG Ravage]]
{{!}}}

|h6=Non-Playable|c6=
'''Autobots'''
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]
'''Decepticons'''
*[[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]
'''Main [[Human]]s'''
*[[Melody Keen]]
*[[Luca]]
'''[[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]'''
*[[Duke (G.I. Joe)|Duke]]
*[[Scarlett]]
*[[Snake-Eyes]]
'''[[Cobra]]'''
*[[Cobra Commander]]
*[[Baroness]]
*[[Storm Shadow]]
}}

'''<nowiki>*</nowiki>''' Upcoming characters

==Events==
Every weekend, for three days, events are held so players can win resources and new crystals. The events usually alternate between solo events and Alliance events each week. New characters are introduced with a story strewn across a four-week saga.

The various type of events are:
* A solo totaliser with various resource prizes, capped at 10,000 points.
* An Alliance single totaliser with a grand prize at around 200,000 points.
* An Alliance event with many prestiges to collect prizes and crystals multiple times.
* A single totaliser with multiple prestiges, which gives the same amount of battle points in all battle zones and triple XP.
* An Alliance totaliser and leaderboard event, with the top alliances receiving the newest 4 or 3 star character crystal and Premium Crystals. Or in some events, even more of the event's crystals.

{{main|Transformers: Earth Wars/Events}}

==Notes==
*Furman has said that early in production, "we had to base it in the IDW continuity as it turned out". He also revealed it was him who pushed for Bludgeon to make it into the game as well.<ref>[https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/comic-writer-simon-furman-discusses-three-decades-of-transformers-and-new-game-earth-wars-707 Vice interview]</ref>
** A purple [[Decepticon Command Bunker]] can be seen in the mountainside of Decepticon bases as a counterpart to the Ark in Autobot bases.
*Character models are mostly based on each character's most-recent toy release. In many cases, this means ''[[Combiner Wars (toyline)|Combiner Wars]]'', ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'', ''[[Power of the Primes (toyline)|Power of the Primes]]'',''[[War for Cybertron: Siege]]'', and ''[[War for Cybertron: Earthrise]]''. There are also some appearances from ''[[Thrilling 30]]'', ''[[Transformers Legends (franchise)|Legends]]'', ''[[Unite Warriors]]'', ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'', [[Live-action film series|movie]]verse namesakes, 'original' ''[[Beast Wars (toyline)]]'' and 'original' [[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]], and a bit of ''[[Masterpiece]]'' in the mix.
* Though the game's dialogue is depicted using text boxes, Optimus Prime, Megatron, and Soundwave still have voice lines. They are voiced, as usual, by [[Peter Cullen]] and [[Frank Welker]], respectively.
*Apparently, the Mastermind Creations toys of the Predacons inspired the staff so much, that the in-game models of the Predacons are based on these [[IP theft|third party]] toys.
**The Predacons aren't the only ones guilty of this either! Motormaster had his in-game model based on TransForm Mission's toy based on the Stunticon leader!
**Did we also mention that Menasor's model takes cues off of the "Perfect Effect" third party add on kit, along with the aforementioned Transform Mission toy.
**On the bot side, Defensor is an interesting case, as rather than reuse the limb-mode rigs of Vortex, Ironhide and Brakeneck, Blades, First Aid and Streetwise use brand new frames for their limb modes. Don't even mention that Rook is combined upside down. The head, thighs and parts of the shoulders are the only bits of Hot Spot with any resemblane to the ''Combiner Wars'' toy, as everything else is based on the C+ Customs add-on kit for Defensor instead of retooling from Victorion (though the backpack kibble is shrunken down).
**Abominus: Torso: ''Power of the Primes''/''Unique Toys''. Legs: ''Power of the Primes''. Arms: ''Power of the Primes''/''Unique Toys''. Thighs: ''Unique Toys''. Head: ''Unique Toys''. Hands and feet: ''Unique Toys''. Gun: ''Unique Toys'' (shared with Defensor). Whew!
* The only Furmanisms actually in the game are "It is over - finished!" (said by Optimus or Megatron after a victory) and "Now - Reap the whirlwind!" (spoken by Optimus Prime when deploying troops).
* [[FIRRIB|Rumble is blue, Frenzy is red.]]
* As it turns out, Tracks' bot mode is based on his Masterpiece toy, but his alt-mode is entirely based on his Universe toy.
*Sky-Lynx is classified as a Triple-Changer now, this also marks the first time in a while that his dual mode Tiger and Dragon modes have been used.
* While the soundtrack is normally unique music made for the game itself, by default, you also have the choice of a Generation 1 soundtrack, using original [[Johnny Douglas]] tracks from the 1984 cartoon.
* Up until Defensor's debut, Superion was the only original ''G1'' combiner for the Autobots.
* How do you know a combiner is coming? If all the bots of a known combiner group are available.
* Soundwave's H.I.S.S. tank model is the first instance of the character having a vehicle mode in the game. It draws from the [[HISS tank#G.I. Joe and the Transformers|Soundwave-themed HISS redeco]].
* Hound's VAMP model draws inspiration from his ''Universe'' toy and from the Hound-themed [[VAMP]] redeco.
* Jetfire's Skystriker model draws inspiration from the Jetfire-themed [[Skystriker]] redeco. Skywarp, however, is the nutball in the group.
* Swoop was known as Strafe before the Technobot of the same name was added to the game.
* Making for a nice easter egg, transforming Blaster in the character viewer will result in him playing [[The Touch]].

===Errors===
* You can count on pretty much any character with tall shoulders to have said shoulders clip and cut through the character model when in battle stance.
* Drift does an awkward shift when going from vehicle to robot and the opposite way, seeing as his body warps and shifts so that he faces sideways in bot mode. This happens every time he attacks and every time he changes form.
* Most characters with extended shooting animations will sometimes lag out and be out of sync with the shooting animation.
* If activating an Aerialbot's ability, he may circle the target pointlessly for a while. Sometimes he even goes underground.
* Rampage and Razorclaw can have a victory animation while in bot mode and charging when the battle ends. They even have their swords.
*Sunstreaker has a giant gap in the back of his combined form leg.
*Sometimes Blast Off has his combination process [[Animation error|distorted]].
*''Beast Wars'' Megatron's weapons sometimes don't properly align with the hand models.
*Sharkticons just don't know when to stop fighting. The animations for the fighting will still appear, and they still run to buildings, but they don't actually deal damage. Does not translate to Gnaw.
*Sometimes (although this is very rare), amalgamations will randomly appear, where parts of the robot mode and vehicle mode appear on the opposite modes. Examples include Blast Off becoming a [[Seeker (body-type)|Conehead]], Ironhide gaining his [[Ironhide (Movie)|movieverse]] look, and Optimus Prime having [[Kibble#"Faux-parts"|two truck cabs]].
*Characters collision hitboxes will sometimes get caught on each other or on wall hitboxes and they will stay stuck in place for a good while. The bug where they get stuck on the Wall hitboxes can be fixed by letting the character walk in place, and let them get uncaught or destroy the wall. The bug where they get stuck in the collision hitboxes of each other can be fixed by activating the bot's ability. This most commonly happens with Medics and Gunners, and especially if you deploy your units in an extremely short fashion.
*Sometimes, when viewing your bots, after the bot transforms into their alternate mode, they won't transform into their robot mode, and remain [[Transformation paralysis|stuck in alternate mode.]] This is fixed by restarting the game.
*There are so many issues with the hands, especially characters with aerial capabilities or alt modes, especially the helicopters. When they transform, more often then not, their hands slide into their arms and then randomly reappear in alt mode. This usually applies to jets, but Laser (G2) Optimus Prime has his hands visible in vehicle mode.
*Brainstorm's character model duplicates his shield kibble on his arm and on his back and his arm cannon just disappears when he transforms.
*After the update that gave Blaster and Soundwave altmodes,this came at a price. Both of their character models in robot mode have extremely distorted upper arms that just levitate next to their lower arms.
*The Breastforce cannot activate their Breast Partner in the traditional way (gun, handgun, and animal) with Guyhawk being the exception. Either they are used as decoration, or don't appear at all.
**Other gimmicks that certain Transformers or Special Teams may have usually don't make it into the game.
*Most bugs that affect gameplay are promptly resolved within a given time, and Patch notes detailing what is currently being fixed are always released to the public.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''''Transformers: Earth Wars''''' (トランスフォーマー：アースウォーズ ''Toransufōmā: Āsu Wōzu'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''''Biànxíng Jīn'gāng: Dìqiú zhī Zhàn ''''' (变形金刚：地球之战, "Transformers: Earth Wars")

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.transformersearthwars.com/ Official website]
* [http://wiki.transformersearthwars.com/ Official Transformers Earth Wars Wiki]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Earth wars}}
[[Category:Generation 1 video games]]
[[Category:Earth Wars| ]]
[[Category:Mobile games]]

Otoboto family

2022-03-02T23:53:44Z

JDspeeder1: /* Notes */

{{factions|{{factions/icons|custom=Otoboto-faction symbol.png|cLink=Otoboto family}}|{{factions/icons|custom=Takaratomy.jpg|cLink=TakaraTomy|cSize=72px}}}}
:''The Otoboto Family are [[human]] characters from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:OtobotFamily01.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|These human beings are actually ''owned'' by Tomy.]]

The '''Otoboto family''' (音仏家 ''Otoboto-ke'') are a family of nerdy Japanese people who just ''looooove'' themselves some Transformers. They like to share their love of the brand with anyone who'll listen, telling them all sorts of fun facts about the franchise and the products available from [[TakaraTomy]].

The Otoboto Family consists of:

*[[Hiroyuki Otoboto]] (father)
*[[Megumi Otoboto]] (mother)
*[[Yūka Otoboto]] (daughter)
*[[Tatsuya Otoboto]] (son)

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
{{groupstub}}

==Notes==
[[File:Otoboto-faction symbol.png|thumb]]
* They have their own [[faction symbol]] used as a backdrop in some videos.
*In order to make room for the Otoboto family segments, as well as the longer opening and ending [[title sequence|sequences]], an average of three minutes of footage had to be cut from every episode of ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]''.
*Their name sounds similar to the Japanese pronunciation of Autobot. ''HA. HA.''

==External links==
*[http://www.tv-aichi.co.jp/TF-animated/otobotoke/index.html TV-Aichi profile on the Otoboto family]
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zbHm4mC1jM Video of Hiroyuki and Tatsuya playing the exciting new Transformers arcade game!]

[[Category:Animated humans]]
[[Category:Animated subgroups]]
[[Category:Japanese-original characters]]

Malgus

2022-03-02T22:15:13Z

JDspeeder1: /* Notes */ Changed to past tense, unfortunately

[[File:DecepticonAirCrowdFullPan01.jpg|thumb|300px]]
'''Malgus''' is a [[Universal stream|universal cluster]]. Common features to the universes include a version of the [[AllSpark]] and the Autobots being led by a 'bot holding the rank of "[[Magnus (rank)|Magnus]]".

==Fiction==
===Ask Vector Prime===
The entire cluster is affected by a higher-than-normal interference wave range of 8.7 generated by the [[non-linear WY-att pulse function]], effectively barring [[Multiversal singularity|multiversal singularities]] from the universes of this cluster. In practice, this means that Malgus streams have no [[Primus]] and a non-singularity [[Unicron]], {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/05/29}} although a [[Church of Primus]] has nonetheless sprung up. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/22}} Malgus streams also run a century ahead of other universal clusters such as [[Tyran]] and [[Viron]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/17}}

[[Vector Prime]] speculated that [[Ben 10]]'s universe, located somewhere [[Omniverse|beyond the multiverse]], may have interacted with a Malgus Cluster universe at some point, allowing the alien bounty hunter [[Khyber]] to collect Cybertronian artifacts. Conversely, species from Ben 10's universe can occasionally be found within the [[Multiverse|Transformers Multiverse]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/10}}

===''TransTech''===
As of 9 October 2015 [[Quadwal]] time, the [[Transcendent Technomorph]]s of [[Axiom Nexus]] lost all contact with the Malgus Cluster. {{storylink|Axiom Nexus News Editor}}

==Notes==
*The Malgus Cluster encompasses the ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Animated]]'' [[continuity family]].
*The name "Malgus" seems to be derived from "amalgam", as ''Animated'' "amalgamated" elements from all previous continuities into something new.<ref>[https://www.allspark.com/forums/topic/116666-rook-andromeda-on-facebook/page-40#entry2939314 Post by Jim S on the Allspark forums]</ref>
*The reason Primus doesn't exist in this universal cluster is because [[Derrick J. Wyatt]] didn't like Primus.

==See also==
*[[List of universal streams#Malgus|List of Malgus universal streams]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Animated locations| ]]
[[Category:Malgus universes| ]]
[[Category:Universal clusters]]

Transformers timeline

2022-03-02T21:44:31Z

JDspeeder1: /* The dawn of time */ Added commas to long dates to make them easier to read

{{disambig2|real world events|the 'Timelines' franchise|Transformers Timelines (franchise)}}
{{disambig2|real world events|the internal timeline of various stories|Continuity}}
[[File:RiseUpPretenders hourglass.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Like sands through the breem glass...]]
''This is a timeline of Transformers-related events that occurred in the "real" world, including release dates and other major occurrences.''

==The dawn of time==
===13,500,000,000 BCE===
* The Big Bang creates the universe as we know it. The protons, neutrons, and electrons that will eventually compose Transformers are formed, [[Ruined FOREVER|ruining it forever.]] A {{w|Last Thursdayism|Thursday}}.

===4,540,000,000 BCE===
*[[Earth]] forms, completing a one-time [[transformation]] from protoplanetary debris to planet ([[Action Master|but not back]]). A highly-sought one-time collector's item, it has no known [[Generation 1 reissues|reissues]].

===4004 BCE===
* [[October 23]]: [[God]] creates the universe in six literal days.<ref>''Genesis'' 1:1; the time is determined by adding up the ages of Adam and his descendants.</ref> On the seventh day, he takes a break and does whatever omnipotent beings do for leisure.

===3760 BCE===
* [[September 25]]: The universe comes into existence. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac}}

{{note|The exact date of this [[universal stream]]'s creation is somewhat muddled, as seen in the three different dates seen above. The account dating it to 4004 BCE is the one used in early recorded [[human]] history, but was later [[retcon]]ned within scientific literature, which established the much earlier date above. More recently, [[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac]] has implicitly dated the universe's creation to 3760 BCE in another retcon. As Hasbro-sanctioned material, this account is assumed to take precedence in [[canon]], at least with regard to the [[Transformers brand]]; however, it is unclear whether the event represents God's six-day creation, the Big Bang, or another, as-yet-unrevealed origin.}}

==1920s==
===1923===
* Henry and Helal Hassenfeld form the Hassenfeld Brothers company, selling textile remnants.

===1924===
* The Japanese toy company [[TakaraTomy|Tomiyama Toy Factory]] is founded.

==1940s==
* The Hassenfeld brothers produce their first toys: pretend doctor and nurse sets.

==1950s==
===1952===
* The Hassenfeld brothers enjoy their first ''bona fide'' success with the release of the original [[Mr. Potato Head]], cementing their company's reputation as toymakers.

===1955===
* [[September 17]] — The Japanese company Satō Vinyl Industries, Ltd., which would later become [[TakaraTomy|Takara]], is founded.

==1960s==
===1963===
* Tomiyama Toy Company changes its name to Tomy.

===1964===
* Hassenfeld Brothers introduces [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]], the first "action figure."

===1967===
* [[July 4]] - Takara introduces the [[Licca Kayama|Licca-chan]] fashion doll.

===1968===
* The big wheels at Hassenfeld Brothers decide to make it easier for fans of their future toylines to curse their name by rebranding the company Hasbro Industries.

==1970s==
===1970===
* Takara acquires the license to introduce ''G.I. Joe'' to Japan. Eventually, Takara takes advantage of the 12" Joe figures' interchangeable parts to create a spinoff toyline called ''Henshin Cyborg'' (Transforming Cyborg).

===1974===
* Takara launches the ''[[Microman]]'' toyline, which represents a scaled-down version of the ''Henshin Cyborg'' [[gimmick]], and which will later be exported to the West as ''Micronauts''.

===1975===
* [[Robotman]], the first ever transforming robot/vehicle toy, is added to the ''Microman'' line. This toy will later become known in the West as the Micronaut Biotron.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200123174656/http://www.microforever.com/Robotman-Biotron.htm Robotman Series / Victory Series]</ref>

==1980s==
===1980===
* Takara launches the ''[[Diaclone]]'' toyline.

===1982===
* March - The first two toys from Takara's ''Diaclone Car Robo'' line, No.1 Countach LP-500S Super Tuning (red version) and No.2 Onebox Cherry Vanette (black version), are released to stores in Japan. These toys' molds would later be used in ''Transformers'' as [[Sunstreaker (G1)/toys|Sunstreaker]] and [[Ironhide (G1)/toys|Ironhide]], respectively.

* April - The first four toys from the [[Popy]] company's ''[[Machine Robo]]'' line are released to stores in Japan. They will go on to be better known in the West as [[Cy-Kill (GoBots)|Cy-Kill]], Tank, Fitor, and Cop-Tur of the evil Renegades in [[Tonka]]'s ''[[GoBots]]'' line, the closest competitor to ''Transformers''.

* October 3 - ''The Super Dimension Fortress Macross'' debuts on Japanese television, featuring the transforming Valkyrie fighter jet. This vehicle will go on to be '''less''' known in the West as the Transformer [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]].

===1983===
* January - The first three toys from Takara's ''New Microman: MicroChange'' line, MC-01 Micross (available as blue and red variations), MC-02 Jaguar (available as blue and black variations) and MC-03 Condor (available as blue and black variations), are released to stores. These would later make up the first wave of [[Mini-Cassette]]s.
* June - A Hasbro delegation discovers Takara's Diaclone and Microman toys at the [[Tokyo Toy Show]].
* Late 1983 - Takara releases three of their ''Diaclone'' toys (red Sunstreaker, black Ironhide and blue [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]]) in the USA under the name "''[[Diakron]]''". Due to the new licensing agreement with Hasbro, the Diakron line is discontinued following these three toys.
* November 1 - The Hasbro-Takara licensing agreement is signed.

===[[1984]]===
''The Transformers'' launches in the US, in toy, comic and cartoon formats, [[Ruined FOREVER|forever ruining]] ''Transformers''.

* February - [[Hasbro|Hasbro Bradley]] unveils their new ''Transformers'' toyline at Toy Fair.
* March - [https://tfwiki.tumblr.com/post/118250474923/monzo12782-the-very-first-marvel-age/amp ''Marvel Age'' #17] announces the April debut of the ''Transformers'' comic book.
* Spring - The first animated [[commercial]] advertising the Marvel comics airs on US TV.
* [[May 8]] - [[The Transformers (issue)|Issue one of the Marvel comic]] is released.
* [[May 22]] - The [http://groups.google.com/group/net.comics/msg/1cdaf7df610e0376?dmode=source&hl=en first Usenet post about Transformers] is posted by Ted Nolan to net.comics. In a prediction of things to come, it is mostly complaints.
* Spring - ''Transformers'' toys start filtering into stores across the United States.
* [[September 17]] - "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]" premieres on U.S. television Saturday morning.
* [[September 20]] - The Marvel UK comic begins publication.
* Unknown date - the UK is the only European country to get ''Transformers'' toys this year. Toys are distributed by Hasbro. Megatron is not available until 1985.
* December - ''Transformers'' mania is in full swing, as the figures fly off store shelves, becoming the year's best seller for Hasbro.
* December - The ''Transformers'' cartoon begins airing in Mexico.
* Unknown date - Takara conducts test market sales of the Hasbro toys in Japan, under the working name ''Henshin Sentai Transformers'' ("Transformation Taskforce Transformers").

===1985===
* From its Limited Series origins, the Marvel comic becomes an ongoing monthly.
* [[July 6]] - Seasons 1 and 2 of the US cartoon begin airing in Japan as ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformer''.
* [[October 6]] - The [http://groups.google.com/group/net.comics/msg/fce7a2ddb7e35a81?dmode=source&hl=en first Usenet post about the ''Transformers'' cartoon] is posted to net.comics by Bill Flanagan.
* The ''Transformers'' toyline starts getting released to most European markets, with Hasbro using Milton Bradley's facilities for the continental European market, due to an initial lack of resources on their own. The MB toys would be available in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany and Spain and include lots of oddities unique to Europe, such as a red version of [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]]. Concurrently, [[GiG]] launches ''[[Trasformer]]'' in Italy (''Diaclone'' toys with no ''Transformers'' license), while [[El Greco]] launches their short-lived version of the line in Greece.
* [[IGA]] begins producing ''Transformers'' toys for the Mexican and Central American market.
* [[Estrela]] begins producing ''Transformers'' toys in Brazil, creating a distinctive local version of the toyline that was eventually brought to Argentina by the second-hand licensee [[Antex]].
* The ''Transformers'' cartoon begins airing in Peru... despite the fact that the toyline it was [[To sell toys|created to promote]] is unavailable in the Peruvian market.

===1986===
* The Transformers cartoon begins airing in the Netherlands.
* April - "[[Scramble City: Mobilization]]", the first Japanese originated Transformers animation, is released on video tape in Japan.
* [[August 8]] - ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' is released in theatres in the United States. International releases follow, except for Japan and Germany. Fans declare the franchise to be ruined forever after seeing the movie.
* The Transformers toyline is introduced to Peru in response to the cartoon's popularity in that country (rather than the other way around) with a combination of [[Hasbro]] and [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] toys imported by [[HUDE]] and [[BASA]], and cheaper [[redeco]]ed [[Mini Vehicle]]s made by [[Lynsa]].
* [[December 12]] - ''The Transformers: The Movie'' is released in the UK.
* [[December 26]] - ''The Transformers: The Movie'' is released in Australia.

===1987===
* February - ''The Transformers: The Movie'' is released in Brazil.
* [[July 3]] - The American version of the G1 cartoon ends its run, to be replaced in Japan by the [[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|Headmasters cartoon]].

===1988===
* The [[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (franchise)|Masterforce]] [[franchise]] is launched, ushering in a period of significant deviation between the Western and Japanese Transformers franchises.
* [[April 12]] - The [[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)|Masterforce cartoon]] begins airing in Japan.
* July - The translated version of the Marvel comic book hits Danish stores, lasting only 18 monthly issues (2 US comics per issue + random assortment of Universe profiles) with an editorial approach that wreaked havoc on any sort of continuity (skipping many key stories, resulting in sudden jumps in storylines, a condescending and ignorant letters page etc.)
* A [[The Transformers (cartoon)|fifth season]] of the US Transformers cartoon begins airing, composed of re-edited episodes introduced by a stop-motion Powermaster Optimus Prime.

===1989===
* Unofficially imported Mexican IGA Transformers become a common sight on European store shelves.
* The Transformers cartoon begins airing in Germany.
* [[March 14]] - The [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (cartoon)|Victory cartoon]] begins airing in Japan.
* August - Hasbro begins manufacturing and selling Transformers toys in mainland China.<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/content/view/1743/37/ The Little Sticker in the Corner: The Truth about Early-1990's Chinese G1 Transformers Toys]</ref>
* [[August 9]] - ''The Transformers: The Movie'' finally is released in Japan, where it [[Misconceptions and urban legends about Transformers#The Transformers: The Movie|is not actually called "Matrix Forever"]].

==1990s==
===1990===
*The last year of Generation 1 toys are released in North America, while the franchise continues in Japan and Europe.
*July - [[Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!|Transformers Zone]] is released in Japan.

===1991===
* (Cover date of July) - The Marvel Comic ends in the United States with [[End of the Road! (US)|issue 80]].

===1992===
*[[January 4]] (cover date [[January 18]]) - The Marvel Comic ends in the United Kingdom with [[End of the Road! (US)|issue #332]].
*[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Operation Combination (franchise)|Operation Combination]] comes to an end, signalling the end of the original ''Transformers'' series in Japan.

===1993===
*''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)|Generation 2]]'' attempts to revive the ''Transformers'' franchise in North America.
* The last year of Generation 1 toys are released in Europe.
* On [[September 11]], the Usenet newsgroup [[alt.toys.transformers]] is established. Fans now have a dedicated online public forum on which to discuss whatever is ruining Transformers.

===1994===
* [[July 16]] - The first [[BotCon]] is held, in [[Fort Wayne]], Indiana.
* ''Generation 2'' is released in Europe.
* Antex briefly introduces ''Generation 2'' to Argentina with [[Robot-Man X]] and [[Robot-Man Z]].

===1995===
* ''Generation 2'' begins in Japan, the first ''Transformers'' series there in years.
* ''Generation 2'' craps out in every market, including Japan.
* The [[The Transformers (Chinese toyline)|Chinese G1 toyline]] comes to a close with the reissuing of several [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (toyline)|Victory]] toys for the Chinese market.
* The South Korean toy company [[Sonokong]] enters into a licensing agreement with [[Hasbro International]], paving the way for the introduction of officially licensed Transformers toys in a country where Transformers [[knockoff]]s were once popular enough to inspire their own animated movies.
* [[August 5]][[August 6|-6]] - [[BotCon 1995]] is held in Dayton, Ohio.

===1996===
* ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars]]'' is launched. The fandom declares it will forever destroy ''Transformers'' and nobody will ever like it ever, certainly not ten, twenty years into the future.
* ''Beast Wars'' revives the franchise.
* ''Beast Wars'' is one of the best ''Transformers'' anythings ever.
* [[July 12]][[July 14|-14]] - [[BotCon 1996]] is held in Rosemont, Illinois.

===1997===
* Hasbro releases the twelve [[Machine Wars: Transformers|Machine Wars]] toys, to little acclaim.
* [[July 18]][[July 20|-20]] - [[BotCon 1997]] is held in Rochester, New York, by the newly formed [[3H Productions|3H Enterprises]].

===1998===
* [[April 10]] - The ''Beast Wars'' TV show premieres in the UK.
* [[June 19]][[June 20|-20]] - [[BotCon 1998]] is held in Anaheim, California.
* Summer - Hasbro's Nordic subsidiary (located in Denmark) releases UK Beast Wars stock to Scandinavian stores. The CGI show is not picked up in any of the Scandinavian countries, as it is deemed "too graphic" for children.

===1999===
* [[July 16]][[July 18|-18]] - At [[BotCon 1999]] in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the first episode of ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'', "[[The Reformatting]]" is previewed, to overwhelming fan enjoyment.

==2000s==
===[[2000]]===
* ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Machines]]'' launches and [[Ruined FOREVER|forever ruins ''Transformers'']].
* [[July 28]][[July 30|-30]] - [[BotCon 2000]] is held in [[Fort Wayne]], Indiana.

===[[2001]]===
* Everyone loves "[[Car Robots|Transformers 2000]]," but they hate the [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)|2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' franchise]], declaring it to have ruined Transformers forever.
* [[February 19]] - ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' begins airing in the UK on Fox Kids.
* [[July 13]][[July 15|-15]] - [[BotCon 2001]] is held in Durham, North Carolina.
* Hasbro introduces Transformers to Turkey through its recently acquired subsidiary [[Intertoy]].

===[[2002]]===
* Hasbro ''Transformers'' lead designer [[Aaron Archer]] begins to post on the Transfandom.com boards as ORSON, at first primarily to refute various false claims about [[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|''Transformers: Armada'']]. Skeptical fans remark that if he is a Hasbro designer, then they are various members of the British Monarchy.
* [[April 3]] - [[Dreamwave Productions]] begins publishing Transformers comics with [[Prime Directive issue 1|Transformers Generation 1 #1]]. There is much rejoicing, even though everyone started noticing how bad [[Pat Lee|Pat "Dull-Surprise" Lee's]] art really was.
* [[Aaron Archer]] does his best to kill ''Transformers'' through incredible sales; ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' kicks off the [[Unicron Trilogy]], the toys appear on store shelves in mid-July, the cartoon premieres in August.
* [[June 1]] - The [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)|Robots in Disguise]] cartoon premieres in the UK in a run which includes several episodes originally withheld from US broadcast.
* [[July 6]] - ''Armada'' toys begin arriving in small toy stores and Kay-Bee.<ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/b22311a4862b3c07?dmode=source Armada has been spotted!] on alt.toys.transformers</ref>
* [[July 26]][[July 28|-28]] - [[BotCon 2002]] is held in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

===[[2003]]===
* [[June 11]] - [[Don Murphy]] and [[Tom DeSanto]] team up to produce a feature-length, [[Transformers (film)|live-action ''Transformers'']] movie. They claim it will be exactly the same as Generation 1. ''Really''.
* [[July 25]][[July 27|-27]] - [[OTFCC 2003]] is held in Chicago, Illinois.
* Everybody loves ''[[The Transformers: Masterpiece|Masterpiece]]/20th Anniversary'' [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Optimus Prime]].
* Everyone loves [[Binaltech]]/[[Transformers: Alternators|Alternators]].

===[[2004]]===
* [[June 19]][[June 20|-20]] - Although no longer the official convention, [[BotCon 2004]] is held at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, California.
* [[July 22]] - [[DreamWorks]], [[Paramount Pictures]] and [[Hasbro]] sign an agreement to produce a [[Transformers (film)|live-action ''Transformers'']] movie. Everyone is excited to see ''Transformers'' on the big screen again.<ref>https://www.superherohype.com/news/86311-dreamworks-paramount-team-on-transformers</ref>
* [[July 30]]-[[August 1]] - [[OTFCC 2004]] is held in Chicago, Illinois.
* Everyone ''hates'' ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'' and declares Transformers to be Ruined FOREVER. Again.

===[[2005]]===
* [[January 4]] - [[Dreamwave Productions]] goes bankrupt. Many artists complain about being unpaid for their work and/or being stuck with FedEx fees. [[Pat Lee|Pat "serfdom" Lee]] gives them the finger and drives off in his Porsche, to the surprise of nobody.
* [[April 18]] - Don Murphy reports that he wants to please the fans, DreamWorks want to change everything, and Hasbro don't care either way as long as the movie gets done in time.
* [[Michael Bay]] is announced as the director for ''Transformers''. It will still ''totally'' be Generation 1, ''honest''!
* May - Takara and Tomy merge, becoming [[TakaraTomy]].
* [[May 19]] - [[IDW Publishing]] acquires the ''Transformers'' comic book license.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20070929130820/http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?threadid=34130</ref> There is much rejoicing, and, as usual, much complaining.
* ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]'' debuts in Japan in January, and in the US in September, concluding the Unicron Trilogy. Fan reception is much better than ''Energon''.
* [[September 22]][[September 25|-25]] - [[BotCon 2005]] is held in Frisco, Texas, for the first time by [[Fun Publications]]. It's the official convention again.
* [[October 19]] - [[The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration]] #0, [[IDW Publishing]]'s first ''Transformers'' comic, is released in comic book stores. Predictably, there is much complaining.

===[[2006]]===
* [[January 18]] - ''[[The Transformers: Infiltration|Transformers: Infiltration]]'' #1 is released in comic book stores.
* [[February 13]] - [[Activision]] announces their acquisition of the ''Transformers'' video game license.
* [[April 19]] - Filming begins on the live-action [[Transformers (film)|''Transformers'']] motion picture.
* [[July 24]] - [[Peter Cullen]] is announced at [[San Diego Comic-Con]] as the voice of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] in the ''Transformers'' film. There is much rejoicing (yay).
* [[September 15]] - The first ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'' toys arrive at a small store in Canada.
* [[September 28]]-[[October 1]] - [[BotCon 2006]] is held at the Lexington Center in Lexington, Kentucky.
* [[November 28]] - ''[[The Transformers: Escalation|Transformers: Escalation]]'' #1 is released in comic book stores.
* ''[[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)|Kiss Players]]'' debuts. Transformers is left with a vague sense of uncleanness forever.

===[[2007]]===
* June - The first promotional images for ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]'' are released. Take a ''wild'' guess as to the fan reaction.
* [[June 27]]-[[July 1]] - [[BotCon 2007]] is held at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, Rhode Island, Hasbro's hometown. It was expected to be the best Transformers convention ''ever''. It was also expected to be the worst Transformers convention ''ever''.
* [[July 2]] - US theatres start showing the live-action [[Transformers (film)|''Transformers'']] motion picture at 8:00 PM. By midnight, it's made US$8.8 million.
* [[July 3]] - The ''Transformers'' release date. It makes $27.85 million, more money on a Tuesday than any film in history. Fans declare the franchise as [[Ruined FOREVER|ruined forever]] once more.
* [[July 4]] - Americans celebrate their Independence Day by giving $29 million to that [[Hollywood]] movie about an [[Bumblebee (Movie)|alien robot]] summoning his friends to [[Earth]] where they disguise themselves as [[General Motors]] vehicles and team up with the [[United States military]] to smash the evil robots. Unsurprisingly, this is more money than a movie's ever earned on the Fourth of July. Apparently, what's good for General Motors really ''is'' good for the country.
* [[July 25]] - As of this writing, the ''Transformers'' movie has grossed $270 million in the United States, with worldwide gross earnings of nearly '''one half billion dollars US'''.
* [[July 28]] - A ''Transformers Animated'' preview is shown to the public. The fandom rejoiced (and complained, of course!).
* [[October 16]] - ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' is released on DVD.
* November 3 - a specially edited 11-minute preview of ''Transformers Animated'' episode 1 is shown at the NTFA Mini-Con in Arlöv, Sweden, to the disdain of many a US fan.<ref>http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-news-rumors/156331-new-transformers-animated-series-details-revealed-ntfa-mini-con.html</ref>
* [[December 26]] - ''Transformers Animated'' ruins Transformers forever slightly ahead of schedule when the premiere episodes are shown as a "movie" on [[Cartoon Network]].<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/content/view/2125/20/ Date And Time For Transformers: Animated Debut!]</ref>

===[[2008]]===
* [[January 5]] - ''Transformers Animated'' begins airing regularly Saturdays at 10:30 a.m, ruining ''Transformers'' forever. Again.
* [[April 24]][[April 27|-27]] - [[BotCon 2008]] is held at the Duke Energy Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.
* June - ''[[Transformers Animated (toyline)|Transformers Animated]]'' toys are scheduled to be released.

===[[2009]]===
* [[May 8]] - Transformers turns 25 (25th Anniversary of the release of [[The Transformers (issue)|''The Transformers'' #1]], the first publicly-released TF merchandise.)
* [[May 28]]-[[May 31|31]] - [[BotCon 2009]] is held - again - at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, California.
* [[June 24]] - ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen]]'' is released.
* [[October 1]] - Michael Bay officially announces that preproduction has begun on ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Transformers 3]]''.<ref name="open">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5976 "Official 2011," Shootfortheedit.com]</ref> Inevitably, people cry about Bay still ruining Transformers forever.

==2010s==
===[[2010]]===
* [[March 26]] - The establishment of a [[Transformers Hall of Fame]] is announced. Everyone thinks [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] will win the fan vote.
* [[June 22]] - ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (games)|Transformers: War for Cybertron]]'' is released on the [[PlayStation]] 3, [[Xbox 360]], PC, Nintendo [[Wii]], and [[Nintendo DS]]. ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]'' is released.
* [[June 24]]-[[June 27|27]] - [[BotCon 2010]] is held at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel and Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.
* [[June 26]] - The Hall of Fame ceremony takes place and the inaugural members are inducted. [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] is revealed to have won the fan vote over fan-favorites like [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] and [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]. Predictably, [[Trukk not munky|some]] [[GEEWUN|people]] cry about this revalation with claims that ''Beast Wars'' fans played underhanded tricks.
* [[November 26]] - The ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' miniseries premieres on [[Hub Network|The Hub]], ruining Transformers forever.

===[[2011]]===
* [[May 18]] - Hasbro announce [[Michael Bay]] and [[Steven Spielberg]] will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Fans are outraged as the pair have only created a highly-successful film series and given the brand a massive boost in popularity.
* [[June 2]]-[[June 5|5]] - [[BotCon 2011]] is held at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, California.
* [[June 4]] - The second Hall of Fame ceremony inducts [[Ironhide (disambiguation)|Ironhide]], [[Ratchet (disambiguation)|Ratchet]], [[Soundwave (disambiguation)|Soundwave]] and aforementioned humans. [[Waspinator (disambiguation)|Waspinator]] is revealed to have won the fan vote, and once more fans are outraged over a Beast Wars character winning the fan vote, to nobody's shock.
* [[June 28]] - ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Transformers: Dark of the Moon]]'' debuts three hours ahead of its "official" opening, with 9:00 PM showings throughout the United States and Canada.
* [[July 2]], [[July 3|3]], [[July 4|4]] - ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' ruins America forever with the highest Independence Day weekend gross of any movie ever.<ref>http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/weekends/july-4th.htm?page=JULY4ALL&p=.htm</ref>
* November - A preview wave of ''[[Transformers: Prime (toyline)|Prime]]'' "First Edition" toys hits stores. Stores outside the US, at least.
* [[December 17]] - The Hub screens the first two episodes of ''[[Transformers: Rescue Bots (cartoon)|Rescue Bots]]'', and the brand is ruined forever by kiddification.

===[[2012]]===
* [[February 18]] - The Hub starts playing the second season of ''Prime'' and the first season of ''Rescue Bots'', marking the first time that ''Transformers'' has had two major cartoons running at the same time.
* [[April 26]]-[[April 29]] - [[BotCon 2012]] is held at the Hyatt Regency Dallas in Dallas.
* [[April 28]] - The third Hall of Fame ceremony inducts humans [[Chris Latta]] and [[Simon Furman]], plus [[Grimlock (disambiguation)|Grimlock]], [[Jazz (disambiguation)|Jazz]], [[Shockwave (disambiguation)|Shockwave]] and fan choice [[Wheeljack (disambiguation)|Wheeljack]].
* [[August 21]] - ''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron]]'' is released on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. Fans deem it a glorious piece of technological entertainment.
* [[December 13]] - The ''[[Transformers Legends (mobile game)|Transformers Legends]]'' mobile game is released on Android. An iOS version is released in April of the following year.

===[[2013]]===
* [[February 9]] - Hasbro reveals a wealth of new product at [[Toy Fair 2013]], including new [[Triple Changer]]s and the largest ''Transformers'' toy ever in [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. The fact that there is no way Hasbro will be able to top this in future ruins Transformers forever.
* [[June 27]]-[[June 30]] - [[BotCon 2013]] is held at the Town and Country Resort in [[San Diego]], [[California]].
* [[June 29]] - [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] and [[Ultra Magnus (disambiguation)|Ultra Magnus]] are inducted as the Fan's Choice nominees for the fourth year of the Hall of Fame, Megatron having won first place with a comfortable lead over the other choices, yeeess. More crying as a BW character is inducted into the Hall of Fame.

===[[2014]]===
* [[June 19]] - [[June 22]] - [[BotCon 2014]] is held at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, [[California]].
* [[June 19]] - [[Arcee (disambiguation)|Arcee]] and [[Rodimus (disambiguation)|Rodimus]] are inducted as the Fan's Choice nominees for the fifth year of the Hall of Fame, with Arcee receiving more votes than Rodimus. In addition, [[Stan Bush]] is the first human inductee since 2012.
* [[June 24]] - ''[[Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console)|Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark]]'' is released.
* [[June 27]] - ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Transformers: Age of Extinction]]'' is released, ruining paleontology forever.
* [[July 24]] - [[July 27]] - Hasbro somehow manages to top [[Toy Fair 2013]] by unveiling new toys of the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] and the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] at [[San Diego Comic-Con]]. Both teams are able to combine. In addition, they unveil details on ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)|Transformers: Robots in Disguise]]''.
* [[October 15]] - ''[[Angry Birds Transformers (mobile game)|Angry Birds Transformers]]'' launches for iOS, with the Android version being released at the end of the month.
* [[December 31]] - The first thirteen episodes of ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)|Transformers: Robots in Disguise]]'' premiere in Mandarin on Chinese streaming video site M1950.

===[[2015]]===
* [[January 30]] - ''[[Transformers: Battle Tactics]]'' is launched on mobile platforms.
* [[February 9]] - ''Robots in Disguise'' premieres in France.
* [[February 21]] - ''Robots in Disguise'' premieres in Australia and New Zealand.
* [[March 2]] - ''Robots in Disguise'' premieres in Portugal.
* [[March 7]] - ''Robots in Disguise'' premieres in Italy.
* [[March 14]] - ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)|Transformers: Robots in Disguise]]'' finally premieres on Cartoon Network in the United States.
* [[June 18]] - [[June 21]] - [[BotCon 2015]] is held at the Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, Illinois.
* [[October 6]] - ''[[Transformers: Devastation]]'' is released in North America.
* Also October 6 - The ''Transformers: Legends'' mobile game shut down.

===[[2016]]===
* [[April 7]] - [[April 10]] - [[BotCon 2016]] is held at the Galt House Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. Hasbro announces at the event that it will be the ''last'' BotCon.
* [[May 12]] - ''Transformers: Battle Tactics'' is shut down.
* [[June 2]] - ''[[Transformers: Earth Wars]]'' launches on Android and iPhone.
* [[June 28]] - The first of four prelude videos is released for the ''[[Transformers: Combiner Wars (cartoon)|Transformers: Combiner Wars]]'' cartoon.
* [[August 2]] - The ''Combiner Wars'' cartoon launches on the go90 platform.
* [[October 22]] - The ''Rescue Bots'' cartoon comes to an end as "[[Transformations]]" airs.

===[[2017]]===
* [[April 5]] - ''[[Transformers: Forged to Fight]]'' is launched on iOS and Android.
* [[June 21]] - ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|Transformers: The Last Knight]]'' is released to cinemas.
* [[September 8]] - [[September 10]] - [[HasCon 2017]], thus far the only [[HasCon]], is held in Providence, Rhode Island.
* [[November 11]] - The ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon ends.
* [[November 14]] - The ''[[Transformers: Titans Return (cartoon)|Transformers: Titans Return]]'' cartoon launches on the go90 platform.

===[[2018]]===
* [[May 1]] - The ''[[Transformers: Power of the Primes (cartoon)|Transformers: Power of the Primes]]'' cartoon launches on the go90 platform.
* [[August 27]] - ''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (cartoon)|Transformers: Cyberverse]]'' launches on the Cartoon Network app and website, premiering on television a few days later on [[September 1]]st.
* [[November 21]] - The ''[[Optimus Prime (comic)|Optimus Prime]]'' issue "[[Post]]" is published, marking the end of IDW's [[2005 IDW continuity|long running comic continuity]].
* [[December 8]] - ''[[Transformers: Rescue Bots Academy (cartoon)|Transformers: Rescue Bots Academy]]'' premieres.
* [[December 21]] - ''[[Bumblebee (film)|Bumblebee]]'' is released to US cinemas, and nothing is ruined forever.

===[[2019]]===
* [[March 13]] - IDW publishes the [[The World In Your Eyes Part One|first issue]] in its new [[2019 IDW continuity|rebooted continuity]].

==2020s==
===[[2020]]===
* The worldwide {{w|COVID-19 pandemic}} results in a spate of cancelled conventions and the temporary suspension of new comics from [[IDW Publishing]]. Realistically speaking, it seems unlikely normality will return anytime soon.
* [[June 15]] - The ''Rescue Bots Academy'' cartoon ends, and with it, the Aligned continuity.
* [[July 30]] - ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy (cartoon)|Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy]]'' premieres on [[Netflix]].

{{stub|Remaining stuff from 2015 or so onwards}}

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Chronologies]]
[[Category:Franchises]]

Xobitor

2022-03-02T21:16:04Z

JDspeeder1: /* Notes */ Wikification

'''Xobitor''' is a [[Universal stream|universal cluster]]. Common features to the universes include an analogue of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] named [[Skalorr]], and two species of warring robots: the heroic [[Protecton]]s and the evil [[Terrakor]]s.

The Xobitor Cluster is 37 quantum-string vibrational levels from the [[Primax|Primax Cluster]]. It was the farthest cluster discovered<ref>''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II]]''</ref> until [[Cymond]].<ref>[[Rook - Axiom Nexus News: Investigative Journalist]] on 29th June: " Rhinox: Simply put, their reality [Cymond] was so far from ours ... up until about a week ago, I'd have said that this reality stream was outside the Multiverse."</ref>

==Fiction==
===''TransTech''===
[[Vector Prime]] noted that Xobitor was a sparsely-understood realm to the TransTechs. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/05/29}}

Following the [[Waruder]] invasion, [[Axiom Nexus]] decided to send hundreds of probes into fringe clusters like Xobitor just to be sure nothing could surprise them again. Months later, every single Xobitor probe went dark... {{storylink|Rook - Axiom Nexus News: Investigative Journalist|Rook - Axiom Nexus News, 2015/09/08}}

===Swindle's Spiel===
[[Swindle, Swindle and Swindle]] had [[cy-gar]]s for sale from the [[Zull]] of the Xobitor Cluster. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Swindle's Spiel, 2015/10/04}}

===Spacewarp's Log===
After beings sucked through a black hole, [[Spacewarp]] wound up in the Xobitor cluster, where she defended the [[Compu-Core]] from a Terrakor plot. {{storylink|Transformers: Spacewarp's Log|Spacewarp's Log (2)}}

==Notes==
*The Xobitor Cluster encompasses the ''[[Robotix]]'' [[continuity family]]. Its name is, of course, an anagram of "Robotix".
*Xobitor is considered the farthest cluster because the Robotix are a race of shapeshifting, warring robots, but they don't really "[[transform]]" like [[Transformers]] or [[GoBots]].

==See also==
*[[List of universal streams#Xobitor|List of Xobitor universal streams]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Robotix]]
[[Category:Universal clusters]]
[[Category:Xobitor universes]]

Infiltration issue 3

2022-03-02T16:37:42Z

JDspeeder1: /* Synopsis */

{{Comicstory
|series=infiltration|issueno=3
|prev=Infiltration issue 2
|next=Infiltration issue 4
|image=Infiltration_3b.jpg
|caption=Eat foot, dig?
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[March 8]], [[2006]]
|coverdate=March 2006
|written by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[E. J. Su]]
|colors by=[[John Rauch]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|edits by=[[Chris Ryall]] & [[Dan Taylor (IDW)|Dan Taylor]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2006-7|2006-7]]
}}
'''The Decepticons attempt to erase evidence while Ratchet warns Prowl of the situation.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Infiltration3 Prowl saveit.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]
Trapped in a containment cell, [[Verity Carlo]] offers an ultimatum to her [[Autobot]] captors: if they don't let her and her friends out, she wipes the [[SM-40]] that's prompted such interest from both sides. [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] is unmoved, and flicks the security camera to "mute" as [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] gives [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] a thorough dressing-down for disobeying his orders and breaking cover. The Autobot medic tells ''his'' side of the story: having arrived too late to prevent the Decepticon assassination of their [[Stoker|target of interest]], Ratchet wound up clashing with [[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] and eventually ran across Verity Carlo and [[Hunter O'Nion]]. Ratchet concludes his case by arguing that the Autobots are on [[Earth]] to ''save'' lives from wanton Decepticon action, and that's exactly what he tried to do.

Prowl is unmoved: not only did the medic fail to rescue his primary target, he points out, but his attempt to play hero has drawn three more innocent lives into the crossfire. Prowl orders Ratchet to find out what's on Verity's computer and then get rid of the [[human]]s, and although Ratchet suggests alerting [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] to the unusual Decepticon activity Prowl just ignores |him. In desperation, Ratchet points out to [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] that the local Decepticon cell might have potentially gone rogue... and even if they're acting under orders, their erratic behavior means only one thing: it's a matter of time before [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] arrives.

In [[Tucson]], [[Arizona]], a police officer is investigating the dead body of the businessman, and tracks his last known whereabouts to a nearby trailer park. No sooner has he arrived than a pair of warplanes—[[Skywarp (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|one black]], [[Blitzwing (G1)|one purple]]—appear out of thin air, annihilating the dead man's trailer before promptly disappearing again.

[[File:Infiltration3 skywarp and blitzwing.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

As the detained humans argue in their cell, Ratchet's holomatter avatar appears in front of them and persuades Verity to hand the computer over. Ratchet deactivates the holomatter walls of their cell and explains the situation: the humans have been brought aboard the [[Autobot]] starship ''[[Ark-19]]'', located at the bottom of [[Lake Michigan]]. Ratchet plugs in the palmtop into the ''Ark-19'''s systems to analyze its contents; at the same time, Ironhide, unbeknownst to all, finishes sending a secret pulsewave to Autobot high command—for Optimus Prime's eyes only.

Ratchet finally reveals the reason why the mysterious businessman had been targeted by the Decepticons: his photos show snapshots of a [[Decepticon Command Bunker|gigantic Decepticon bunker]] somewhere in the wilderness of [[Nebraska]]. As Ratchet explains the Decepticon [[infiltration protocol]] to the confused humans, he points out that something's gone wrong on Earth: the Decepticons have ''abandoned'' this base in favor of a secondary command bunker in [[Oregon]], and have initiated siege mode earlier than normal. More intriguingly, the previous holder of the palmtop computer broke into the Nebraska base, snapping photos of its derelict interior. Verity wonders aloud: why would the Decepticons relocate?

[[File:Infiltration3-BumblebeeEavesdropper.jpg|thumb|250px]]
In [[Riverside]], a news crew prepares to broadcast a report from the site of [[Jimmy Pink]]'s destroyed garage. As they set up, however, an ominous rumbling precludes the arrival of Blitzwing in his tank configuration, who levels what remains of Jimmy's garage before trundling over the broadcast vans. The assembled newcasters can only look on in confusion as the tank [[transformation|transforms]] into a fighter jet and zooms away.

Verity, Hunter and Jimmy insist that Ratchet take them to the [[Decepticon]] bunker in [[Nebraska]] so that they can locate the proof Ratchet needs to persuade Prowl of the severity of the situation. Ratchet isn't convinced: rescuing them from the crossfire is one thing, but willingly sending them into a dangerous situation is quite another. Their arguments wear him down, however, and Ratchet finally makes up his mind when [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]], who's overheard the argument, offers to help out. The three humans climb aboard as the two Autobots make their way to Nebraska.

In the bus depot in [[Phoenix (city)|Phoenix]], [[Arizona]], a [[bus lot manager]] investigates the salvaged bus targeted by the Decepticons. His maintenance concerns are quickly alleviated when the two Decepticons appear and annihilate the bus in another surgical strike. When asked for their ''next'' target, however, Decepticon lieutenant [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] orders Skywarp and Blitzwing to destroy the Nebraska bunker...

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (4)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] (5)
*[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] (6)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] (7)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] (8)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Wheeljack]] (9)
*[[Jazz (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jazz]] (10)
|c2=
*[[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]] (12)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Skywarp]] (13)
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (14)
*[[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] (16)
|c3=
*[[Hunter O'Nion]] (1)
*[[Verity Carlo]] (2)
*[[Jimmy Pink]] (3)
*[[Stoker]] (11)
*[[Lindy Simmons]] (15)
}}

==Quotes==
"Why are we '''here''', on this planet? We're here to '''save lives'''. Now okay, maybe we're talking mass numbers, a global scale of species saved, but me, I take it '''one life at a time.'''"
:—'''Ratchet'''

"'''What''' peril? You said yourself... it's abandoned." 
"Plus, our mystery man got in and out safely. We know '''that''' for a fact!" 
"And... we '''laugh''' in the face of danger!" 
''-everyone turns to look at Verity-'' 
"Did I '''really''' say that?"
:—'''Hunter''', '''Jimmy''', and '''Verity''' present their arguments

"Couldn't help but overhear... largely because I was lurking back here, where I had no real good reason to be."
:—'''Bumblebee'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Prowl dismisses Ratchet's actions as being to "give yourself ''another'' shot at being a hero", suggesting that the medic has a history of reckless behavior. This might just imply that this isn't the first time that Ratchet's compassionate nature has led him to interfere with native life-forms, but Prowl's off-hand comment has greater meaning in the wake of the "Shadowplay" two-parter in ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'', which revealed that Ratchet was once part of an elaborate heist to steal the [[Matrix of Leadership]] from the forces of the [[Senate]].
*This issue introduces the all-important [[infiltration protocol]] that the Decepticons operate under. Ratchet notes that he's only ever seen a phase five response once before, and shrugs off Jimmy's question of whether or not there's a phase six by telling him that he doesn't want to know. ''[[Spotlight: Sixshot]]'' will reveal just what happens in phase six and why Ratchet thinks he's better off not knowing.
*The Autobots have not come to Earth aboard the traditional ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' spaceship, but in the ''[[Ark-19]]''. The reasons behind this odd naming scheme will be expounded on in ''[[Spotlight: Nightbeat]]''.

===Transformers references===
*Our mysterious businessman is revealed to have operated the alias of "Finklerock;" this name is a portmanteau derived from the names of [[Donny Finkleberg]] and [[G.B. Blackrock]], who were supporting characters from [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]]'s original [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|''Transformers'' comics]]. A reimagined Blackrock would show up a few years later in the pages of ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]''.
*The Decepticons' current command bunker being located in [[Oregon]] shouldn't raise any eyebrows amongst old-school Transformer fans, being the state containing [[Mount St. Hilary]] and the primary setting for a lot of classic ''Transformers'' material.

===Real-world references===
[[File:Infiltration3-VerityMeetsBumblebee.jpg|thumb|250px]]
*When Bumblebee transforms into his [[alternate mode]], his [[holomatter]] avatar resembles [[w:Lindsay Lohan|Lindsay Lohan]]. E.J. Su confirmed in January 2021 that this was a deliberate reference by him to ''[[w:Herbie Fully Loaded|Herbie: Fully Loaded]],'' a movie about a girl (Lohan) befriending a sentient [[Volkswagen]], which had come out a year before the comic's release. The script had already said the avatar was female. <ref>[https://twitter.com/ejsu28/status/1350155055849082880 Su's twitter, 15th Jan 2021:] "To answer a question in the article, the script called for a non-specified female avatar, I decided to make reference to Love Bug with Lindsay Lohan."</ref>

===Other trivia===
*Ratchet mentions his "batch proto-initiator;" presumably, this has something to do with the development of [[protoform]]s, but the significance of this statement (outside of being a jokey Transformer-ized colloquialism) has never been expounded on.
*The "Decepticomments" section featured mail answered by Chris Ryall and short ads for next month's issues: [[Infiltration issue 4|''Infiltration'' #4]], [[The Gathering issue 3|''The Gathering'' #3]], [[The Transformers: Generations (comic)|''Generations'' #2]].
*The first few pages of this story were reprinted as part of a [[Free Comic Book Day]] issue by [[IDW Publishing]] on [[May 6]]th, [[2006]].

===Covers (9)===
<gallery>
File:Infiltration 3a.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover A''' - See what happens when you're a prick!
File:Infiltration 3b.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover B''' - This time Jazz eats floor, dig?
File:Infiltration 3c.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover C''' - Triple takeover.
File:Infiltration 3d.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover D''' - Raiz draws better humans, hands down!
</gallery>
*'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover A:''' Prowl amongst explosions, part 2 of a larger image by [[E. J. Su]].
*'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover B:''' Blitzwing vs Jazz, by [[Guido Guidi]].
*'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover C:''' Blitzwing in tank mode, by [[Andrew Wildman]].
*'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover D:''' Humans at Ratchet's feet, by [[James Raiz]].
<gallery>
File:Infiltration 3ria.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover RI-A''' - Oooh, foily!
File:Infiltration 3rib.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover RI-B''' - Toy accurate prick!
File:Infiltration 3ric.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover RI-C''' - Mister deadlier-than-thou
File:FCBD 2006 coverA.jpg|'''Free Comic Book Day 2006 cover A'''
</gallery>
*'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover RI-A:''' foil stamp of cover D.
*'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover RI-B:''' Prowl, by Guido Guidi.
*'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover RI-C:''' Blitzwing, by Guido Guidi (includes 4 mini-prints).
*'''Free Comic Book Day 2006 cover A:''' reuse of page 1 of ''[[Transformers, Beast Wars: The Gathering|Beast Wars: The Gathering]]'' [[The Gathering issue 2|issue #2]] showing assorted [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]], art by [[Don Figueroa]], colors by [[Josh Burcham]].
<gallery>
File:FCBD 2006 coverB.jpg|'''Free Comic Book Day 2006 cover B'''
</gallery>
*'''Free Comic Book Day 2006 cover B:''' reuse of [[Infiltration issue 1|issue #1]]'s cover D.

===Advertisements===
*''[[Transformers: Beast Wars 10th Anniversary|10th Anniversary Beast Wars]]'' toys
*[[Infiltration issue 4|''Infiltration'' #4]], 2-page B&W sketch preview
*[[The Gathering issue 2|''The Gathering'' #2]]
*3-page preview of ''The Gathering'' #2
*''[[The Transformers: Generations (comic)|Generations]]''
*''[[The Transformers: Stormbringer|Stormbringer]]'' (back cover)

===Reprints===
Other than [[The Transformers: Infiltration#Collections|reprints of the full series]]
* N/A

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

Infiltration issue 3

2022-03-02T16:20:56Z

JDspeeder1: /* Synopsis */

{{Comicstory
|series=infiltration|issueno=3
|prev=Infiltration issue 2
|next=Infiltration issue 4
|image=Infiltration_3b.jpg
|caption=Eat foot, dig?
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[March 8]], [[2006]]
|coverdate=March 2006
|written by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[E. J. Su]]
|colors by=[[John Rauch]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|edits by=[[Chris Ryall]] & [[Dan Taylor (IDW)|Dan Taylor]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2006-7|2006-7]]
}}
'''The Decepticons attempt to erase evidence while Ratchet warns Prowl of the situation.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Infiltration3 Prowl saveit.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]
Trapped in a containment cell, [[Verity Carlo]] offers an ultimatum to her [[Autobot]] captors: if they don't let her and her friends out, she wipes the [[SM-40]] that's prompted such interest from both sides. [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] is unmoved, and flicks the security camera to "mute" as [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] gives [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] a thorough dressing-down for disobeying his orders and breaking cover. The Autobot medic tells ''his'' side of the story: having arrived too late to prevent the Decepticon assassination of their [[Stoker|target of interest]], Ratchet wound up clashing with [[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] and eventually ran across Verity Carlo and [[Hunter O'Nion]]. Ratchet concludes his case by arguing that the Autobots are on [[Earth]] to ''save'' lives from wanton Decepticon action, and that's exactly what he tried to do.

Prowl is unmoved: not only did the medic fail to rescue his primary target, he points out, but his attempt to play hero has drawn three more innocent lives into the crossfire. Prowl orders Ratchet to find out what's on Verity's computer and then get rid of the [[human]]s, and although Ratchet suggests alerting [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] to the unusual Decepticon activity Prowl just ignores him. In desperation, Ratchet points out to Ironhide that the local Decepticon cell might have potentially gone rogue... and even if they're acting under orders, their erratic behavior means only one thing: it's a matter of time before [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] arrives.

In [[Tucson]], [[Arizona]], a police officer is investigating the dead body of the businessman, and tracks his last known whereabouts to a nearby trailer park. No sooner has he arrived than a pair of warplanes—[[Skywarp (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|one black]], [[Blitzwing (G1)|one purple]]—appear out of thin air, annihilating the dead man's trailer before promptly disappearing again.

[[File:Infiltration3 skywarp and blitzwing.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

As the detained humans argue in their cell, Ratchet's holomatter avatar appears in front of them and persuades Verity to hand the computer over. Ratchet deactivates the holomatter walls of their cell and explains the situation: the humans have been brought aboard the [[Autobot]] starship ''[[Ark-19]]'', located at the bottom of [[Lake Michigan]]. Ratchet plugs in the palmtop into the ''Ark-19'''s systems to analyze its contents; at the same time, Ironhide, unbeknownst to all, finishes sending a secret pulsewave to Autobot high command—for Optimus Prime's eyes only.

Ratchet finally reveals the reason why the mysterious businessman had been targeted by the Decepticons: his photos show snapshots of a [[Decepticon Command Bunker|gigantic Decepticon bunker]] somewhere in the wilderness of [[Nebraska]]. As Ratchet explains the Decepticon [[infiltration protocol]] to the confused humans, he points out that something's gone wrong on Earth: the Decepticons have ''abandoned'' this base in favor of a secondary command bunker in [[Oregon]], and have initiated siege mode earlier than normal. More intriguingly, the previous holder of the palmtop computer broke into the Nebraska base, snapping photos of its derelict interior. Verity wonders aloud: why would the Decepticons relocate?

[[File:Infiltration3-BumblebeeEavesdropper.jpg|thumb|250px]]
In [[Riverside]], a news crew prepares to broadcast a report from the site of [[Jimmy Pink]]'s destroyed garage. As they set up, however, an ominous rumbling precludes the arrival of Blitzwing in his tank configuration, who levels what remains of Jimmy's garage before trundling over the broadcast vans. The assembled newcasters can only look on in confusion as the tank [[transformation|transforms]] into a fighter jet and zooms away.

Verity, Hunter and Jimmy insist that Ratchet take them to the [[Decepticon]] bunker in [[Nebraska]] so that they can locate the proof Ratchet needs to persuade Prowl of the severity of the situation. Ratchet isn't convinced: rescuing them from the crossfire is one thing, but willingly sending them into a dangerous situation is quite another. Their arguments wear him down, however, and Ratchet finally makes up his mind when [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]], who's overheard the argument, offers to help out. The three humans climb aboard as the two Autobots make their way to Nebraska.

In the bus depot in [[Phoenix (city)|Phoenix]], [[Arizona]], a [[bus lot manager]] investigates the salvaged bus targeted by the Decepticons. His maintenance concerns are quickly alleviated when the two Decepticons appear and annihilate the bus in another surgical strike. When asked for their ''next'' target, however, Decepticon lieutenant [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] orders Skywarp and Blitzwing to destroy the Nebraska bunker...

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (4)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] (5)
*[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] (6)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] (7)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] (8)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Wheeljack]] (9)
*[[Jazz (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jazz]] (10)
|c2=
*[[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]] (12)
*[[Skywarp (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Skywarp]] (13)
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (14)
*[[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] (16)
|c3=
*[[Hunter O'Nion]] (1)
*[[Verity Carlo]] (2)
*[[Jimmy Pink]] (3)
*[[Stoker]] (11)
*[[Lindy Simmons]] (15)
}}

==Quotes==
"Why are we '''here''', on this planet? We're here to '''save lives'''. Now okay, maybe we're talking mass numbers, a global scale of species saved, but me, I take it '''one life at a time.'''"
:—'''Ratchet'''

"'''What''' peril? You said yourself... it's abandoned." 
"Plus, our mystery man got in and out safely. We know '''that''' for a fact!" 
"And... we '''laugh''' in the face of danger!" 
''-everyone turns to look at Verity-'' 
"Did I '''really''' say that?"
:—'''Hunter''', '''Jimmy''', and '''Verity''' present their arguments

"Couldn't help but overhear... largely because I was lurking back here, where I had no real good reason to be."
:—'''Bumblebee'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Prowl dismisses Ratchet's actions as being to "give yourself ''another'' shot at being a hero", suggesting that the medic has a history of reckless behavior. This might just imply that this isn't the first time that Ratchet's compassionate nature has led him to interfere with native life-forms, but Prowl's off-hand comment has greater meaning in the wake of the "Shadowplay" two-parter in ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'', which revealed that Ratchet was once part of an elaborate heist to steal the [[Matrix of Leadership]] from the forces of the [[Senate]].
*This issue introduces the all-important [[infiltration protocol]] that the Decepticons operate under. Ratchet notes that he's only ever seen a phase five response once before, and shrugs off Jimmy's question of whether or not there's a phase six by telling him that he doesn't want to know. ''[[Spotlight: Sixshot]]'' will reveal just what happens in phase six and why Ratchet thinks he's better off not knowing.
*The Autobots have not come to Earth aboard the traditional ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' spaceship, but in the ''[[Ark-19]]''. The reasons behind this odd naming scheme will be expounded on in ''[[Spotlight: Nightbeat]]''.

===Transformers references===
*Our mysterious businessman is revealed to have operated the alias of "Finklerock;" this name is a portmanteau derived from the names of [[Donny Finkleberg]] and [[G.B. Blackrock]], who were supporting characters from [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]]'s original [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|''Transformers'' comics]]. A reimagined Blackrock would show up a few years later in the pages of ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]''.
*The Decepticons' current command bunker being located in [[Oregon]] shouldn't raise any eyebrows amongst old-school Transformer fans, being the state containing [[Mount St. Hilary]] and the primary setting for a lot of classic ''Transformers'' material.

===Real-world references===
[[File:Infiltration3-VerityMeetsBumblebee.jpg|thumb|250px]]
*When Bumblebee transforms into his [[alternate mode]], his [[holomatter]] avatar resembles [[w:Lindsay Lohan|Lindsay Lohan]]. E.J. Su confirmed in January 2021 that this was a deliberate reference by him to ''[[w:Herbie Fully Loaded|Herbie: Fully Loaded]],'' a movie about a girl (Lohan) befriending a sentient [[Volkswagen]], which had come out a year before the comic's release. The script had already said the avatar was female. <ref>[https://twitter.com/ejsu28/status/1350155055849082880 Su's twitter, 15th Jan 2021:] "To answer a question in the article, the script called for a non-specified female avatar, I decided to make reference to Love Bug with Lindsay Lohan."</ref>

===Other trivia===
*Ratchet mentions his "batch proto-initiator;" presumably, this has something to do with the development of [[protoform]]s, but the significance of this statement (outside of being a jokey Transformer-ized colloquialism) has never been expounded on.
*The "Decepticomments" section featured mail answered by Chris Ryall and short ads for next month's issues: [[Infiltration issue 4|''Infiltration'' #4]], [[The Gathering issue 3|''The Gathering'' #3]], [[The Transformers: Generations (comic)|''Generations'' #2]].
*The first few pages of this story were reprinted as part of a [[Free Comic Book Day]] issue by [[IDW Publishing]] on [[May 6]]th, [[2006]].

===Covers (9)===
<gallery>
File:Infiltration 3a.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover A''' - See what happens when you're a prick!
File:Infiltration 3b.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover B''' - This time Jazz eats floor, dig?
File:Infiltration 3c.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover C''' - Triple takeover.
File:Infiltration 3d.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover D''' - Raiz draws better humans, hands down!
</gallery>
*'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover A:''' Prowl amongst explosions, part 2 of a larger image by [[E. J. Su]].
*'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover B:''' Blitzwing vs Jazz, by [[Guido Guidi]].
*'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover C:''' Blitzwing in tank mode, by [[Andrew Wildman]].
*'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover D:''' Humans at Ratchet's feet, by [[James Raiz]].
<gallery>
File:Infiltration 3ria.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover RI-A''' - Oooh, foily!
File:Infiltration 3rib.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover RI-B''' - Toy accurate prick!
File:Infiltration 3ric.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover RI-C''' - Mister deadlier-than-thou
File:FCBD 2006 coverA.jpg|'''Free Comic Book Day 2006 cover A'''
</gallery>
*'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover RI-A:''' foil stamp of cover D.
*'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover RI-B:''' Prowl, by Guido Guidi.
*'''''Infiltration'' #3 cover RI-C:''' Blitzwing, by Guido Guidi (includes 4 mini-prints).
*'''Free Comic Book Day 2006 cover A:''' reuse of page 1 of ''[[Transformers, Beast Wars: The Gathering|Beast Wars: The Gathering]]'' [[The Gathering issue 2|issue #2]] showing assorted [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]], art by [[Don Figueroa]], colors by [[Josh Burcham]].
<gallery>
File:FCBD 2006 coverB.jpg|'''Free Comic Book Day 2006 cover B'''
</gallery>
*'''Free Comic Book Day 2006 cover B:''' reuse of [[Infiltration issue 1|issue #1]]'s cover D.

===Advertisements===
*''[[Transformers: Beast Wars 10th Anniversary|10th Anniversary Beast Wars]]'' toys
*[[Infiltration issue 4|''Infiltration'' #4]], 2-page B&W sketch preview
*[[The Gathering issue 2|''The Gathering'' #2]]
*3-page preview of ''The Gathering'' #2
*''[[The Transformers: Generations (comic)|Generations]]''
*''[[The Transformers: Stormbringer|Stormbringer]]'' (back cover)

===Reprints===
Other than [[The Transformers: Infiltration#Collections|reprints of the full series]]
* N/A

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

Transformer

2022-03-02T16:07:18Z

JDspeeder1: /* Birth */

{{disambig3.5|the living alien robots|the brand in which they appear and are sold as toys|Transformers brand|Transformers}}
[[File:Bumblebeeg1.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]], a Transformer, transforming. Savvy?]]
The '''Transformers''' are a species of {{w|Sentience|sentient}}, living robotic beings (mostly) originating from the distant machine world of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. The stories of their lives, their histories, and most especially their wars have been chronicled across many different [[Continuity|continuities]] in the vast [[multiverse]].

The designation "Transformer" stems from the species' generally-shared ability to ''[[Transformation|transform]]'', to change their bodies at will, rearranging their component parts from a robotic primary mode (usually, but not always, humanoid) into an alternate form; generally vehicles, weapons, machinery, or animals. In some continuities this ability to transform is innate to all members of the species, in others it was a wartime innovation that was adopted by most, but not all, of the populace.

While this species is commonly known throughout the galaxy as "Transformers", the technical term for these beings is '''Cybertronians''', which they generally use to refer to themselves. Other, less-frequently used terms to refer to beings from Cybertron include '''Cybertronic''' or simply '''Cybertron'''.

{{bigquote|Many [[MYA|millions of years ago]], on the planet Cybertron, life existed. But not life as we know it today. Intelligent robots that could think and feel inhabited the cities.|[[Victor Caroli|A voice]] from beyond|"[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]"}}

==Origins==
{{quote|Just how exactly did these towering marvels of technology become living, sentient beings with the ability to transform their appearance to adapt to their environment? Two words: WHO CARES?"|''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]'' story bible}}

The many origin stories of the Transformers—why and how these shapechanging robots became the way they are—has been explored across a wide variety of mediums. As is the case for just about every ''Transformers'' story, many of the details of these tales are mutually irreconcilable with one another.

The three most prominent origins for the Transformer race are as follows:

===The Quintessons===
: ''See also: [[Quintesson]]''
[[File:Ffod4 production line.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The [[The Transformers (cartoon)|1984 cartoon]] established that the Autobots and Decepticons began as two different product lines of robotic slaves, only developing civilization after overthrowing their cruel [[Quintesson]] creators.]]
{{quote|What the Quintessons failed to grasp was that their robots had developed emotions. That we knew and felt the difference between freedom and slavery. And that oversight sealed their fate.|[[Prime Nova]]|"[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4]]"}}

The malevolent aliens known as the [[Quintesson]]s first appeared in [[The Transformers: The Movie|the 1986 animated film]], but it would not be until the third season of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|the 1984 ''Transformers'']] cartoon that would explain their role in the history of Cybertron. In "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4]]," [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] experienced a vision of the past and learned that Cybertron had once been a planet-sized factory overseen by the aliens: the ancestors of the [[Autobot]]s were designed as "consumer goods," and the [[Decepticon]]s began as "military hardware". In time, however, the Quintessons' robotic creations would gain sentience and overthrow their masters in a rebellion before driving them off-planet, later inventing [[transformation]] when those military robots went rogue and made war against their proto-Autobot brethren.

Although well known because of the cartoon's prominence, it has been given relatively little attention in subsequent media; with the rise of the Primus origin story, subsequent works of fiction have largely reduced the Quintessons to merely ''interfering'' with the natural development of the Transformers, as seen in [[3H Productions|3H]]'s ''[[Transformers: The Wreckers|Wreckers]]'' comics and the [[Aligned continuity family]].

''[[Transformers vs. G.I. Joe]]'' would offer a variation on the Quintesson origin story, depicting the aliens as fifth-dimensional beings who had created the living planet known as "[[Daiakuron]]", which itself would go on to spawn [[Primus]] and the Transformer race.

More recently, the fourth installment of the [[live-action film series]], ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction]]'', would reveal that the Transformers of ''that'' universe had also been created by some other alien race. It is, however, unclear if the mysterious, organic aliens known only as the "[[Creator]]s" ''are'' this universe's version of the Quintessons, and what, if any, connection they possess to the equally enigmatic mechanoid who calls herself "[[Quintessa (TLK)|Quintessa]]".
{{--}}

===Primus===
: ''See also: [[Primus]], [[Unicron]], [[Thirteen]], [[Well of All Sparks]]''
[[File:Prima.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Prima]] was the first Transformer to be created by Primus, and would later be reimagined as the leader of the mighty group of Transformers known as the [[Thirteen]].]]

{{quote|They '''were''' the dream--mechanical beings able to transform their bodies into vehicles, machinery and weapons; a last line of defense against the chaos bringer, '''Unicron'''!|[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|''The Transformers'' comic]] introductory blurb}}

Independent of the cartoon's Quintesson origin, writer [[Simon Furman]] came up with his own origin for the Transformers. As first detailed in the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|Marvel UK]] comic, the Cybertronians of that universe had been created by their god, the benevolent [[Primus]], as proxies to carry on the battle with his villainous opposite: the dreaded chaos-bringer known as [[Unicron]]. This origin story was eventually folded into the American books when Furman took over from US author [[Bob Budiansky]], overwriting the earlier "[[atechnogenesis]]" theory. From there, the tale would undergo various permutations in various pieces of ancillary media before settling on a widely accepted version of events, establishing that Primus himself, like Unicron, could transform from a robot into a planet; unlike Unicron, however, Primus transformed into [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] itself.

The first Transformer that Primus created was dubbed [[Prima]], bearer of the [[Matrix of Leadership]], and later stories set in other universes would take this concept and run with it. Future works would establish that the very first group of Transformers to be created, of which Prima was traditionally a part, would become known as the "[[Thirteen]]," demigod-like figures of enormous power, and who themselves would go on to play a major role in the overarching ''Transformers'' mythos in their own right. The [[Unicron Trilogy]] was the first cartoon to incorporate the Primus and Unicron origin into its storyline, as would several [[Fun Publications]]-exclusive stories, and for many years this was widely accepted to be "the definitive" Transformer origin story.

Note, however, that not ''all'' modern continuities adhere to this strict interpretation of events; notably, the original [[2005 IDW continuity]] would establish a [[Rung (G1)|very different interpretation of Primus]], who that continuity's version of [[Unicron/Generation 1#2005 IDW continuity|Unicron]] was entirely unconnected to.
{{--}}

===The AllSpark===
:''See also: [[AllSpark]], [[AllSpark Mutation]], [[Energon radiation]]
[[File:Defiance4 allspark creates primes.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The [[AllSpark]], a mysterious relic capable of granting life to the Transformer race, has featured prominently in most ''Transformers'' stories released since the late 2000s.]]
{{quote|Before time began, there was the Cube. We know not where it comes from, only that it holds the power to create worlds and fill them with life. That is how our race was born.|[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]]|''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]''}}

The very earliest drafts of the 2007 ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' movie originally had the Autobots and Decepticons come to [[Earth]] in search of the [[Matrix of Leadership]]; for one reason or another, this relic was later reworked into a new artifact, a life-giving cube that was first deemed "the Energon Cube," and then hastily redubbed into "The AllSpark," evidently co-opting the name from ''Beast Machines'' and its description of the [[Transformer afterlife]].

The first ''Transformers'' movie depicted the AllSpark as the sole creator of the Transformers; a powerful, semi-sentient object of unknown manufacture, this artifact was responsible of energizing the [[living metal]] of Cybertron with [[Spark]]s and creating the first generation of Transformers. When loosed on Earth, AllSpark energy was capable of spontaneously imbuing [[human]] machinery with Transformer life, creating "[[AllSpark Mutation]]s" from mundane vehicles or appliances. As part of Hasbro's attempts at brand synergy, the AllSpark would also feature in that year's ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]'' cartoon, with more-or-less the same backstory, treating the mysterious object as the creator of the Cybertronian species, with individual fragments of the AllSpark displaying the power to bring new Transformers online from whatever inanimate objects happened to be in the vicinity. The concept would be folded into the "Primus" origin in the "Aligned" continuity family, which established the Allspark as the divine mechanism Primus created to generate new sparks. Almost a decade later, 2018's ''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (cartoon)|Cyberverse]]'' cartoon would once more establish the AllSpark as the mysterious, and seemingly sole, progenitor of Cybertronian life. The ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy (cartoon)|War for Cybertron Trilogy]]'' cartoon would take a similar tack, claiming that Cybertron itself would be unable to survive without the AllSpark.

Recent developments in the live-action series continuity family—most notably the introduction of the enigmatic "[[Creator]]s"—have offered a possible insight into the ''true'' origin of the live-action version of the AllSpark, but no concrete information has yet surfaced.
{{--}}

===Other origins===
[[File:Pulleys.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The theory of atechnogenesis proposes the Transformer race evolved naturally, rather than being created by an external force.]]
; Atechnogenesis
The very first origin ever put forth for the Transformers established that the Transformers had evolved through [[atechnogenesis]], a mechanical parallel to {{w|abiogenesis}} that gave rise to life on Earth, with cybernetic life arising from the interaction between "naturally occurring gears, levers and pulleys" on the surface of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. This questionable theory was given in the [[The Transformers (issue)|very first ''Transformers'' comic ever produced]] and was quickly forgotten, though the concept occasionally crops up as an in-universe "atheist" viewpoint to contrast against more spiritual perspectives. A more serious take on the concept was published in a [[A Birth of Planet Saybertron|Japanese-exclusive story]].
{{-}}

[[File:CybertronFossil.jpg|thumb|right|250px|''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' suggested that Cybertron was once home to organic creatures, long-since extinct.]]

; Migration
Several installments of the Generation 1 continuity — most notably ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'', but also ''[[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)|Kiss Players]]'' — revealed that, long ago, the metallic world of Cybertron was once a verdant, Earthlike planet. The first episode of ''Beast Machines'' had [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] muse that the first Transformers "came to Cybertron," and subsequently learned to transform—an event that evidently coincided with the extinction of Cybertron's natural biosphere. The [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Japanese continuity]] would reconcile the basics of this premise with the cartoon's Quintesson origin, but no American media has ever expounded on Primal's words or their significance.
{{-}}

[[File:SpotlightNightbeat GorlamPrimeUpgrading.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The [[Gorlamite]]s were once organic beings that came to adopt robotic forms.]]

; Biomechanical evolution
{{quote|The origins of our '''own''' planet are lost in the distant mists of time. Perhaps, once upon a time... '''Cybertron''' was something like '''this'''.|[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]]|[[Spotlight: Nightbeat]]}}
In the [[2005 IDW continuity]], the world of [[Gorlam Prime]] was a planet whose [[Gorlamite|humanoid inhabitants]] developed a culture of cybernetic implants, rapidly shedding their biological forms to become a Transformer-like race and eventually rebuilding their planet into a metallic world and rechristening it "Cybertron". On a visit to Gorlam Prime during the earliest stages of this evolution, [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] idly wondered if Cybertron and its inhabitants had once passed through a similar phase. To date, no continuity has ever established this "biomechanical evolution" as a proven origin for the Transformer race, but a similar process is how the Transformers' sister race, the [[GoBot]]s of [[Gobotron]], came to be.
{{-}}

[[File:GoBots5-anheir.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The conclusion of Tom Scioli's ''Go-Bots'' series implied that the Cybertronian race was descended from a civilization of spacefaring Go-Bots.]]

; Go-Bots
{{quote|Go-Bots! Transform and roll out!|[[Road Ranger]]|[[Go-Bots issue 5|''Go-Bots'' #5]]}}
The long-dormant ''[[GoBots]]'' property, a one-time rival to the Transformers brand, was unexpectedly revived in late 2018 by writer and artist [[Tom Scioli]] for a [[Go-Bots (comic)|5-issue miniseries]]. Though the miniseries was, for the most part, an affectionate pastiche of various sci-fi concepts unrelated to the ''Transformers'' brand, and, indeed, most prior iterations of the Go-Bots—''{{w|Terminator (franchise)|Terminator}}'', ''{{w|Planet of the Apes}}'', and so on—the comic ended with a peaceful Gobotron sailing through space as Go-Bot leader [[Road Ranger]] announced his intention to seed the multiverse with a panoply of [[Cybertron (planet)|mechanical worlds]]. In the meantime, he worked to construct an "optimized" version of himself, a mechanical "heir" that, while not seen, is heavily implied to be [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]; [[Bug Bite (GoBots)|Bug Bite]] considered building a similar [[Bumblebee (G1)|copy of himself]], and [[Cy-Kill (G1)|Cy-Kill]] and [[Leader-1 (GoBots)|Leader-1]]'s remains were amalgamated into a [[Starscream (G1)|new jet-bot]]. For a variety of reasons, it's very unlikely that any future ''Transformers'' story will touch upon this origin.
{{--}}

==Transformer biology==
===Physiology and variance in form===
: ''See also: [[Robot mode]], [[alternate mode]], [[scale]]''

[[File:G1Misfire boxart.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Most Transformers are essentially humanoid...]]

{{quote|I take great pleasure, and indeed pride, in noting how varied we are throughout the cosmos and beyond. [[Noble (BM)|Organic Cybertronians]], [[Micromaster Combiner|modular Cybertronians]], [[Titan Master|Cybertronians]] [[binary bonding|binary-bonded]] to [[Overload (Armada)|other Cybertronians]], [[Headmaster (technology)|Cybertronians binary-bonded to organic life]], [[Pretender|Cybertronians with organic shells]], [[Combiner|Cybertronians who combine their sparks with other Cybertronians]], [[Duocon|Cybertronians who can split their sparks in twain]], [[Titan (group)|Cybertronians who become cities]], or [[Insecticon (WFC)|insects]], or [[Cosmos (G1)|starships]], or even [[Primus|planets]]... it makes my spark pulse brighter.|[[Vector Prime]]|[[Ask Vector Prime|Ask Vector Prime, 5/26/2015]]}}

The vast majority of Transformers are built along a humanoid frame, generally referred to as their "[[robot mode]]:" two arms, two legs, a torso, and one head. This isn't to say that all Transformers are human''like'', however: some have unconventional limbs, their hands (or whole arm) replaced with tools, claws, weapons, or some other form of manipulator (like a [[beast mode]]'s head). Though most Transformers possess a pair of humanlike legs, some Transformers have opted for more exotic forms of locomotion; a Transformer might possess digitigrade legs, wheels or tractor treads instead of feet, or no discernible legs at all, floating on antigravity. Some Transformers have more or less than the normal number of limbs altogether, such as the six-armed [[Octus (G1)|Octus]]. Transformers' faces run the gamut of design, from looking like a metal human in a helmet, to characters like [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] or [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], whose faces consist of little more than a single glowing eye, or more animalistic designs such as [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]].

[[File:ROTF Wheelbot concept art.jpg|thumb|left|250px|...but many are not.]]

While humanoid forms are the norm, they are certainly not the ''rule'', and it is not at all uncommon for a Transformer to possess a primary mode based on an animal or vehicle—for instance, [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], [[Grand Slam (G1)|Grand Slam]] and [[Raindance]], who transform from cassette tapes into a panther, a tank, and a jet, respectively. We consider these to be their "robot modes;" while they are definitely inhuman, they are at least capable of independent movement.

Transformers are ''generally'' large in comparison to Earth lifeforms; the average Transformer stands roughly four times the height of a human, depending on its size and shape. However, great variances in form are common; some Transformers, like the [[Mini-Con]]s, [[Micromaster]]s, [[Maximal]]s, or [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s, are approximately human sized. Still others, such as the [[Real Gear Robot]]s or the [[Transformers: BotBots|BotBots]], are small enough to fit in a human's palm.

On the other end of the scale, some Transformers are large enough to dwarf other Cybertronians. The colossal city-bots known as [[Titan (group)|Titan]]s are one such faction, transforming into entire cities for smaller Transformers to inhabit. Particularly large Transformers, like [[Unicron]] and [[Primus]], might transform into entire planets. In the ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]'' series, the planet [[Gigantion]] is populated by both extremes: robots who tower over "normal"-sized Transformers, aided by their tiny Mini-Con partners. For the most part, however, the "average" Transformer ranges from about 15 to 40 feet in height.
{{-}}

===Physical construction===
:''See also: [[Living metal]], [[Transformation cog]], [[Brain module]], [[:Category:Transformer anatomy|Transformer anatomy]]''

[[File:BlitzwingDissectionDreamwave.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Transformer anatomy is made up of several different mechanical parts, each of which serves an important function.]]

{{quote|You're a motorcycle, Arcee. Shouldn't you know how to build a motorcycle engine?}}
{{quote|You're a human, Jack. Can you build me a small intestine?|[[Jack Darby]] and [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]]|"[[Masters & Students]]"}}

Though their metal bodies were shown to be easily built by other Transformers from conventional materials, even the very earliest stories in the franchise showed that Transformers could feel pleasurable and painful sensations—physically "alive" in body, not just mind. This "[[living metal]]" was described as having a cellular structure in the [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (cartoon)|''Victory'' cartoon]], a fact independently reiterated by the Marvel [[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|''Generation 2'' comic books]], which also established that Transformers possessed "genetic material" (useful when [[Reproduction|"budding"]]). It was the Marvel comic which first introduced the idea that the Transformers originally emerged from the very fabric of the planet Cybertron itself, an idea that has become the dominant "origin" story for the species in modern media, and the means by which new Transfomers come into being even in the present day. Following its introduction in the [[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|''Beast Wars'' cartoon]], the first stage of Transformer life, prior to taking on an alternate mode, has come to usually be depicted as the raw, featureless "[[protoform]]". As living matter, Transformers' bodies are even capable of being ravaged by [[:Category:Diseases|disease]].

Being mechanical creatures, Transformers possess a number of distinct parts that make up their anatomy; some are largely analogous to human components, but many others serve exotic purposes: complex fuel reactors and ammunition storage are among them. Significant components include the [[transformation cog]], which controls a Cybertronian's ability to change shape, and the [[brain module]] and/or [[personality component]], which houses a Transformer's mind and controls the functions of the body.

===Transformation===
:''See also: [[Transformation]], [[Transformation cog]], [[Scanning]], [[Action Master]], [[Monoformer]]

[[File:TarnAltMode.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Most Transformers are capable of changing between two or more different forms at will.]]

{{quote|Why do you transform into cars and things?}}
{{quote|Simple. Disguise! Besides, it sure beats walking.|[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] and [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]]|"[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 2]]"}}

The eponymous, and most iconic, component of the ''Transformers'' franchise is, of course, their characteristic ability to [[transformation|transform]] from one shape to the other—in most cases, this involves changing from a humanoid [[robot mode]] into an [[alternate mode]]; this alternate mode is usually some kind of vehicle or creature, but Transformers across the multiverse have assumed unconventional forms: [[Metroplex (G1)|buildings]], [[Botanica (BM)|plants]], [[Ejector|household appliances]], or even [[Sprinkleberry D'uhnut|human food]].

Early stories depicted this ability as something that the Transformer race as a whole was not created with; it was either a wartime innovation designed to disguise themselves from their opponents, or an unexpected side effect as a result of their rebuilding at the hands of the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' on [[Earth]]. However, it would not take long for this ability to be cemented as a natural extension of Cybertronian biology; later stories would, for the most part, establish that Transformers are born with a functioning alternate mode, or at least the ability to assume one.

Modern ''Transformers'' fiction has established that the complex mechanical "organ" known as the [[transformation cog]], or T-cog, allows a Cybertronian to transform; most Transformers in contemporary fiction can change their alternate modes at will (e.g., changing their Cybertronian vehicle mode into a suitable Earth disguise) through a process known as [[scanning]]. Some Cybertronians possess unique forms of transformation: they may have the ability to [[Jumpstarter|transform much faster than "regular" Transformers]] or the ability to assume [[Triple Changer|multiple alternate modes]], for instance.

In rare instances, Transformers may ''lose'' the ability to transform over their lifetimes; the [[Marvel Comics continuity]] depicted this as a symptom of inducing mutagenic [[Nucleon (substance)|Nucleon]] as a fuel source, sacrificing transformation for enhanced durability and power, while in the [[2005 IDW continuity]] the decision to give up one's alternate mode was a religious choice which involved voluntarily removing the [[Transformation cog]].

===Sparks===
{{main|Spark}}

[[File:The Spark Rhinox spark.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The presence of an animating spark is what separates most Transformers from simple robots.]]

{{quote|We call it a 'Spark'. It contains our life force and our memories.}}
{{quote|Yeah, we call that a 'soul'.|[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Cade Yeager]]|''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction]]''}}

Though their bodies and minds are robotic in nature, Transformers are not mere automatons: most Cybertronian lifeforms are living, sentient, emotional, and fully-intelligent beings. This animating, semi-mystical "life-force" that sets them apart from simple machines is traditionally referred to as the [[spark]], a specially charged mass of {{w|positron}}s that resides in, and energizes, their mechanical frames. Though the concept was first introduced in the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' animated series, it has gone on to inform every incarnation of the Transformers franchise, and has even been retroactively applied to the earliest Generation 1 continuities. A spark can be thought of as the "soul" of the Transformer; a Cybertronian life effectively begins with the ignition of a new spark, and ends when that spark is extinguished.

The spark's relationship to the rest of the Transformer is somewhat nebulous and varies aross continuities. In some stories, a spark ''is'' the sum totality of a Transformer; it can be [[Spark extractor|extracted]] from the body of one Cybertronian and implanted into the frame of another, effectively "uploading" the memories and personality encoded in that Spark into a new body. In other continuities, the spark's presence in the body is harder to define; in these continuities, it coexists with other components crucial to Transformer life, such as the [[brain module]], making it harder to define where certain aspects of Transformer life begin or end. Some Cybertronians are created ''without'' sparks, and these Transformers are generally referred to as "[[drone]]s", deriving sentience from their programming. While their appearance and programming may allow them to adopt a convincing imitation of life and intelligence, most Cybertronians generally do not consider these Transformers to be truly "alive".
{{-}}

===Fuel===
: ''See also: [[Energon]], [[Dark Energon]], [[Synthetic Energon]], [[Transformer fuel]], [[Nucleon (substance)|Nucleon]], [[:Category:Power sources|Power sources]]

[[File:EnergonCubesCartoon1.jpg|left|thumb|200px|In the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|1984 cartoon]], Transformers can process different types of fuel into [[energon cube]]s, their primary energy source.]]

{{quote|No more artificial '''energon''' derivatives, no more scrabbling for micro-ergs of some foul local brew. This... is the '''real''' thing!|[[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]]|[[Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6]]}}

Unlike humans, who require food, air, and water to survive, the only substance Cybertronians require to assure their continued functioning is a fuel source—though for a species as large and powerful as the Transformers, the average Cybertronian consumes a ''significant'' amount of fuel on a regular basis. This desire for energy has led to many wars, and the frequent depletion of their home planet's energy sources. Though early stories such as the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel comic]], suggested that Cybertronians could directly convert human energy sources like oil and gasoline, into a nebulously defined [[Transformer fuel]], it wasn't long before the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|1984 cartoon]] introduced the concept of "[[energon]]:" a Cybertronian fuel that could be created by processing other fuel sources into an [[energon cube]], which generally became the default form of Transformer fuel going forward.

[[File:Roadhandler cardart.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The [[Micromaster]] upgrade allows Transformers to downsize into smaller, more fuel-efficient bodies.]]

To survive the constant fuel shortages, various Transformers across the multiverse have attempted to find means of either reducing or circumventing their reliance on energon. Alternate fuel sources, such as [[Nucleon (substance)|Nucleon]], [[Angolmois Energy]], or even the dreaded [[Dark Energon]], can fulfill most of the energy needs of a Transformer, but may have unpredictable side effects. Some continuities have expanded on Marvel's idea, and asserted that while Transformers ''can'' synthesize a usable fuel substitute from local energy sources, this Energon derivative is largely inefficient and offers poor fuel efficiency, making it a poor substitute for the genuine article. In other instances, Transformers may upgrade themselves into more fuel-efficient bodies, capable of functioning on exponentially less energon than other Transformers. The most famous of these are the [[Micromaster]]s, who derogatorily refer to other Transformers as "[[Macromaster|guzzlers]]". The [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s of [[Beast Era]] Cybertron would follow in their footsteps; by their time, three hundred years after the end of the Great War, the entire Transformer race had downsized to the point where they were only slightly taller than an average [[human]].

Not ''all'' Transformers exclusively rely on energon, however, and some Transformers have developed various solutions to cheaply convert organic material into energy. The Generation 1 [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticon]]s were one such group, who could sustain themselves by eating both organic and inorganic matter. Transformers who upgraded themselves into [[Powermaster]]s, meanwhile, could [[binary bonding|binary-bond]] with a specially-augmented biological partner, using this smaller lifeform's metabolism as a battery to fuel their systems in the absence of energon. In some universes, such as ''[[Beast Wars: Uprising]]'', the Maximals and Predacons have displayed the power to directly process food into energon by using their beast modes, though this is not a universally-established ability.

===Combination===
: ''See also: [[Combiner]], [[Micromaster Combiner]], [[Power Core Combiners]], [[Multiforce]], [[Mini-Con]]

[[File:G1Defensor-VisualWorks.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]] is the combined form of the five [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]], but possesses his own independent consciousness and personality.]]
{{quote|Wow, how come we can't do that?}}
{{quote|I don't know, I think they're double-jointed.|[[Side Burn (RID)|Side Burn]] and [[Prowl (RID)|Prowl]] on [[Rail Racer (RID)|Rail Racer]]|"[[Bullet Train to the Rescue]]"}}

Some Transformers have displayed the ability to physically unite with one or more Cybertronians to assume a single, unified shape. These unusual Transformers are known as "[[combiner]]s". The exact nature of this combination depends on the individuals. Some Transformers, such as the [[Mini-Con]]s, are capable of undergoing a unique form of combination known as "[[powerlinx|powerlinking]]", where the smaller partner is able to imbue their "bulk" partner with extra powers, and, in some cases, new weaponry.

In rare cases, two Transformers may combine to form a single, shared vehicle mode, such as the [[Micromaster Combiner]]s. In other situations, teams of Transformers may unite to form weapons or tools, such as the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]], the combined form of the [[Mini-Con]] [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team (Armada)|Air Defense Team]]. Generally, though, the most famous and memorable combiners are those Transformers who unite into a single "super robot", an exponentially larger and more powerful being than any of its components. This super robot, or "gestalt", may be made up of as few as two Transformers, or as many as six, but in most cases this combined form is, essentially, their own character, possessing a unique personality and consciousness that's more than just the sum total of their parts.

The origins of combination, when explored, are not particularly clear; the earliest fictions treated it as a unique trait that ''only'' these Transformers could possess through nebulous means, but as the ''Transformers'' franchise evolved other continuities would introduce various supernatural artifacts—such as the [[Spark of Combination]] or the [[Enigma of Combination]]—which could instantaneously change ''any'' group of Cybertronians into a functional combiner.
{{-}}

===Weapons and abilities===
: ''See also: [[Weapon]], [[ability]]''

[[File:Shermandam.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Some Transformers can project energy into a physical form, creating weapons like the [[energon-axe]] and [[energon mace]].]]

{{quote|Have a mechanical malfunction, courtesy of my concussion cannon!|[[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]]|"[[Heavy Traffic!]]"}}

Even the most peaceful Cybertronian is far from harmless; while the sheer bulk of their massive mechanical bodies poses an inadvertent threat to smaller life-forms, most, if not all, Transformers also have access to a devastating variety of weapons. The earliest ''Transformers'' stories faithfully depicted the various accessories packaged with indidividual toys as unique handheld weapons, with [[Bob Budiansky]] coming up with a wide variety of powers to set each gun apart from the next, such as [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]]'s signature [[glass gas]]. Other weapons, such as [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]]'s shoulder-mounted cannons, are directly incorporated into their physical form. Like humans, Transformers may display a proficiency with long-ranged artillery weapons, medium-ranged rifles and pistols, or melee weapons like axes and swords. Individual weapons display varying levels of sophistication: melee weapons may be made out of solid metal alloys or pure energy, while their guns may fire bullets, slugs, chemical compounds, or exotic laser bolts.

[[File:Prime optimusionblaster.jpg|thumb|left|300px|The [[ion blaster]] is a signature weapon for [[Optimus Prime (disambiguation)|Optimus Prime]] in many ''Transformers'' stories.]]

Where exactly Transformers ''store'' these weapons when not wielding them was something of a mystery for many years; some obscure media would later declare that the majority of Transformers have access to a "[[subspace storage pocket]]:" a miniature dimension capable of storing matter, and the place where weapons and other accessories (eg.g. Optimus Prime's trailer) went when not in use. Later stories, most prominently the original 2007 film and its sequels, would drop this concept entirely. Rather, these stories depicted the various weapons of any given Transformer as "built-in" extensions of their natural bodies, depicting their weapons as physical transformations for their hand and forearm. This treatment carried over into the 2010 ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Prime]]'' cartoon, though it would be dropped once again for [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)|its 2015 sequel]].

In other instances, Transformers may possess rare abilities that, while they may not have a directly offensive use, set the Transformer apart from their comrades. Depending on the universe, these may be the result of natural upgrades to their bodies, or a sort of "genetic mutation" that distinguishes them from other Transformers—see [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]]'s ability to [[teleportation|teleport]] himself from place to place, or [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]]'s power to generate magnetic fields.
{{-}}

===Organic components===
: ''See also: [[Binary bonding]], [[Pretender]], [[Technorganic]], [[Maximal]], [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]''

[[File:MTMTELandmine.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Pretender]] technology augments Cybertronians with quasi-organic outer "shells".]]
{{quote|So what are we? Robots, or animals?}}
{{quote|Both... and neither.|[[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] and [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]]|"[[Master of the House]]"}}

[[File:Cheetorbw.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Future generations of Cybertronians use [[DNA scanner]]s to adopt the forms of organic creatures]]

Cybertronians are a constantly-developing race, and after making contact with non-mechanical intelligences both Autobots and Decepticons have been known to harness the potential of organic life, as both weapons of war and to advance their own development as a species. Though these upgrades are powerful, and frequently coveted by other Cybertronians, not ''all'' Cybertronians are convinced of the soundness of this so-called "evolutionary leap;" some Transformers view the prospect of carbon-based life as repulsive, and these technologies as revolting or downright heretical.

The fusion between organic and mechanical takes many forms across the vast ''Transformers'' multiverse, running the gamut from simple [[binary bonding|binary-bonded]] partnerships—where a Transformer develops a symbiotic partnership with a smaller creature, to the point where they may telepathically merge into a single entity—to the advanced [[Pretender]] armor, concealing the mechanical shape of a Transformer beneath a specially-tailored "shell" that incorporates organic matter. These so-called "Pretenders" possess enhanced regenerative abilities, with their shells even allowing them to pass as non-robotic humanoids.

In those future universes where the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] gives way to the [[Beast Era]], the [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s will go on to develop advanced [[DNA scanner]]s; thanks to advancements in both [[Micromaster]] and Pretender technology, these future Cybertronians are able to copy genetic material and directly integrate organic components into their structures, allowing them to disguise themselves as organic life without the need for an external Pretender shell. Even this arrangement can be enhanced: exposure to the energies of the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]] can unite both forms of life at the cellular level to create the first "[[technorganic]]" Transformers, a form of life said to be neither organic nor technological.
{{-}}

===Gender===
{{main|Female Transformer}}

[[File:Revolution5-Windbladeprofile.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Changing attitudes in the ''Transformers'' brand led to the creation of [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] as a new "headline" female character.]]
{{quote|Female Autobots?! I thought they were extinct!|[[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]|"[[The Search for Alpha Trion]]"}}
As a kid-friendly franchise first and foremost, most continuities have established that Transformers reproduce through decidedly asexual means; despite this, however, the Cybertronian species is usually depicted with a degree of {{w|sexual dimorphism}}, with clearly "male" and "female" robots coexisting, both in fiction and on toy shelves—though the male-to-female ratio has been historically skewed greatly in favor of the former. In early ''Transformers'' installments (and even some later stories!), female Transformers were presented as an aberration of sorts, their femininity sometimes the result of alien interference or malevolent genetic experimentation, and treated as something "outside" the Cybertronian norm. Changes in the real-world pop culture landscape, and an increased number of female writers in the ''Transformers'' franchise, have led to more recent works taking steps to depict female Cybertronians and their gender presentation as nothing particularly different from their male counterparts: just a natural aspect of the Cybertronian species.

As a kid's franchise, the topic of what Transformer gender really ''means'' in a society of asexual robots hasn't really been explored in most continuities, though some works, most notably IDW's older-skewing comics, have used their settings to tackle some deeper issues relating to gender and gender identity in Transformer society and the real world.

The earliest female Transformers introduced to the mythos: [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]], [[Moonracer (G1)|Moonracer]], [[Firestar (G1)|Firestar]], [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], and so on, were generally depicted as curvier than the boxy "male" Transformers, looking more like attractive human women in armor than anything else. Since then, however, female Transformers have been allowed to diversify in appearance and personality, giving us some less-stereotypical females like ''Beast Machines'' [[Strika (BM)|Strika]] and ''Robots in Disguise'' [[Strongarm (RID)|Strongarm]], while new headline characters like [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] have increased representation of female characters as a whole in the franchise.
{{--}}

==Transformer life cycle==
The life cycle of the Transformer race differs greatly from those of organic species.

===Birth===
: ''See also: [[Reproduction]], [[Protoform]], [[hatchling]], [[M.T.O.|Made To Order Soldiers]]''

[[File:Protoforms2.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Many continuities feature [[protoform]]s as the earliest stage of a Transformer life.]]
{{quote|The sparks give rise to '''sentience'''. The metal gains '''form'''... and the '''protoforms''' emerge. A '''generation new'''.|[[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]|''[[The Transformers: Salvation|Salvation]]''}}

The vast majority of ''Transformers'' continuities have firmly established that the Transformers reproduce asexually, though the individual mechanisms of just ''how'' a new Transformer comes to life can vary even within the same fictional universe. The creation of a new Transformer generally begins with the ignition of a [[spark]]—whether this spark comes from the living computer [[Vector Sigma]], the [[AllSpark]] itself, or a [[sacred implement]] such as the [[Matrix of Leadership]] and its [[Primal Program]] depends on the story—and then infusing that spark into a suitable body. In some instances, such as those Transformers brought to life directly by the [[AllSpark]], this body can be a mundane Earth machine, its structure supernaturally altered to become the [[living metal]] that makes up all Transformers, but, for the most part, most continuities have established that new Transformers begin as a "[[protoform]]:" a humanoid mass of liquid metal that requires the infusion of a spark to become a full-fledged Transformer. A protoform quickly develops into a new Transformer after accepting a spark; though the specifics are rarely elaborated upon, this process is ''generally'' understood to be very fast, occurring in a matter of days, hours, or even minutes, depending on the continuity. In Transformer society at large, "protoform" is often used as a shorthand equivalency for childhood or infancy, and Transformers are frequently said to have been "forged" as a Cybertronian synonym for "born".

[[File:Your First Mistake - Army Building Seekers.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Other Transformers are manually assembled, like conventional machines, and subsequently given life through the infusion of a spark.]]
In other circumstances, a spark may bypass the protoform stage entirely, and is implanted into a pre-constructed Transformer body; after this infusion, the new Transformer simply springs to life. Still other continuities have established that Transformers are capable of "[[Reproduction#budding|budding]]", a {{w|mitosis}}-like process in which a Transformer sacrifices some of its own essence to create a new protoform.

The Transformers of the live-action movie series appear to be the exception to this rule; multiple Transformer characters have alluded to possessing fathers and mothers (the implications of these statements have never been explored), while in this continuity new Transformers begin as feral "[[hatchling]]s", who spend their early days nourishing themselves in egg sac-like "pods" of [[energon]]. Certainly this seems to point towards the Transformers having some kind of familial relationships, though how exactly these tie into that universe's overarching mythology of the AllSpark and the "[[Creator]]s" is something of a mystery.

===Early life===
: ''See also:[[:Category:Transformer education|Transformer education]]''

[[File:Shining armor 1 baby stardrive.jpg|thumb|right|200px|At five days old, [[Stardrive]] has already developed her "adult" appearance.]]
{{quote|But back then, I was just a '''kid'''. I had to learn to talk, and interact with people. By my '''fifth solar cycle''', I was... '''considerably bigger''' than [[Elonian|my classmates]].|[[Stardrive]]|[[Shining Armor issue 1|''Shining Armor'' #1]]}}

While [[human]] children might take years to master the various skills required of them in later life, Transformers are brought online as more-or-less independent lifeforms, their personalities ranging anywhere from early adolescence to full maturity. These new Cybertronians are essentially adults, capable of making decisions and fending for themselves without any kind of parental guidance. It is for this reason that most Transformers do not possess, or even have any concept, of parental units or familial bonds. The sole exception to this rule are [[twin]]s; akin to the splitting of a human zygote, twins are generally depicted as the product of a "split spark", granting them a unique, quasi-telepathic "sibling bond", and occasionally manifesting the power to [[combiner|combine]] with one another. Although many depictions of Transformer "childhood" tend towards the comedic and are thus of dubious veracity—for instance, [[Side Burn (RID)|Side Burn]] claimed that he had been a non-transforming tricycle in his youth—some more recent works of fiction have featured a more detailed look at the lives of young Transformers as they mature.

[[File:Autobot Cadets.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Institutions like [[Autobot boot camp]] build teamwork and co-operative skills between young Autobots.]]

The personality and traits of a Transformer also seem to be established rather quickly after coming online; this can occasionally lead to strange situations, where the deep-voiced, chivalric hero [[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]] is in fact ''younger'' than the excitable, childlike [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]]. Similar oddities occur across the franchise.

As a consequence of their unusual life cycle, most Transformers do not have much of a concept of "childhood" as humans know it, perhaps explaining why the Autobots are so prone to taking human children into harm's way. As a war story first and foremost, generally taking place long after the collapse of any functioning society, few continuities have explored how young Cybertronians are formally socialized and educated; indeed, most newborn Transformers are immediately thrust into the front lines to continue the war. Those scant references to early life ''do'' depict young Transformers learning life skills in a group setting, whether this is through ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron's]]'' [[primary programming]], or a more military-flavoured education such as ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Animated]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[Autobot boot camp]]. More specialized institutions, such as ''Animated''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[Cyber-Ninja Dojo]], [[2005 IDW continuity|IDW]]'s [[Ultirex Technoversity]], or [[Aligned continuity family]]'s [[Rescue Bot Training Center]] suggest that some Transformers may choose to focus on specific academic or military fields as part of their vocational path.
{{-}}

===Lifespan===
: ''See also: [[:Category:Elderly Transformers|Elderly Transformers]]''

[[File:AniRatchetPromoModel.jpg|thumb|right|200px|At more than four million years old, the elderly Transformer [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] is evidently in the later stages of his life.]]

{{quote|You can be glacially slow, because you live with an abundance of time. Yet you can be impetuous and careless, because error and consequence seem transitory. You expect to '''outlive''' them. When you imagine the far future, you imagine your individual selves in it. You '''know''' you will be there. And some of you think that gives you '''ownership''' over it.|[[Pra'tyne]]|"[[Escape Part One]]"}}

As mechanical beings, most Cybertronians are an incredibly long-lived, and even "young" Transformers may be older than any living thing on planet Earth. Though the specifics may vary, Transformers measure time in terms of millions of years and generally exist on a fundamentally different timescale than humanity—the precise age of Transformer civilization differs from one continuity to the next, from [[2005 IDW continuity|IDW]]'s twelve million years to ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Animated]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s claim of "over ten ''billion'' years"—but across all of these continuities it's made clear that Cybertronians are not bound to the fleeting lifespans of short-lived organic beings; their histories, empires, and wars playing out over a period of geological epochs.

A conservative estimate would put the average Transformer lifespan at four to seven million years, though some universes, most recently 2018's ''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (cartoon)|Cyberverse]]'' cartoon, has suggested that its cast of characters are more than 65 million years old, with the Autobots having landed on Earth during the end of the {{w|Late Cretaceous|Late Cretaceous}} era.

An individual Cybertronian might grow to a venerable age, outlasting entire civilizations in the process, but they are not truly immortal beings. Though one might assume that, as robotic lifeforms, a Cybertronian could simply replace worn-out parts indefinitely, it is clear that Cybertronians ''do'' age, many indeed become "elderly", (in some cases, this manifests as a variety of memory and mobility-related problems) and even die from age-related complications, such as [[cybercrosis]]. The precise nature of Transformer aging is not well-understood, though several continuities, such as the [[Transformers: Wings Universe|Wings Universe]] or the live-action film series, have linked the process to a prolonged period of fuel depletion. These sorts of "natural" deaths are very rare in the franchise; as ''Transformers'' is a war story first and foremost, it is far more common to have Transformer lives simply cut short for one reason or another.
{{-}}

===Death and the afterlife===
:''See also: [[Death]], [[Transformer afterlife]], [[Transformer funerary practices]], [[Zombie]]

[[File:Afterdeath-gameoverman.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A powerful enough explosion can fatally blow a Transformer apart.]]

{{quote|He lived a warrior... and died a hero. Let his spark join the Matrix, the greatest of Cybertron.|[[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] eulogizes [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]]|"[[Code of Hero]]"}}

Though long-lived, powerful, and able to quickly recover from even grievous injuries, Cybertronians are not invincible, and can be killed like any other lifeform, as has been demonstrated again and again by their endless wars. Exactly what it ''takes'' to bring down a Transformer varies from one continuity to the next—and, more cynically, as the needs of the plot demand—but for the most part the death of a Transformer is accompanied by the extinguishment of its spark.

Transformers can be killed through ways that are analogous to human causes of death: they can be shot, stabbed, blown to bits, or otherwise damaged by weapons to the point where their body can no longer function, their heads and torsos can be mutilated beyond repair by [[decapitation]] or simple blunt impact trauma, or their physical structures can be broken down by toxic compounds designed to damage their [[living metal]]. A Transformer can be "poisoned", sometimes lethally so, by ingesting the wrong kind of fuel, or they can simply "starve" to death if they are unable to refuel for long enough. Transformers may also die from uniquely robotic causes; long-term exposure to exotic forms of radiation may short out their circuitry, while exotic diseases like [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] or [[Scraplet]]s can destroy their mechanical bodies from within. In those universes where science and sorcery coexist, Cybertronians have also displayed a glaring vulnerability to [[magic]]. As a story of war, all of these fates and worse have befallen various Transformers across the multiverse.

[[File:GhostsofCybertron1-Starscream.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Starscream's mutated spark is somehow able to sustain his consciousness after death, surviving as an incorporeal [[ghost]].]]

Unlike humans, however, who may or may not profess a ''belief'' in an afterlife without any concrete evidence, the various [[Transformer afterlife|afterlives]] are generally regarded as real; when a Transformer's spark is extinguished, it merely returns to the metaphysical dimension alternately referred to as the "Allspark" or "Afterspark", supposedly connected to the entirety of the Transformer race across the multiverse, where it can commune with the other spirits of the departed.

Death does not necessarily mark the end for a Transformer, however. It is possible that a Transformer may return to life if the spark can be plucked from the afterlife and safely transferred into a new vessel. In other cases, the spark itself may choose to re-enter our physical world if the need is great and resume life as a mortal Transformer. A handful of Transformers, most infamously [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], have displayed the ability to survive the complete physical destruction of their body and continue existence as a spectral "[[ghost]]", displaying typically ghostly skills such as intangibility and the power to possess the bodies of other Transformers. Various sources have flagged this ability as a rare spark-based "mutation," and as such it is the exception, not the rule.

In still other instances, Transformers may be resurrected as [[zombie]]s; in most cases, these are dead Transformers whose physical shells have merely fallen under the control of another, and lack the sparks that characterize Cybertronians as truly "alive".
{{--}}

==Transformer culture==
[[File:WOTTF Emotion.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Transformers can exhibit any number of personality types, including [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|loving]] [[Elita One (G1)|couples]], [[Beachcomber (G1)|peaceful creatures]], [[Hot Shot (Armada)|impetuous adolescents]] and [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|omnicidal maniacs]].]]

Regardless of continuity, the most distinctive facet of Cybertronian society has been its near-continuous state of [[Cybertronian Civil Wars|planetary Civil War]] between the [[Autobot]]s and the [[Decepticon]]s. The conflict is mostly defined by what each faction believes is the "destiny" of the Transformers: the Autobots believe in a peaceful society where Cybertron is a place of culture and justice, while the Decepticons believe in a "might makes right" philosophy where Cybertron would be the center of a [[Decepticon Empire|mighty empire]]. The fact that the vast majority of what we know about Transformers has been shaped by this constant, corrosive warfare should not be overlooked.

===Society===
:''See also: [[Functionism]], [[Pax Cybertronia]], [[Cybertronian colonies]]

[[File:Bigredkhanna.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Cybertronian civilization bears many similarities to human societies on Earth.]]

{{quote|Everyone's Shape Serves A Purpose|A [[Functionism|Functionist]] slogan|"[[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It]]", "[[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc]]"}}

Individual depictions of life on both pre-war and post-war Cybertron have varied wildly from one continuity to the next, but most continuities have established that Transformers organized themselves into societies comparable to most modern human civilizations, with many of the same hallmarks: a written language, clear division of labour, an organized government, complex social hierarchies, and education systems designed to pass on knowledge and culture to newly forged Transforemrs. Individual career paths on Cybertron are largely analogous to many human jobs: [[Stockade (RID)|soldiers]], [[Arcee (Animated)|teachers]], [[Constructicon (G1)|construction workers]], [[Terminus (G1)|miners]], [[Circuit (G1)|journalists]], [[Megatron (SG)|professors]], [[Perceptor (G1)|scientists]], [[Maccadam|bartenders]], and [[Windsweeper|sanitation engineers]], to name a few. Other facets of society are similarly Earth-like, with [[Needlenose (G1)|fads and fashions]], [[Overload (RID)|theater]], [[Rippersnapper (SG)|film]], [[Mirage (G1)|aristocracy]], [[Empty|poverty]], and so on. Millions of years old, life on Cybertron is very much guided by ancient traditions and millennia-old schools of thought, and many Transformers regard their forebears with great reverence and respect—even if a cursory analysis of the history books reveals that those "ancestors" were not particularly upstanding individuals themselves.

Unlike humans, however, Cybertronians place great importance on the value of their shapeshifting abilities and [[alternate mode]]s, and have been known to divide themselves into social groupings based on this premise. Depending on the universe, those Transformers who share a similar alternate mode or profession—for instance, all Transformers who become aircraft, or those who work in Cybertron's various scientific fields—may be lumped together under a single, inflexible social group or caste. The rigidity of this system varies by continuity, but some universes have taken this concept to the extreme, such as the [[Aligned continuity family]]'s depiction of its caste system or IDW's [[Functionism]] as the defining trait of pre-war Cybertron. In many continuities, pre-war Cybertron has been depicted as something of a dystopia; whether this is due to energy shortages, an oppressive government, and simple cultural stagnation, these stories portray the planet and its culture as crumbling, highly stratified between "haves" and "have-nots," and overseen by a bloated and corrupt government in the final years before the rise of the Decepticons. Not ''all'' modern ''Transformers'' fiction adheres to this rule, however, such as IDW's [[Transformers (2019 comic)|2019 comic reboot]] and its decision to reimagine the planet as an enlightened, largely egalitarian utopia.

[[File:Planetmicro landscape.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Cybertronians have been known to colonize distant worlds, such as the planet [[Micro]].]]

The Transformers are a naturally expansionistic race, and their development has been punctuated by the periodic [[Cybertronian colonies|colonization]] of other planets throughout the universe. What this colonization entails depends on the intentions of the Cybertronians; Cybertronians may change their worlds to fit their needs through [[cyberforming]], strip-mining and rebuilding the planet into a miniature copy of Cybertron, while in other cases Cybertronians may adapt by changing ''themselves'', leaving the planet in a more-or-less natural state. Many universes have established that this period of colonization and expansion occurred in the distant past, with the various colonies cut off from Cybertron in the present day; in the interim, these isolated Transformer outposts may develop over time to become entirely new kinds of Transformer, with their own unique societies.

[[File:TheAutonomyLesson-spaceport.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Post-war Cybertronian society is marked by periods of turmoil and reconstruction.]]

Wartime Cybertronian society is portrayed as heavily polarized between Autobot and Decepticon. Neutrality is rare, and when [[neutral]]s do exist, they generally fare poorly, becoming victims of Decepticon abuse and destruction or being otherwise forced to flee the planet. Those rare universes where the Great War is allowed to come to an end feature reconciliation and reconstruction efforts aimed at rebuilding a wounded planet and otherwise move on from a dark era of death and destruction. But some Transformers are incapable of letting go of their grudges; armed pockets of resistance may hold out for years on backwater planets, while more clever individuals may gather like-minded dissidents to plot revenge from the shadows. Years after the ratification of an official armistice, even the most open-minded of Transformers may still continue clinging to old allegiances, with post-war society developing along strict factionalist lines.

Some Transformers refer to the ideal outcome of Cybertronian civilization as the "[[Pax Cybertronia]]", ushering in a prosperous future for the galaxy by bringing lasting peace to the Transformer homeworld and beyond.
{{-}}

===War===
:''See also: [[Cybertronian Civil Wars]], [[:Category:Wars|Wars]]

[[File:BattleForCybertron.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Most ''Transformers'' stories are set during the "[[Great War (G1)|Great War]]" between the [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s.]]

{{quote|'''Unity''' would give way to '''discord'''... '''civil war''' begat a '''Golden Age''' which begat a '''new''' civil war. "'''Why'''" is the question. Why...is Cybertron locked in this '''cycle'''?|[[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]]|"[[The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named]]"}}

The history of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] is the history of a planet wracked by brutal civil wars, interspersed with comparatively brief "[[Golden Age]]s" of peace and prosperity. Not unlike [[human]]ity, the process of war and reconciliation tends to be depressingly cyclical: the outcome of one war leads to a disaffected group of individuals who inevitably spark the next great war. Though the most famous war in the ''Transformers'' multiverse tends to be the so-called "Great War," between the (generally) heroic [[Autobot]]s and the (usually) villainous [[Decepticon]]s, many other equally destructive conflicts can and have occurred: the [[First Cybertronian Civil War]], the [[Machine Wars (event)|Machine Wars]], or the [[Grand Uprising]], have all pitted millions of Transformers against one another for control of Cybertron, and sometimes the entire galaxy.

The longevity and power of the Cybertronian race means that their wars tend to be brutal, drawn-out affairs, frequently lasting for millions of years and potentially stretching across dozens of planets—these may be [[Cybertronian colonies]], or "neutral" worlds populated by primitive organics. In many of these conflicts, Cybertron itself is rendered uninhabitable, forcing the war off-world. Cybertronians at war do not seem to follow any kind of rules of engagement analogous to humanity's {{w|Geneva Conventions}}; civilians, noncombatants, and wounded soldiers are considered to be viable targets, and the inhabitants of neutral planets may be exterminated, their homes [[cyberforming|cyberformed]], to expand the aegis of a potential [[Decepticon Empire]]. Wide-scale atrocities and ever-more elaborate weapons of war are common, and even many Autobot leaders across the multiverse have found themselves making morally questionable decisions in the name of victory.

The constant wars of the Cybertronian race have greatly stunted their potential development as a species; in [[Nexus 208.0 Epsilon|one of the few universes]] where Cybertron did ''not'' collapse into civil war, the Transformers of that universe gradually evolved into a [[Transcendent Technomorph|highly advanced breed of life]] and devised a system of cross-dimensional travel.
{{-}}

===Politics===
:''See also: [[Transformer government]], [[High Council (disambiguation)|High Council]], [[Prime (rank)]], [[Decepticon leader]]

[[File:Multiplicity Jetfire before High Council.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Many Transformer governments are oligarchic in nature, overseen by a "High Council" of appointed officials.]]

{{quote|Oh, ''great'' system, your "democracy"! No mechanism to break a tie!|[[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]]|"[[Chain of Command (BW)|Chain of Command]]"}}

Most Transformer governments are non-democratic in nature, overseen by one or more particularly wise or experienced individuals. This government may be oligarchic in nature, such as the various "[[High Council (disambiguation)|High Council]]s" present throughout the multiverse, monarchic, such as the ancient [[Overlord (rank)|Overlords]] of the [[Marvel Comics continuity]], or an outright dictatorship—benevolent or not. All of them seem to wield a great deal of power over both military and civilian institutions. During wartime situations, command over a faction generally falls to a single autocratic leader, occasionally known as the [[Supreme Commander]]. Though they may seek counsel and consent from their followers, ultimately wartime decisions are theirs and theirs alone to make. Very few continuities have ever depicted a free or open electoral process on pre-war Cybertron.

On the planetary level, Cybertron is generally organized into a series of autonomous [[Polities of Cybertron|city-state]]s with their own independent governments; some continuities have established that this present-day state of events is the result of the fracturing of larger empires during the earliest days of the Cybertronian race. Depending on the universe, these city-states may be represented by Senators, who meet to discuss international issues as part of the planetary governing body known as the [[Senate]].

Particularly noble or otherwise pious Transformers, such as the Autobots, may gravitate to leadership under a single powerful individual known as a [[Prime (rank)|Prime]], who serves as a head of state, spiritual leader, and commander-in-chief all in one. In most franchises, this Prime is leader of the Autobots, and their leadership is demonstrated by their ability to wield the Autobot [[Matrix of Leadership]] which is generally passed from one successor to the next. Several continuities have demonstrated that Autobot leaders ''can'' be removed by the [[Crisis Act]]—essentially a vote of no confidence—but this law is not universal. In the ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]'' continuity, the supreme commander of Autobot civilization is known as a [[Magnus (rank)|Magnus]], who answers to Cybertron's civilian and military guilds.

Those Transformers who rally under the flag of the Decepticons, however, bow only to the supremacy of the [[Decepticon leader|most powerful]] and normally have ''no'' mechanism for peaceful handover of power: power struggles within the faction have occasionally erupted in the form of a [[Decepticon Civil War]].

By the era of the Maximals and Predacons, the planet is dually ruled by both the [[Maximal Elder|Maximal Council of Elders]] and the [[Tripredacus Council]], each seeming to hold jurisdictions over their respective factions. Both appear to be composed of war veterans from the Great War, Autobot and Decepticon veterans who have retired from an active role in Cybertronian life in favour of guiding a new generation of Transformers. The episode "[[Chain of Command (BW)|Chain of Command]]" suggests that Maximal society is [[democracy|democratic]] in nature, though IDW's ''Beast Wars'' comic would namedrop the [[Maximal Imperium]] as the name of their government.

===Religion===
:''See also: [[Religion]], [[:Category:Gods|Gods]]''

[[File:TheSumAndItsParts-OptimusMatrix.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The devout inhabitants of [[Caminus (planet)|Caminus]] worshipped [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] as a living god.]]

{{quote|You gotta wonder: if God made man in his image, who made ''him''?|[[Robert Epps]] on [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]]|''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''}}

Across the multiverse, different ''Transformers'' stories have introduced a wide range of potential belief systems for the Cybertronian race—beliefs that have an alarming tendency of eventually being revealed as more-or-less true. Very rarely are Transformers or their society ''writ large'' depicted as atheistic; most Cybertronians seem to hold at least some religious beliefs, though the nature of thieir faiths are not always clearly outlined. Most Autobots (and even some Decepticons), for instance, view the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to be a divine artifact, a combination sacred talisman and symbol of office. Sacred texts such as the [[Covenant of Primus]] and various religious rituals are common enough to be considered largely unremarkable in Cybertronian society.

Just like humans, groups of Transformers may choose to worship various deities, or differing aspects of the same deity. In most series, worship of [[Primus]] is the most predominant of these faiths, though permutations of Primus-worship take many different shapes; the [[2005 IDW continuity]], for instance, conflated Primus with the benevolent pantheon of deities known as the [[Guiding Hand]]. In more recent continuities, Cybertronians have been known to worship the [[Thirteen]], treating them as infallible demigods, and some particularly pious individuals may choose to deify ''all'' those Transformers who hold the rank of [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] or carry the Matrix of Leadership.

[[File:WarWithin Escalation Bludgeons vision.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Some religious choices may have unintended consequences.]]

Other religions are more sinister in nature; ''particularly'' malevolent Cybertronians may choose to partake in illicit rites aimed at channeling arcane forces such as "[[dark science]]". Still others may choose to forsake Transformer society entirely by worshipping the dreaded [[Unicron]]. Among their number are the evil member of the Thirteen known as "[[The Fallen]]," and a number of different incarnations of [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], both of whom have pledged to actively spread chaos and disharmony across the universe in service of their new master.

A handful of Transformers have displayed the ability to manifest paranormal powers outside the scope of natural Cybertronian science; they may have gained these powers as part of a dark pact with arcane forces, or they may be the result of studying mystical disciplines, like [[magic]]. These rare Transformers may be able to weave illusions, cast spells, fire bolts of mystical energy, commune with or resurrect deceased Transformers, or even divine the future.
{{-}}

===Sciences===
[[File:Spacebridge (Cyberverse - Fractured).jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Space bridge]]s allow Transformers to instantaneously warp from one location to another, regardless of distance.]]
{{quote|This ship is literally out of this world! Even the [[Fantastic Four]]'s brilliant leader, [[Mister Fantastic|Reed Richards]], would feel like a kid at his first science fair in here!|[[Spider-Man]]|"[[Prisoner of War!]]"}}

As robotic beings who predate the earliest humans by millions of years, it should come as no surprise that Cybertronian technology far outstrips the sum total of humanity's scientific development. Exotic technologies that defy our conventional understanding of physics are treated as commonplace; Cybertronian starships, and even those Transformers who ''become'' starships, for instance, are capable of {{w|faster-than-light}} travel and able to traverse vast distances in a short period of time. [[Space bridge]] technology goes even further than that, allowing travelers to instantaneously warp billions of lightyears, completely bypassing the need for an interstellar voyage. Artificial intelligences of varying levels of sophistication coexist alongside their sentient creators, and exotic chemical compounds are commonplace in both military and civilian uses.

When it is portrayed at all, academia on Cybertron is very much akin to its Earthen counterparts; Transformers may choose to specialize in one or more scientific disciplines—physics, engineering, and biology being the most common. Perhaps as a result of their biological immortality, scientific progress seems to occur far more slowly for Cybertronians than it does for humanity; outside of minor innovations and development of weapons, Cybertron has been known to have technology largely stagnate for millions of years, whether within or outside of wartime. Indeed, [[Vector Prime]] has [[Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#CybertronianTech|noted]] that in [[The Transformers (cartoon)|certain universes]], technology developed more in the few decades following the Transformers' first contact with Earth than it did for millions of years beforehand, implying that humanity's [[Human Confederacy|own rapid development]] could act as a "catalyst" for the Transformers' advancements.

===Art===
: ''See also: [[Transformer music]], [[:Category:Artists|Artists]]''

[[File:Caged bulkhead.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Some Cybertronians have been known to study the artistic legacies of other species... though the results can be questionable.]]
{{quote|Destruction is the highest form of art.|[[Slog (G1)|Slog]]'s motto|[[Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' profile}}
The Transformers have been shown to have a very active [[Transformer music|musical tradition]]. The [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] itself has an archive of 11 million traditional Cybertronian songs. Many Transformers such as [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] have shown great interest in music, and [[Squawkbox]] is one prominent example of a Cybertronian musician.

Furthermore, sculpture seems to be one of the primary art forms of Cybertron, with many Transformers dedicated to it. One notable (and gruesome) school of sculpture, practiced by a startling number of Transformers involves making art out of the bodies of other Transformers. The [[Slogism]] movement is a part of this school.

Filmmaking is also practiced on Cybertron, though most examples seen are either [[Proteus's Promise|documentaries]] or [[The Birth of Cybertron|straight-up propaganda]]. Attempts by Cybertronians have also been made to produce films more inspired by the human art of cinema, but the results [[Dark Invasion|tend to]] [[Starscream: The Movie (film)|be lacking]].
{{-}}

===Linguistics===
: ''See also: [[Cybertronian language]], [[Cybertronix]], [[Cybertronian Standard]], [[Cyberglyphics]], [[Ancient Cybertronian]]''

[[File:ToWalkAmongTheChosen-Spanish.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] displays the ability to fluently speak Spanish while deployed in [[Mexico City]].]]

{{quote|You must realize that our actual "names" are communicated in an alien language wholly orthogonal to the human experience, and we often translate not just words but concepts. Since these are sometimes culturally dependent, our algorithms use sophisticated "best-fit" methodologies to ensure that even if a translation is not literal, it is resonant.|[[Vector Prime]]|[[Ask Vector Prime]]}}

Nothing if not adaptable, Cybertronians can quickly adapt to life on a new planet by instantaneously learning the local languages, allowing them to fluently and easily communicate with native lifeforms. The process by which this is done so is not always so clear-cut; the [[Transformers (film)|2007 film]] credited this skill to the Autobots' ability to access the [[Internet]], while [[Recipe for Disaster!|an issue]] of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel Comic]] suggested that it was a natural ability, albeit one that that required time to unscramble and synthesize the language for Cybertronians. Various Transformers have referred to their names as "code-names," suggesting that their names as humans understand them are not their ''real'' names, but merely translated to get a similar ''idea'' of their true name across.

[[File:Other voices text.jpg|thumb|left|200px|''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' introduced separate languages for both Maximals and Predacons.]]

It can be safely assumed that stories set exclusively on Cybertron or setting otherwise devoid of humans have "translated" dialogue for the benefits of us, the viewer, though the ''implication'' is certainly that these Cybertronians are "really" speaking in their native tongue. What, exactly, spoken Cybertronian language sounds like is something of a mystery; the live-action film series, at least, have established that the native tongue of those Transformers is a collection of garbled electronic noises, its pitch and speed depending on the size of the 'bot in question. Transformers who are unable, or unwilling, to speak may use nonverbal languages, such as [[chirolinguistics]] or [[Cybertronian Sign Language]].

Our knowledge of written languages is more concrete; over the years, a variety of Cybertronian calligraphies have surfaced, depending on era and faction—[[Maximal]]s use a different language than [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s, and both differ from the languages of [[Autobot]]s from [[Decepticon]]. Out of universe, these "written languages" tend to be rather simple 1-1 cyphers of the English alphabet, and as a result of this, many stories have taken the opportunity to sneak in various [[Easter egg]]s in the form of hidden messages, for the benefit of those ultra-geeky fans.
{{-}}

===Medicine===
{{See also|:Category:Medics|l1=Medics}}

[[File:TheBecoming-MegatronAndRatchet.jpg|thumb|right|275px|While Cybertronian medical procedures superficially resemble human ones, the techniques involved are more similar to vehicle maintenance.]]
{{quote|Miko, a T-cog is a ''biomechanism'', not a scrapyard find. If it were that easy, don't you think I would have replaced Bumblebee's voice box by now?|[[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]]|"[[Operation Bumblebee, Part 1]]"}}

Cybertronians are an adaptable and robust race, able to survive even grevious injuries, but seriously injured or ailing Transformers may turn to members of Cybertron's medical community for assistance. The robotic nature of their bodies means that a Cybertronian "doctor" is a combination mechanic, roboticist, and physician, who must be able to accurately assess and repair damage to their patient's mechanical form. Individual specializations exist, such as "[[blacksmith]]s"—essentially, a Cybertronian obstetrician—but most in-fiction Transformer medicine comes in the form of on-the-ground battlefield repairs, designed to get wounded soldiers back on their feet and into the fight as quickly as possible.

Different educational institutions on Cybertron have been known to offer courses in medicine, and the realities of war mean that their services are in generally high demand. Some particularly deranged medics may fall in with the [[Decepticon]]s or other unsavory sorts, developing [[Ratchet (SG)|exotic and oftentimes gruesome "treatments"]] to perform on both both friends and foes, or concocting exotic new [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|disease-based bioweapons]] designed to wreak havoc on their enemies.

Generally, Cybertronian physicians choose to transform into ambulances and other "first responder" vehicles, and even those who don't often sport red-and-white color schemes.
{{-}}

===Romance===
: ''See also: [[Transformer romance]], [[Conjunx Endura]], [[Kiss]]

[[File:TheGloaming-iloveyou.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] and [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] would popularize the term "[[Conjunx Endura]]" as the official term for a romantic union between Transformers.]]

{{quote|Nudge nudge, wink, wink - know what I mean?|[[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]]|"[[Fire on High!]]"}}

Although their means of propagation tend towards the asexual, the Transformer psyche is not dissimilar enough to a human's that they do not crave the same kinds of long-term social bonds that we do, and though the story of ''Transformers'' is primarily one of war, various continuities have established that Cybertronians are also capable of the same kind of romantic affection that humans regularly engage in. This behavior dates back to the earliest days of the franchise; though it was never ''explicitly'' spelled out, dialogue in [[The Transformers (cartoon)|the 1984 cartoon]] made it abundantly clear that [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]] held one another in high regard, with similar implications continuing through the [[The Transformers: The Movie|1986 animated film]] and its treatment of both the "swashbuckling hero" [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] and the distinctly feminine [[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]]. Some instances of romance are depicted as serious, while others are distinctly played for laughs, such as the Predacon [[Scylla]]'s emphatically one-sided crush on the Maximal [[Ikard]].

[[File:Pgalove.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Cybertronians may fall in love with [[human]]s or other organic lifeforms.]]

In rarer cases, Cybertronians may fall in love with [[human]]s or [[alien]]s (though their feelings may not always be reciprocated), while particularly clueless Cybertronians may develop an attraction to inanimate objects—see [[Side Burn (RID)|Side Burn]] and his inexplicable romantic attraction to red sports cars. Other Transformers may consider this behavior ''strange'', but there do not seem to be any explicit taboos against it either.

Though one would assume that—as basically sexless lifeforms—the average Transformer would not display any real kind of preference when it comes to the already vague concept of Transformer gender, most ''Transformers'' fiction has largely displayed Transformers in "straight" relationships, with "male" Cybertronians falling in love with "female" Cybertronians and vice versa. Only comparatively recently as this situation begun to change; in [[2012]], ''[[Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' made history by introducing [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] and [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]] as the first definitively identified same-sex couple, with many more following in their footsteps. ''More than Meets the Eye'' would dub individuals in this kind of relationship as "[[Conjunx Endura]]e," the first official name for the concept and the term that would become the standard terminology to describe romantically intertwined Transformers of any gender.
{{--}}

==Related species==
:''See also: [[Junkion (species)|Junkion]], [[Lithone (species)|Lithone]], [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticon]], [[Gorlamite]], [[Stentarian]], [[Go-Bot (species)|Go-Bot]]
[[File:TFTM-WreckGarsits.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The Junkions had the ability to transform into motorcycle forms, which others of their species could ride. In some continuities, they are alien creatures, while in others they are the descendents of stranded Cybertronian colonists.]]
What is a Transformer? Going over the criteria that we have laid out here, the question seems a simple one at first blush: an alien robot who can transform from one form to another. The truth behind the answer isn't quite as easy to define, however; the ''Transformers'' franchise has populated its fictional universe with a variety of other [[alien]] species who superficially resemble Transformers, most notably the eccentric [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]] and the ravenous [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticon]]s. In some instances, one could assume that these creatures are the process of a sort of {{w|convergent evolution}}, sharing a similar bodyplan despite originating on planets far from Cybertron.

Some more recent continuities, most notably the [[Aligned continuity family]], have established—apparently to preserve the "uniqueness" of the Cybertronian race—that these groups are actually the ''descendants'' of ancestral Cybertronians, who adapted both physically and culturally to survive on different worlds. This is not a hard-and-fast rule, however, and many modern continuities, such as the [[2005 IDW continuity|original IDW continuity]], have continued to treat these groups as entirely unrelated alien species.
{{--}}

==Notes==
===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Transformer''' (トランスフォーマー ''Toransufōmā'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Biànxíng Jīngāng''' (变形金刚, "Transforming Vajra")

==External links==
*{{i|Transformer}} at the IDW Hasbro Wiki
*[[wikia:memory-beta:Cybertronian|Cybertronian]] at Memory Beta, the non-canon ''Star Trek'' wiki

[[Category:Alternators]]
[[Category:Animated species]]
[[Category:Armada]]
[[Category:Beast Machines]]
[[Category:Beast Wars species]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising species]]
[[Category:Beast Wars II]]
[[Category:Beast Wars Neo]]
[[Category:Binaltech Asterisk]]
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Classics species]]
[[Category:Cybertron species]]
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[[Category:Zone]]

Infiltration issue 2

2022-02-21T14:15:44Z

JDspeeder1: /* Transformers references */

{{Comicstory
|series=infiltration|issueno=2
|prev=Infiltration issue 1
|next=Infiltration issue 3
|image=Infiltration_2b.jpg
|caption=Don't look up!
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[February 8]], [[2006]]
|coverdate=February 2006
|written by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[E. J. Su]]
|colors by=[[John Rauch]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|edits by=[[Chris Ryall]] & [[Dan Taylor (IDW)|Dan Taylor]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2006-7|2006-7]]
}}
'''On the run from the Decepticons, Ratchet and the humans find safety with the Autobots... or do they?'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Infiltration2-innow.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]
Confronted by [[Battlecharger|two menacing robots]] demanding that she turn over her stolen [[SM-40|palmtop computer]], [[Verity Carlo]] and her companions [[Hunter O'Nion]], and [[Jimmy Pink]] can only stand and gawk in horror at the spectacle. Their mysterious ambulance driver companion has other ideas, however: using [[holomatter|a holographic decoy]] of the computer, he feigns surrender... and then disappears in a blaze of electricity when the two robots reach for the prize. The trick stuns [[Runabout (G1)|one of the robots]], who topples into the garage wall, sending collapsing rubble everywhere. Just in time, their ambulance transforms into [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|a third giant robot]], who uses his massive body to shield the humans from the debris!

As [[Runamuck (G1)|the white robot]] draws a weapon, their robotic rescuer deploys an ink spray to blind his attacker; with his opponents on the backfoot, the ambulance decides to get out while the going's good and, ordering his passengers to get inside, reassumes his [[alternate mode]] to ferry the three [[human]]s to safety. As the ambulance peels out, heading for the interstate, Jimmy can't help but lament the destruction of his garage. In [[Arizona]], a police detachment finds the dead body of the [[Stoker|businessman]] who had previously possessed the computer. The corpse has no ID of any kind, confusing the officers. One member of the forensics team, however, surreptitiously places a call to a faraway boardroom to report the death—a boardroom adorned with [[Machination|a massive letter "M"]].

[[File:Infiltration2-symphonyofdestruction.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

The ambulance hightails it along the freeway, weaving in and out of the traffic as the three humans struggle to come to grips with the situation as the ambulance fills them in. His team had been tracking a coded [[Decepticon]] pulsewave, noting that a specific human, the former carrier of the palmtop, had been targeted by the Decepticons for elimination. But before their rescuer can tell them ''why'' he'd been selected, a massive sonic boom alerts them to the return of [[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|the blue jet fighter]]. The sonic boom causes a massive pileup, forcing the ambulance to swerve around one car after the next, and the chaos creates the perfect opening for the two sports cars, who identify themselves as [[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] and [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]], to catch up and deploy an arsenal of hidden weapons as they try to run the ambulance off the road. This is a bad sign, the humans learn: Decepticons ''never'' break cover, and this brazen aggression means that Verity's picked up something that they ''really'' need....

In [[Oregon]], [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] and [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] marvel at the [[Ore-13|ore]] that they have discovered. Starscream is eager to refine more—even if means breaking [[Infiltration protocol|protocol]], the Decepticon leader is confident that he'll have enough time to prepare a response.

Pursued by the two Decepticons, the ambulance manages to shake its pursuers by swerving hard into an oncoming tanker-trailer. While the medical vehicle manages to get out of the way in time, the two Battlechargers aren't so lucky. The ensuing collision sends both Decepticons flying off the highway to crash in a fiery conflagration. It's all too much for Verity, and as the ambulance rounds a cliff, she screams for it to stop so that she can get some air. Jimmy follows to try and calm her down, while Hunter tries to pry more details out of their rescuer, who finally introduces himself as [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]]. Before he can get any more information out of Ratchet, the jet comes back for another pass and fires a homing missile at the group.

[[File:Siege mode bunker.jpg|thumb|left|200px|It is an avatar of apocalyptic prose, the herald... of overwrought narration!]]

As everyone scrambles aboard, Ratchet deliberately waits until the last second to escape, pouring on a burst of speed to outrun the explosion as the homing missile impacts against the cliff. As they zoom through the desert with the jet on their tail, unexpected help arrives in the shape of three more automobiles — a [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|yellow sports car]], a [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|red minivan]], and a [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|police car]] — who deploy some concealed weapons of their own to blast the airborne Decepticon until he retreats.

Ratchet reveals to the grateful humans that they're his allies, who he'd covertly summoned while he was receiving maintenance in Jimmy's garage... but their jubilation is short lived when the three cars transform into more robots and draw their weapons. Their leader [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] lays into Ratchet for dereliction of duty and violating statutes of the [[Code of Interplanetary Conflict]]. Having glimpsed the photos on Verity's computer, Ratchet has finally realized why the Decepticons were so intent on recovering the device, and so he offers two words in his defense: "[[Infiltration protocol|siege mode]]"...

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (5)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] (12)
*[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] (13)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] (14)
|c2=
*[[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]] (1)
*[[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] (6)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]] (9)
*[[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] (10)
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (11)
|c3=
*[[Hunter O'Nion]] (2)
*[[Jimmy Pink]] (3)
*[[Verity Carlo]] (4)
*[[Stoker]]'s corpse (7)
*[[Abraham Dante]] (8)
}}

==Quotes==
"'''No disintegrator ray?!''' What kind of aliendeathwarmachine '''are''' you?"
: '''Verity'''

"You and me, we belong out here, on the '''edge.''' There's a '''word''' for our sort, some new-age, PC bit of psychobabble... oh yeah, that's it... '''freak!'''"
:- '''Jimmy''' tries to console '''Verity'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
[[File:Infiltration2-secretweapons.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Maybe this is where [[Miles Mayhem]] [[The Divine Source of Liberty|got the idea.]]]]
* In what might be called a [[Stealth Force|vision of things to come]], this issue and the one that precedes it establishes a new power for all Transformers: every Autobot and Decepticon features a suite of [[M.A.S.K.]]-style weaponry accessible while in their [[alternate mode]]s: Runabout and Runamuck possess recessed battering rams, Prowl sports machine guns behind his headlamps, and so on. This isn't an entirely new idea in the ''Transformers'' franchise — the Autobot [[Triggerbot]]s and Decepticon [[Triggercon]]s possessed similar gimmicks, for instance — but this is the first time that the power's been extended to every Cybertronian, regardless of subgroup affiliation. The concept nicely ties into the "cloak and dagger" themes of the early IDW universe, but this "power" will eventually be dropped with little fanfare as the universe changes writers.

===Transformers references===
* On page 12, Ratchet gets himself between two oncoming semitrucks — one black with a gray trailer, and the other red with a gray tanker trailer. It's not too much of a stretch to think someone was recalling [[Motormaster]] and [[Optimus Prime]].

===Other trivia===
*Ratchet mentions "chronoticks" as a method of timekeeping on page 1; it seems that this was an abortive attempt to establish an alternate method of Transformer timekeeping in the IDW continuity.
*The "Decepticomments" section featured mail answered by Chris Ryall and short ads for next month's issues: [[Infiltration issue 3|''Infiltration'' #3]], [[The Gathering issue 2|''The Gathering'' #2]], [[The Transformers: Generations|''Generations'' #1]], and the ''[[War and Peace]]'' reprint.

===Covers (7)===
<gallery>
File:Infiltration 2a.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover A''' - Everyone do "The Jerk"!
File:Infiltration 2b.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover B''' - Can I have a ride?
File:Infiltration 2c.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover C''' - Prowl, being his usual self.
File:Infiltration 2d.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover D''' - This will teach those meddling kids!
</gallery>
*'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover A:''' the Battlechargers, by [[E. J. Su]]. Half of the RI-B cover.
*'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover B:''' Thundercracker attacks Ratchet, by [[Guido Guidi]].
*'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover C:''' Prowl threatens Ratchet, by [[Andrew Wildman]].
*'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover D:''' Thundercracker attacks humans, by [[James Raiz]].
<gallery>
File:Infiltration 2ria.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover RI-A''' - Half a [[conehead]].
File:Infiltration 2rib.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover RI-B''' - Do "The Jerk" and kill the doc!
File:Infiltration 2ric.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover RI-C''' - If the G1 toy merged with the [[character model]].
</gallery>
*'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover RI-A:''' Starscream, by Guido Guidi.
*'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover RI-B:''' Battle wraparound cover, by E. J. Su. First part of a continuous image.
*'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover RI-C:''' Ratchet, by Guido Guidi (includes 4 mini-prints).

===Advertisements===
*''[[Transformers: Beast Wars 10th Anniversary|10th Anniversary Beast Wars]]'' toys
*[[Infiltration issue 3|''Infiltration'' #3]], including a 2-page B&W sketch preview
*3-page preview of ''[[Transformers, Beast Wars: The Gathering|The Gathering]]''
*''Angel'': "City Of" scriptbook
*''[[Transformers, Beast Wars: The Gathering|The Gathering]]'' (back cover)

===Reprints===
Other than [[The Transformers: Infiltration#Collections|reprints of the full series]]
* N/A

Infiltration issue 2

2022-02-21T14:06:59Z

JDspeeder1: /* Synopsis */

{{Comicstory
|series=infiltration|issueno=2
|prev=Infiltration issue 1
|next=Infiltration issue 3
|image=Infiltration_2b.jpg
|caption=Don't look up!
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[February 8]], [[2006]]
|coverdate=February 2006
|written by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[E. J. Su]]
|colors by=[[John Rauch]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|edits by=[[Chris Ryall]] & [[Dan Taylor (IDW)|Dan Taylor]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2006-7|2006-7]]
}}
'''On the run from the Decepticons, Ratchet and the humans find safety with the Autobots... or do they?'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Infiltration2-innow.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]
Confronted by [[Battlecharger|two menacing robots]] demanding that she turn over her stolen [[SM-40|palmtop computer]], [[Verity Carlo]] and her companions [[Hunter O'Nion]], and [[Jimmy Pink]] can only stand and gawk in horror at the spectacle. Their mysterious ambulance driver companion has other ideas, however: using [[holomatter|a holographic decoy]] of the computer, he feigns surrender... and then disappears in a blaze of electricity when the two robots reach for the prize. The trick stuns [[Runabout (G1)|one of the robots]], who topples into the garage wall, sending collapsing rubble everywhere. Just in time, their ambulance transforms into [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|a third giant robot]], who uses his massive body to shield the humans from the debris!

As [[Runamuck (G1)|the white robot]] draws a weapon, their robotic rescuer deploys an ink spray to blind his attacker; with his opponents on the backfoot, the ambulance decides to get out while the going's good and, ordering his passengers to get inside, reassumes his [[alternate mode]] to ferry the three [[human]]s to safety. As the ambulance peels out, heading for the interstate, Jimmy can't help but lament the destruction of his garage. In [[Arizona]], a police detachment finds the dead body of the [[Stoker|businessman]] who had previously possessed the computer. The corpse has no ID of any kind, confusing the officers. One member of the forensics team, however, surreptitiously places a call to a faraway boardroom to report the death—a boardroom adorned with [[Machination|a massive letter "M"]].

[[File:Infiltration2-symphonyofdestruction.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

The ambulance hightails it along the freeway, weaving in and out of the traffic as the three humans struggle to come to grips with the situation as the ambulance fills them in. His team had been tracking a coded [[Decepticon]] pulsewave, noting that a specific human, the former carrier of the palmtop, had been targeted by the Decepticons for elimination. But before their rescuer can tell them ''why'' he'd been selected, a massive sonic boom alerts them to the return of [[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|the blue jet fighter]]. The sonic boom causes a massive pileup, forcing the ambulance to swerve around one car after the next, and the chaos creates the perfect opening for the two sports cars, who identify themselves as [[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] and [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]], to catch up and deploy an arsenal of hidden weapons as they try to run the ambulance off the road. This is a bad sign, the humans learn: Decepticons ''never'' break cover, and this brazen aggression means that Verity's picked up something that they ''really'' need....

In [[Oregon]], [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] and [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] marvel at the [[Ore-13|ore]] that they have discovered. Starscream is eager to refine more—even if means breaking [[Infiltration protocol|protocol]], the Decepticon leader is confident that he'll have enough time to prepare a response.

Pursued by the two Decepticons, the ambulance manages to shake its pursuers by swerving hard into an oncoming tanker-trailer. While the medical vehicle manages to get out of the way in time, the two Battlechargers aren't so lucky. The ensuing collision sends both Decepticons flying off the highway to crash in a fiery conflagration. It's all too much for Verity, and as the ambulance rounds a cliff, she screams for it to stop so that she can get some air. Jimmy follows to try and calm her down, while Hunter tries to pry more details out of their rescuer, who finally introduces himself as [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]]. Before he can get any more information out of Ratchet, the jet comes back for another pass and fires a homing missile at the group.

[[File:Siege mode bunker.jpg|thumb|left|200px|It is an avatar of apocalyptic prose, the herald... of overwrought narration!]]

As everyone scrambles aboard, Ratchet deliberately waits until the last second to escape, pouring on a burst of speed to outrun the explosion as the homing missile impacts against the cliff. As they zoom through the desert with the jet on their tail, unexpected help arrives in the shape of three more automobiles — a [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|yellow sports car]], a [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|red minivan]], and a [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|police car]] — who deploy some concealed weapons of their own to blast the airborne Decepticon until he retreats.

Ratchet reveals to the grateful humans that they're his allies, who he'd covertly summoned while he was receiving maintenance in Jimmy's garage... but their jubilation is short lived when the three cars transform into more robots and draw their weapons. Their leader [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] lays into Ratchet for dereliction of duty and violating statutes of the [[Code of Interplanetary Conflict]]. Having glimpsed the photos on Verity's computer, Ratchet has finally realized why the Decepticons were so intent on recovering the device, and so he offers two words in his defense: "[[Infiltration protocol|siege mode]]"...

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (5)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] (12)
*[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] (13)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] (14)
|c2=
*[[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]] (1)
*[[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] (6)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]] (9)
*[[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] (10)
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (11)
|c3=
*[[Hunter O'Nion]] (2)
*[[Jimmy Pink]] (3)
*[[Verity Carlo]] (4)
*[[Stoker]]'s corpse (7)
*[[Abraham Dante]] (8)
}}

==Quotes==
"'''No disintegrator ray?!''' What kind of aliendeathwarmachine '''are''' you?"
: '''Verity'''

"You and me, we belong out here, on the '''edge.''' There's a '''word''' for our sort, some new-age, PC bit of psychobabble... oh yeah, that's it... '''freak!'''"
:- '''Jimmy''' tries to console '''Verity'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
[[File:Infiltration2-secretweapons.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Maybe this is where [[Miles Mayhem]] [[The Divine Source of Liberty|got the idea.]]]]
* In what might be called a [[Stealth Force|vision of things to come]], this issue and the one that precedes it establishes a new power for all Transformers: every Autobot and Decepticon features a suite of [[M.A.S.K.]]-style weaponry accessible while in their [[alternate mode]]s: Runabout and Runamuck possess recessed battering rams, Prowl sports machine guns behind his headlamps, and so on. This isn't an entirely new idea in the ''Transformers'' franchise — the Autobot [[Triggerbot]]s and Decepticon [[Triggercon]]s possessed similar gimmicks, for instance — but this is the first time that the power's been extended to every Cybertronian, regardless of subgroup affiliation. The concept nicely ties into the "cloak and dagger" themes of the early IDW universe, but this "power" will eventually be dropped with little fanfare as the universe changes writers.

===Transformers references===
* On page 12, Ratchet gets himself between two oncoming semitrucks — one black with a gray trailer, and the other red with a gray tanker trailer. It's not too much of a stretch to think someone was recalling Motormaster and Optimus Prime.

===Other trivia===
*Ratchet mentions "chronoticks" as a method of timekeeping on page 1; it seems that this was an abortive attempt to establish an alternate method of Transformer timekeeping in the IDW continuity.
*The "Decepticomments" section featured mail answered by Chris Ryall and short ads for next month's issues: [[Infiltration issue 3|''Infiltration'' #3]], [[The Gathering issue 2|''The Gathering'' #2]], [[The Transformers: Generations|''Generations'' #1]], and the ''[[War and Peace]]'' reprint.

===Covers (7)===
<gallery>
File:Infiltration 2a.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover A''' - Everyone do "The Jerk"!
File:Infiltration 2b.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover B''' - Can I have a ride?
File:Infiltration 2c.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover C''' - Prowl, being his usual self.
File:Infiltration 2d.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover D''' - This will teach those meddling kids!
</gallery>
*'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover A:''' the Battlechargers, by [[E. J. Su]]. Half of the RI-B cover.
*'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover B:''' Thundercracker attacks Ratchet, by [[Guido Guidi]].
*'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover C:''' Prowl threatens Ratchet, by [[Andrew Wildman]].
*'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover D:''' Thundercracker attacks humans, by [[James Raiz]].
<gallery>
File:Infiltration 2ria.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover RI-A''' - Half a [[conehead]].
File:Infiltration 2rib.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover RI-B''' - Do "The Jerk" and kill the doc!
File:Infiltration 2ric.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover RI-C''' - If the G1 toy merged with the [[character model]].
</gallery>
*'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover RI-A:''' Starscream, by Guido Guidi.
*'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover RI-B:''' Battle wraparound cover, by E. J. Su. First part of a continuous image.
*'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover RI-C:''' Ratchet, by Guido Guidi (includes 4 mini-prints).

===Advertisements===
*''[[Transformers: Beast Wars 10th Anniversary|10th Anniversary Beast Wars]]'' toys
*[[Infiltration issue 3|''Infiltration'' #3]], including a 2-page B&W sketch preview
*3-page preview of ''[[Transformers, Beast Wars: The Gathering|The Gathering]]''
*''Angel'': "City Of" scriptbook
*''[[Transformers, Beast Wars: The Gathering|The Gathering]]'' (back cover)

===Reprints===
Other than [[The Transformers: Infiltration#Collections|reprints of the full series]]
* N/A

Infiltration issue 2

2022-02-21T10:26:28Z

JDspeeder1: /* Synopsis */

{{Comicstory
|series=infiltration|issueno=2
|prev=Infiltration issue 1
|next=Infiltration issue 3
|image=Infiltration_2b.jpg
|caption=Don't look up!
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[February 8]], [[2006]]
|coverdate=February 2006
|written by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[E. J. Su]]
|colors by=[[John Rauch]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|edits by=[[Chris Ryall]] & [[Dan Taylor (IDW)|Dan Taylor]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2006-7|2006-7]]
}}
'''On the run from the Decepticons, Ratchet and the humans find safety with the Autobots... or do they?'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Infiltration2-innow.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]
Confronted by [[Battlecharger|two menacing robots]] demanding that she turn over her stolen [[SM-40|palmtop computer]], [[Verity Carlo]] and her companions [[Hunter O'Nion]], and [[Jimmy Pink]] can only stand and gawk in horror at the spectacle. Their mysterious ambulance driver companion has other ideas, however: using [[holomatter|a holographic decoy]] of the computer, he feigns surrender... and then disappears in a blaze of electricity when the two robots reach for the prize. The trick stuns [[Runabout (G1)|one of the robots]], who topples into the garage wall, sending collapsing rubble everywhere. Just in time, their ambulance transforms into [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|a third giant robot]], who uses his massive body to shield the humans from the debris!

As [[Runamuck (G1)|the white robot]] draws a weapon, their robotic rescuer deploys an ink spray to blind his attacker; with his opponents on the backfoot, the ambulance decides to get out while the going's good and, ordering his passengers to get inside, reassumes his [[alternate mode]] to ferry the three [[human]]s to safety. As the ambulance peels out, heading for the interstate, Jimmy can't help but lament the destruction of his garage. In [[Arizona]], a police detachment finds the dead body of the [[Stoker|businessman]] who had previously possessed the computer. The corpse has no ID of any kind, confusing the officers. One member of the forensics team, however, surreptitiously places a call to a faraway boardroom to report the death—a boardroom adorned with [[Machination|a massive letter "M"]].

[[File:Infiltration2-symphonyofdestruction.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

The ambulance hightails it along the freeway, weaving in and out of the traffic as the three humans struggle to come to grips with the situation as the ambulance fills them in. His team had been tracking a coded [[Decepticon]] pulsewave, noting that a specific human, the former carrier of the palmtop, had been targeted by the Decepticons for elimination. But before their rescuer can tell them ''why'' he'd been selected, a massive sonic boom alerts them to the return of [[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|the blue jet fighter]]. The sonic boom causes a massive pileup, forcing the ambulance to swerve around one car after the next, and the chaos creates the perfect opening for the two sports cars, who identify themselves as [[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] and [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]], to catch up and deploy an arsenal of hidden weapons as they try to run the ambulance off the road. This is a bad sign, the humans learn: Decepticons ''never'' break cover, and this brazen aggression means that Verity's picked up something that they ''really'' need....

In [[Oregon]], [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] and [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] marvel at the [[Ore-13|ore]] that they have discovered. Starscream is eager to refine more—even if means breaking [[Infiltration protocol|protocol]], the Decepticon leader is confident that he'll have enough time to prepare a response.

Pursued by the two Decepticons, the ambulance manages to shake its pursuers by swerving hard into an oncoming tanker-trailer. While the medical vehicle manages to get out of the way in time, the two Battlechargers aren't so lucky and don't get out of the way in time, and the ensuing collision send both Decepticons flying off the highway to crash in a fiery conflagration. It's all too much for Verity, and as the ambulance rounds a cliff she screams for it to stop so that she can get some air. Jimmy follows to try and calm her down, while Hunter tries to pry more details out of their rescuer, who finally introduces himself at "[[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]]. Before he can get any more information out of Ratchet, the jet comes back for another pass and fires a homing missile at the group.

[[File:Siege mode bunker.jpg|thumb|left|200px|It is an avatar of apocalyptic prose, the herald... of overwrought narration!]]

As everyone scrambles aboard, Ratchet deliberately waits until the last second to escape, pouring on a burst of speed to outrun the explosion as the homing missile impacts against the cliff. As they zoom through the desert with the jet on their tail, unexpected help arrives in the shape of three more automobiles—a [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|yellow sports car]], a [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|red minivan]], and a [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|police car]]—who deploy some concealed weapons of their own to blast the airborne Decepticon until he retreats.

Ratchet reveals to the grateful humans that they're his allies, who he'd covertly summoned while he was receiving maintenance in Jimmy's garage... but their jubilation is short lived when the three cars transform into more robots and draw their weapons. Their leader [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] lays into Ratchet for dereliction of duty and violating he statutes of the [[Code of Interplanetary Conflict]]. Having glimpsed the photos on Verity's computer, Ratchet has finally realized why the Decepticons were so intent on recovering the device, and so he offers two words in his defense: "[[Infiltration protocol|siege mode]]"...
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (5)
*[[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] (12)
*[[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] (13)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] (14)
|c2=
*[[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]] (1)
*[[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] (6)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]] (9)
*[[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] (10)
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (11)
|c3=
*[[Hunter O'Nion]] (2)
*[[Jimmy Pink]] (3)
*[[Verity Carlo]] (4)
*[[Stoker]]'s corpse (7)
*[[Abraham Dante]] (8)
}}

==Quotes==
"'''No disintegrator ray?!''' What kind of aliendeathwarmachine '''are''' you?"
: '''Verity'''

"You and me, we belong out here, on the '''edge.''' There's a '''word''' for our sort, some new-age, PC bit of psychobabble... oh yeah, that's it... '''freak!'''"
:- '''Jimmy''' tries to console '''Verity'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
[[File:Infiltration2-secretweapons.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Maybe this is where [[Miles Mayhem]] [[The Divine Source of Liberty|got the idea.]]]]
* In what might be called a [[Stealth Force|vision of things to come]], this issue and the one that precedes it establishes a new power for all Transformers: every Autobot and Decepticon features a suite of [[M.A.S.K.]]-style weaponry accessible while in their [[alternate mode]]s: Runabout and Runamuck possess recessed battering rams, Prowl sports machine guns behind his headlamps, and so on. This isn't an entirely new idea in the ''Transformers'' franchise — the Autobot [[Triggerbot]]s and Decepticon [[Triggercon]]s possessed similar gimmicks, for instance — but this is the first time that the power's been extended to every Cybertronian, regardless of subgroup affiliation. The concept nicely ties into the "cloak and dagger" themes of the early IDW universe, but this "power" will eventually be dropped with little fanfare as the universe changes writers.

===Transformers references===
* On page 12, Ratchet gets himself between two oncoming semitrucks — one black with a gray trailer, and the other red with a gray tanker trailer. It's not too much of a stretch to think someone was recalling Motormaster and Optimus Prime.

===Other trivia===
*Ratchet mentions "chronoticks" as a method of timekeeping on page 1; it seems that this was an abortive attempt to establish an alternate method of Transformer timekeeping in the IDW continuity.
*The "Decepticomments" section featured mail answered by Chris Ryall and short ads for next month's issues: [[Infiltration issue 3|''Infiltration'' #3]], [[The Gathering issue 2|''The Gathering'' #2]], [[The Transformers: Generations|''Generations'' #1]], and the ''[[War and Peace]]'' reprint.

===Covers (7)===
<gallery>
File:Infiltration 2a.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover A''' - Everyone do "The Jerk"!
File:Infiltration 2b.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover B''' - Can I have a ride?
File:Infiltration 2c.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover C''' - Prowl, being his usual self.
File:Infiltration 2d.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover D''' - This will teach those meddling kids!
</gallery>
*'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover A:''' the Battlechargers, by [[E. J. Su]]. Half of the RI-B cover.
*'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover B:''' Thundercracker attacks Ratchet, by [[Guido Guidi]].
*'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover C:''' Prowl threatens Ratchet, by [[Andrew Wildman]].
*'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover D:''' Thundercracker attacks humans, by [[James Raiz]].
<gallery>
File:Infiltration 2ria.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover RI-A''' - Half a [[conehead]].
File:Infiltration 2rib.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover RI-B''' - Do "The Jerk" and kill the doc!
File:Infiltration 2ric.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover RI-C''' - If the G1 toy merged with the [[character model]].
</gallery>
*'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover RI-A:''' Starscream, by Guido Guidi.
*'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover RI-B:''' Battle wraparound cover, by E. J. Su. First part of a continuous image.
*'''''Infiltration'' #2 cover RI-C:''' Ratchet, by Guido Guidi (includes 4 mini-prints).

===Advertisements===
*''[[Transformers: Beast Wars 10th Anniversary|10th Anniversary Beast Wars]]'' toys
*[[Infiltration issue 3|''Infiltration'' #3]], including a 2-page B&W sketch preview
*3-page preview of ''[[Transformers, Beast Wars: The Gathering|The Gathering]]''
*''Angel'': "City Of" scriptbook
*''[[Transformers, Beast Wars: The Gathering|The Gathering]]'' (back cover)

===Reprints===
Other than [[The Transformers: Infiltration#Collections|reprints of the full series]]
* N/A

Energon

2022-02-20T00:19:31Z

JDspeeder1: /* Conceptual history */

{{disambig3|Energon}}
{{featured}}
[[File:EnergonCubesCartoon1.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Taste the not-so-rainbow-but-shiny-pink]]
'''Energon''' (sometimes spelled with a capital letter, sometimes not<ref>Original Sunbow documentation from the production of the Generation 1 cartoon series (as seen on the [[Metrodome]] DVD collections, among other places) alternates between spelling the fuel's name with an upper- and a lower-case "e", with the lower-case option appearing more frequently—a standard reflected in other contemporary media such as the [[Action Cards]], and even publications as recent as the [[Transformers Timelines (fiction)|''Timelines'' stories]] written by [[Greg Sepelak]] and [[Trent Troop]]. Only in recent years, beginning in force around the time of the ''[[Transformers: Energon (franchise)|Energon]]'' franchise, has the upper-case "Energon" become more pervasive, with perhaps the earliest example being its intermittent use in ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' [[instructions]] sheets (in reference to the line's [[rubsign]]s, which would alternately be called "Energon Chips", "Energon chips" and "energon chips"). Most recently, the novel ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]'' and the ''Timelines'' stories by [[Jesse Wittenrich]] have used the capital-E spelling. This article opts to use the original lower-case as the default, using the upper-case for continuities where it has been explicitly spelled that way.</ref>) is the preferred fuel of the [[Transformer]] race. It takes many forms, including ore, crystal, gas, and raw energy, but it is most commonly used by Transformers in its liquid state, which is stored in many different mediums, most famously the [[energon cube]]. It is ubiquitous in [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertronian]] culture; in addition to being the Transformers' primary "foodstuff", it also serves as the default power source for their machines and weapons, and is even used as a currency, a catch-all fuel of life, technology, war and commerce on Cybertron and beyond. This widespread use also comes in defiance of its extreme volatility: energon is prone to detonating explosively if mishandled, and is even used as ammunition in order to exploit this attribute.

True energon is an emanation of [[Primus]], the creator-god of the Transformers, and is, in its most [[Rarified Energon|rarefied state]], the basic building block of Transformers' [[living metal|bodies]] and [[spark]]s. A highly coveted substance, it is sometimes capable of inducing remarkable transformations in Cybertronians, [[spontaneous recoloration|reshaping and otherwise altering]] their bodies while imbuing great strength and other powers, either temporary or permanent depending on the duration or strength of exposure. True energon is, however, extremely rare: in most [[universal stream]]s, the Transformers' long [[Cybertronian Civil Wars|war]] has left Cybertron drained of all but the smallest fraction of the substance, and although it ''has'' been known to exist on a small sampling of other planets throughout the multiverse (usually [[Earth]]), its paucity leaves the Transformers usually subsisting on artificially-generated substitutes created from other local energy sources.

{{bigquote|They're all after this stuff called Energon, which is kinda like food and gas and blood and electricity all mixed into one.|[[Raf Esquivel]]|[[Raf's Notes]]}}

==Conceptual history==
Energon has undergone extensive redefinition and reimagination over the past 30+ years of Transformers fiction.

[[File:Energon cube design evolution.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|Layered, iridescent cubes alternated their screentime with non-layered ones before being supplanted entirely by purple ones.]]
[[File:Raw energon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|The raw form of natural energon has taken several different forms in different continuities, including crystals and ore.]]

[[Energon cube]]s were introduced in the [[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1|first episode]] of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon series]] as a kind of fuel storage medium used by the [[Decepticon]]s, which converted any energy source placed within them into a concentrated liquid form. As of "[[The Ultimate Doom, Part 3]]," the show then began using the term "energon" to refer to the liquid energy itself. The cubes were initially depicted as being stacked high and filled with the energy in question, then compressed, taking on a layered appearance and an iridescent rainbow coloration, but even within the original mini-series, they also appeared as solid cubes without the layered effect. Immediately following the mini-series, in "[[Transport to Oblivion (episode)|Transport to Oblivion]]", the stacking-and-compressing idea was omitted, and the cubes were instead colored a solid glowing purple-pink. This was the only time the cubes were depicted this way in season one; otherwise, they remained rainbow-hued and alternated between layered and non-layered for the remainder of the season and the early portion of season two, until the purple-pink cubes reappeared in "[[Atlantis, Arise!]]", and became the standard depiction of energon for the remainder of the cartoon, and the default coloration for energon in much future media.

Energon was, at first, treated as an invention of the Decepticons, which only they used; [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] had never heard of it in the pilot episode, while "[[Attack of the Autobots (episode)|Attack of the Autobots]]" presented the Autobots as using [[recharging chamber]]s to re-energize, and "[[Traitor (episode)|Traitor]]" included a scene of [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] puzzling over where [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] would have acquired energon cubes from. Towards the end of the second season, however, this idea was abandoned; energon was shown to be in use by the Autobots (with flashbacks even showing it in use on Cybertron millions of years ago), and also by alien species elsewhere in the galaxy, and the idea that it was, or had ''ever'' been, a Decepticon invention was retconned away and forgotten.

The [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Generation 1 comic]] treated energon much like the cartoon did, depicting it as cubes produced by the processing of other energy sources, used by both Autobots and Decepticons. The first piece of fiction to re-examine energon was, surprisingly, the 1987 comic ''[[Transformers in 3-D]]'' by [[Blackthorne Publishing]]. The first issue of the series, "[[The Test (issue)|The Test]]", was the first story to explicitly present energon as something other than an artificially-generated fuel, establishing that it also existed as a unique natural element. Through pleasant coincidence, the idea of natural energon returned and gained widespread acknowledgement in the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' cartoon in 1996, where it was depicted as a highly unstable, naturally-occurring [[energon crystal|crystalline mineral]] that emitted dangerous radiation.

Japanese ''Beast Wars'' spin-off shows ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars II]]'', ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (cartoon)|Beast Wars Neo]]'', and ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)|Car Robots]]'' depicted energon as possessing more strange and fantastical powers, able to power up Transformers into new forms. These abilities were also seen in ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Transformers: Energon]]'', which was the first series to depict energon as the creation of [[Primus]], and presented it as not just as a fuel, but as the mystical source of life itself, its energy able to bring life to stars and planets. This idea would in turn be reflected in the 2007 [[Transformers (film)|live-action movie]], in which the planet Cybertron and the Transformer race had both been created through the power of the [[AllSpark]]. Though the energy of the AllSpark was not explicitly called energon in the film itself, the film's [[Transformers The Game|video game adaptation]] identified it as such; after all, the relic had been called "The Energon Cube" during the development of the film! The same year, the [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club (magazine)|Hasbro Transformers Collectors Club]] magazine story "[[Crossing Over]]" introduced [[Rarified Energon]], revealing that it is actually the base substance from which Transformers were ''created'' at the molecular level.

All these scattered ideas were united and reiterated in the [[Aligned continuity family]], most notably in ''[[Transformers: Exodus|Exodus]]'', cementing the current modern understanding of energon as summarized in the lede of this article. Now, for specifics on energon in all of this various fiction, read on.

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 continuity family===
====Generation 1 cartoon continuity====
:''For further information, see: [[Energon cube]], [[energon-axe]], [[energon mace]], [[energon chain]]s, [[Energon Transfer Machine]], [[energon convertor]], [[energon pump]], [[energon bar]], [[energon goodie]], [[energon infuser]]''
=====''The Transformers'' cartoon=====
[[File:Mtmte1 prepare the energon cubes.jpg|left|225px|thumb|Soundwave tests out a 'tapedeck enhancement' pill. Ahem.]]
The history of energon in this universe is confusing at best. It appears to have been in use on Cybertron in the distant past: the inhabitants of the colony world of [[Paradron]] were aware of it in the year 2006, despite fleeing Cybertron during [[Cybertronian Civil Wars|civil wars]] millions of years beforehand, {{storylink|Fight or Flee (episode)|Fight or Flee}} and nine million years ago, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Orion Pax]] and his [[Autobot]] dockworker companions were seen loading and transporting what very much appeared to be energon cubes as part of their daily routine. {{storylink|War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn}} These accounts, then, seem to stand in complete contradiction to the Autobots subsequent apparent ignorance and disuse of the fuel during their early years on Earth and the Decepticons' monopolization of it—but this would not be only time that Transformers were shown to have poor memories of their personal histories.<ref>Optimus Prime and [[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]] completely forgot that Alpha Trion was their creator, for instance.</ref>

Over 1984 and 1985, energon cubes were solely seen being used by the Decepticons. The cubes were a self-sustaining forcefield framework with no internal mechanisms, which was capable of converting virtually any form of energy that entered it into liquid energon. The empty cubes initially had to be generated by [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]], {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}} but other Decepticons eventually gained the ability to manifest them. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1}} The Autobots' lack of knowledge about energon was displayed almost immediately after Transformers awoke on [[Earth]] in 1984; upon learning of Megatron's plan to convert Earthly resources into the fuel, Hound could only report back to [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] that the villains were intending to create "some kind of cube". {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}} Indeed, even [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] showed a lack of familiarity with the cubes, driven as he was to test them so he could make sure they worked. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 2}}

[[File:TransporttoOblivion fillingcubes.jpg|225px|thumb|Filling up the tanks... err... I mean cubes...]]
The Decepticons created energon from a massive amount of varied resources during their time on earth, ranging from conventional electricity, oil and geothermal to more esoteric, extra-dimensional sources like [[antimatter]]. The exact nature of the conversion process was never detailed, but usually simply involved taking an empty energon cube and attaching it to, or placing it next to, the energy source to be drained. The cube itself then carried out the conversion, processing the energy into liquid energon that filled the cube. Sometimes, the process required an [[Energon Transfer Machine]]. {{storylink|Quest for Survival}} Energon was occasionally influenced by the source materials used to create it, sometimes taking on its properties: Cubes created with anti-matter, for instance, reacted violently due to prolonged exposure to normal matter {{storylink|Roll for It}} while the especially pure oil of [[Socialist Democratic Federated Republic of Carbombya|Carbombya]] yielded a particularly potent "super-energon" that "smelled" different (according to [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]]) and created an instantly perceptible increase in vigor and strength in those who consumed it. {{storylink|Thief in the Night}} In addition to powering them personally, the Decepticons occasionally used energon for even more nefarious means; Megatron's arsenal included an [[energon mace]], {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 2}} and the Decepticons once forged [[energon chain]]s to bind the Autobots with. {{storylink|S.O.S. Dinobots}}

[[File:Gamblersmokescreenbets.jpg|left|thumb|225px|"Wait a minute." "What?" "Well, we're supposed to haggle."]]

Energon was first seen being used as a currency in the form of chips—by non-Cybertronians, no less—in the den of iniquity known as [[Sheol]], on the asteroid of [[Monacus]], where the Decepticons were running a protection racket, forcing local crime boss [[Gyconi|Lord Gyconi]] to pay them a cut of his profits. This dank place was also home to the first documented instance of Autobots running on energon, when Gyconi powered up a group of Autobots he had captured with an unstable brew that quickly depleted and left them defenseless during pit fights. {{storylink|The Gambler}}

Other than this forced instance, the Autobots refrained from using energon during their first year on Earth: [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] was heard to balk at the notion of Mirage having energon cubes, {{storylink|Traitor (episode)|Traitor}} while the Autobots used [[recharging chamber]]s to re-energize themselves, rather than drinking energon. {{storylink|Attack of the Autobots (episode)|Attack of the Autobots}} Evidently, however, they began experimenting and using energon some time in 1985; when describing his physiology to the [[Tlalakan]] [[Alana]], [[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]] noted that he had an [[energon pump]] inside him, {{storylink|Sea Change}} and when they captured the Stunticons, the Autobots used [[energon bar]]s to imprison them. {{storylink|Masquerade}} By the year 2005, they had fully embraced energon as their own fuel, and began creating and storing it at Autobot City on Earth, using it to power their attempt to retake Cybertron after the planet fell entirely into Decepticon hands. The Autobots followed the Decepticons' lead in their use of energon cubes, but also created the bite-sized "[[energon goodie]]". {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}} By 2006, use of energon had become widespread enough in the galaxy that it was on the menu at a neutral alien space station visited by [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] and [[Octane]], although their energon was served in the unique form of small orange wedges. {{storylink|Starscream's Ghost}}

[[File:Microbots overenergizing.jpg|thumb|275px|"''Red solo cup....I fill you up.....Let's have a partyyyyyyyyyy....''"]]

Liquid energon is measured in [[astroliter]]s. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 3}} Transformers consume energon in the same manner as [[human]]s eat or drink: by simply putting it in their open mouths. The liquid can be drunk from a whole cube, leaving the empty framework behind, {{storylink|Microbots}} but the framework itself is obviously safe to "eat" as well, as Transformers have also been seen biting into cubes, breaking pieces off to chew on, and in the case of particularly large individuals, eating them whole. {{storylink|Thief in the Night}}. Notably, breaking a chunk off a cube does not damage the structural integrity of either the cube or the removed piece; evidently, the forcefield resolves itself around the broken area to prevent spillage of the precious contents. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3}} Once consumed, energon is passed through an [[energon convertor]] within the Transformer's systems. {{storylink|Quest for Survival}} Excessive consumption of energon results in "over-energizing", a state of inebriation accompanied by all the singing, burbling and reminiscing that you might expect. {{storylink|Microbots}} In emergency cases, a shot of energon can be injected directly into a Transformer's system with an [[energon infuser]]. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}}

{{note|Later media has classified the energy axe Optimus Prime wields in "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 2]]" as an "[[energon-axe]]", but this is something of a misnomer as far as cartoon continuity goes, as the only time he was seen to use the axe in this continuity was when the Autobots were not supposedly ''using'' energon.}}
{{--}}

=====Japanese cartoon continuity=====
:''For further information, see: [[energon wine]], [[Energon Z]], [[joint energon]]''
[[File:Sixshot energon.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|When Sixshot is on the road, he carries his liquid energon in a Transformers lunchbox.]]
By the year 2011, Earth had also embraced the potential that energon held to solve its own energy crisis. Earth's ambassador to Cybertron, [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]], worked closely with the Autobots and teams of human scientists to develop new sources of energon, which was closely stockpiled, guarded, and rationed between Cybertron, Earth and the Autobots' secondary headquarters on the planet [[Athenia]]. [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] had little tolerance for [[energon wine]], over-energizing after a single glass, {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} while Spike viewed the energon as so important that when the energy-starved planet [[Sandra (planet)|Sandra]] sent a request for aid, he had to crunch the numbers to see if it was viable to share any! {{storylink|SOS from Planet Sandra}}

The Decepticons also continued energon production, spreading their reach to more and more planets, raiding the worlds of [[Hive (planet)|Hive]], {{storylink|Fight to the Death on Planet Hive!!}} [[Twin Star]], {{storylink|Battle for Defense of the False Planet}} [[Daros]], {{storylink|Find MegaZarak's Weak Spot!!}} [[Paradise]] {{storylink|Head Formation of Friendship}} and the [[Pirate Planet]] {{storylink|Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship}} as part of a master plan by [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] to accumulate a huge quantity of the fuel, which he would then use to help him integrate the very Earth into his body. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}}

[[File:EnergonZ.jpg|thumb|I love... lava lamp.]]
Galvatron's rival for leadership, [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], did not place nearly as much significance on energon, instead experimenting with the deadly [[plasma energy]] to achieve his goals. He still drank it, though, and being an evil mastermind, he did enjoy swishing it around in a snifter, because he was classy like that. {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]] also enjoyed taking his energon in a glass, and was less prone to crushing them in fits of melodramatic rage than Scorponok was. {{storylink|Terror! The Six Shadows}} Some time before 2021, the Autobots developed a form of energon known as [[joint energon]], which could be used to turn Transformers into [[combiner]]s. {{storylink|Megatronia Chapter}}

Energon fell out of focus after Scorponok's Decepticons were forced off Earth; the forces of [[Devil Z]] who terrorized the planet a few years later were not interested in gathering energy, {{storylink|Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (franchise)|Super-God Masterforce}} while [[Deathsaurus (G1)|Deathsaurus]]'s campaign against Earth in 2025 targeted a wide array of different energy types, not bothering with the energon conversion process. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (franchise)|Victory}} The Autobots did continue to experiment with the fuel on the planet [[Micro]], however, and developed an even more potent version known as "[[Energon Z]]", which became a target for [[Violengiguar]] and his [[Nine Great Demon Generals]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Zone (franchise)|Zone}}

=====''Wings Universe''=====
Aiming for a big score, [[Cannonball (G1)|Cannonball]] the 5th's [[Star Seeker]]s [[time travel]]led to [[2984]] and seized [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]'s severed head to try and drain the now peaceful Cybertron of its energon. Though they weren't exactly the sharpest tools in the shed, their plan might have succeeded had the recent [[Great Transformation]] meant that the now [[technorganic]] planet no longer ran on pure energon. {{storylink|Hoist the Flag}}
{{-}}

====Marvel Comics continuity====
:''For further information, see: [[Transformer fuel]], [[Energon Stick]]''
[[File:Energoncubesrockandrollout.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb]]
[[File:FinalBattle-energonsticks.jpg|upright=0.9|thumb|Stick, cube, whatever!]]
Although energon was not mentioned by name until the Transformers had been on Earth for a while, it ''was'' quickly established that Earthly fuels were incompatible with Cybertronian systems and needed to undergo ''some'' kind of conversion process before they were consumable. {{storylink|Power Play!}} This [[Transformer fuel]] was the subject of several struggles between the Autobots and Decepticons, and was also shown to be intrinsic to several important cultural ceremonies like the [[Rite of Oneness]] and the [[Rite of the Autobrand]]. {{storylink|Warrior School!}} {{storylink|Rock and Roll-Out!}}

Energon made its first named appearance with the debut of a [[power siphon]] invented by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], which was capable of converting multiple energy sources into energon cubes. After testing it out on oil from a captured [[Blackrock Enterprises]] offshore [[oil-drilling platform]], the villains then took it to a [[Brick Springstern]] concert and used it to make cubes from the raucous sonic energy of the singer's performance. {{storylink|Rock and Roll-Out!}}

The Autobots also went on to make smart use of energon: [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] invented a [[Geothermal Generator]] to transform the [[Earth]]'s underground heat into energon cubes, successfully producing so many that the Autobots were able to power the entire [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] and get the ship airborne again. {{storylink|Used Autobots}} They were also seen using a [[:File:Marvel52 concentratedenergoncubes.jpg|concentrated form of energon]], green in color and much smaller and less-explosive than normal cubes, which was employed as currency when dealing with alien races. {{storylink|Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner?}}

[[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] complained to himself about an energon shortage on Earth and planned to use [[Dynamo|Hector Dialonzo]] as some kind of super-[[Powermaster]]. {{storylink|The Human Factor!}}

In an alternate future timeline, when the Autobots were stranded on the [[Junkion (planet)|Planet of Junk]], [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] tried making peace with the native [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]] using the [[universal greeting]] and the offering of [[Energon Stick|energon sticks]]. Junkion leader [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] was most enthralled by the "tasty sticks". {{storylink|The Final Battle!}}

{{note|Energon sticks were called for by the script of ''The Transformers: The Movie'', but were replaced in the finished film by energon goodies. The sticks appear in the comic book adaptation of the film (albeit ''called'' "energon cubes", even though they are not drawn as such), as well as other works based on the script like the [[Sticker Adventures]] book, ''[[Battle on the Junk Planet]]''.}}

In a different alternate future, [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] conquered the western hemisphere of Earth and planned on allowing the [[European Crisis Coalition]] to [[Nuclear weapon|nuke]] [[North America|North]] and [[South America]] to smithereens. He would have hid behind the shield generated at the East Coast [[Decepticon Powerbase]] while various powerbases converted the resulting radiation into energon. It didn't work out that way. {{storylink|Rhythms of Darkness!}}

====''Transformers in 3D''====
[[File:Energon molecule.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|Energon is alien poop? We guess Primus works in mysterious ways...]]
This universe is home to the first documented appearance of the true element of energon. The conversion process for transforming the element into a consumable form involves combining it with various other molecules, resulting in what is termed "pure energon". While not discussed explicitly, this would imply the existence of an "impure" energon that can be manufactured without use of the element.

True energon was evidently rare enough that its discovery was cause for immediate action, as evidenced when both the Autobots and Decepticons mobilized with haste to investigate a potential source of it on a barren asteroid far from Cybertron. Puzzlingly, their quest led to some [[Observer|small, organic alien creatures]], and each faction took one back to their base for study. It was [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]], studying the creatures' biological processes, who realized that their ''excrement'' was true energon! Before anything could be done with this information, however, a battle broke out between the two factions, and the two aliens wandered off, revealed to actually be supremely intelligent lifeforms who had been employed to spy on the Transformers by the [[Quintesson]]s! {{storylink|The Test (issue)|The Test}}{{-}}

====European toy bio continuity====
[[File:Energonfigures.jpg|thumb]]

{{see|Energon figure}}

The many deadly functions of the dimension-traversing [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]]'s body were controlled by "[[Energon figure]]s", small humanoid forms that could transform into engines and connect to his body. To stop this monolithic horror, the Autobots stole and duplicated the technology, providing the trio known as the [[Motorvator]]s with Energon Figures that gave them new powers: [[Flame (Motorvator)|Flame]]'s Energon Figure had an analytical compu-unit that gave him enhanced problem solving abilities, [[Gripper (G1)|Gripper]]'s provided the dual functions of wide-sweep radar and sonic scanner, while [[Lightspeed (Motorvator)|Lightspeed]]'s was equipped with micro lens photo-record equipment.<ref>Overlord, Gripper, Flame, and Lightspeed's [[bio]]s and packaging blurbs.</ref>

====Beast Era====
=====''Beast Wars'' cartoon=====
:''For further information, see: [[Energon crystal]], [[energon radiation]], [[energon discharge virus]], [[energon storm]], [[energon armor]], [[furmanite|anti-energon]]''
[[File:PowerSurge energon crystals.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]
Following the information on the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]] to prehistoric Earth, the teams of [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] under the command of [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] and [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] discovered the planet to be teeming with natural crystalline energon. In fact, the element was in such abundance that it had blanketed the planet with an all-encompassing field of [[energon radiation]], which threatened to overload the Transformers' unprotected bodies and send them into [[stasis lock]]. As the organic creatures of the planet were unaffected by the radiation, the Maximals and Predacons adopted [[beast mode]]s with organic skins in order to shield themselves from its harmful effects, able only to transform into [[robot mode]] outside of their shielded headquarters for comparatively short periods of time before the energon build-up in their systems became dangerous. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 1)}} Manipulation of the crystals was a particularly challenging task, given their explosive instability; among the Predacons, only [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] had the skill to carve them up safely. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 2)}} If a significant mass of crystals exploded, the radiation could interact with the local atmosphere and induce an [[energon storm]] that would see energon lance from the sky as lightning. {{storylink|Bad Spark}} While it was experimented with, used to power various machines and even weaponized on occasion, neither the Maximals nor the Predacons were ever seen actually ''consuming'' any energon during their [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]] on Earth, but it certainly did run through their bodies, as demonstrated rather violently when [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] was infected with an [[energon discharge virus]] that left him sneezing and...''otherwise'' shooting energon out of his body. {{storylink|The Low Road}}
[[File:TangledWeb energon cubes.jpg|thumb|225px]]
By all accounts, the existence of natural energon on a planet other than Cybertron was not uncommon in this universe, but it was eventually revealed that the energon was not there naturally: Earth had been ''seeded'' with the crystals by the mysterious aliens known as the [[Vok]].<ref>''Beast Wars'' writer [[Larry DiTillio]] envisioned the Vok as placing the energon on Earth for future generations of humanity to find and use as a clean energy source.</ref> Viewing the intrusion of the Transformers onto the planet as a disruption to enigmatic experiments they were conducting on Earth, the Vok attempted to "sterilize" their work-surface by activating their orbital [[Planet Buster]] weapon, and blasting the planet with its energy beam. {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 2}} This beam caused most of the planet's energon crystals to explode before it was destroyed by Optimus Primal, but a not-insubstantial portion of them remained, some of which were transformed into a more stable form referred to as "energon cubes". {{storylink|Coming of the Fuzors (Part 2)}} These rarely-seen "natural" cubes are different to the artificial energon cubes seen in other universes; they remain composed of crystal, but are much safer to handle and to generally be around, unless they are cracked, at which point the radiation locked within them will be violently released. {{storylink|Tangled Web}}
{{-}}

=====Japanese cartoon continuity=====
{{see|Energon Matrix}}
[[File:PrimalLeadershipMatrix1.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1]]
At some point over the three centuries that followed the end of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], a new energon-powered device was created: the [[Energon Matrix]]. Sculpted in the likeness of the legendary [[Matrix of Leadership]], these objects of power were given to [[Convoy (rank)|Convoy]]-ranked [[Maximal]]s, and were capable of supplying huge boosts of energon to their wielders in moments of desperate need, which could be further magnified if more than one Energon Matrix was used together. These power boosts could massively enhance the wielder's physical attributes, usually accompanied by [[spontaneous recoloration]], such as when Optimus Primal and Lio Convoy used theirs to become the super-strong "Burning Convoy" and super-fast "Flash Lio Convoy", {{storylink|Lio Convoy in Imminent Danger!}} or be released as mighty energy blasts, as when [[Big Convoy]] combined his with his [[Big Cannon]] to create a weapon powerful enough to obliterate [[Unicron]]. {{storylink|The Final Battle (BWN)|The Final Battle}} The Matrices may also have some connection to [[Vector Sigma]], the mega-computer at the heart of Cybertron, since it was able to communicate through Big Convoy's Matrix, making him say what it wanted. {{storylink|Big Convoy, Move Out}}

When Optimus Primal and Lio Convoy were caught up in the dimensional fissure known as the [[Blastizone]], they found themselves teleported from their respective time periods to Earth circa 2004. Here, they teamed up with Optimus Prime, and their Energon Matrices apparently unlocked the power of an Energon Matrix within Prime himself, as he was soon using his in tandem with theirs to create shatteringly powerful attacks like the "Double Convoy Tornado" {{storylink|Fight! The Group of the Strongest Commanders!}} and the "Lio Typhoon Arrow". {{storylink|The Lio Convoy Typhoon Enters (episode)|The Lio Convoy Typhoon Enters}}

=====''Beast Wars: Uprising''=====
Eleven million years of civil war had drained virtually all of Cybertron's Energon supply. {{storylink|Micro-Aggressions}} So high was the premium on Energon that the vast majority of the surviving Autobots and Decepticons were unable to transform or even move under their power. To save fuel, they reorganized themselves into the [[Builder of Cybertron|Builders]] some wiring themselves directly into their planet to save fuel. {{storylink|Broken Windshields}} The Autobot [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] eventually created the [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] to serve as the next generation of Cybertronians who were fuel efficient enough to move about freely in spite of the pitiful Energon supply on the planet. {{storylink|Head Games}} Both Maximals and Predacons were victims however to the Builders' spiteful Energon supply chains limiting their freedom. {{storylink|Alone Together}} {{storylink|Head Games}}

The [[Mechanimal]]s were capable of metabolizing their own Energon. Four cycles into the [[Grand Uprising]], [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] discovered this fact and created the "Beast Upgrade" to allow his people to replicate this ability and thus free them from the Energon supply lines, allowing them a great advantage in the war. {{storylink|Not All Megatrons}} Following the war, Cybertron began healing with its Energon supplies refreshing themselves. {{storylink|The Inexorable March}}

[[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]] on the other hand boasted a rich Energon supply. As a result, technology and [[Overcharge (G1)|products]] developed on Quintessa consumed high levels of the substance. {{storylink|Burning Bridges}}
{{-}}

====Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity====
{{see|Energon Pools}}
[[File:OriginalSin PushButton.jpg|thumb|160px]]
{{note|The Dreamwave G1 continuity specifically incorporates the depiction of energon as seen in the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon.}}
Natural Energon exists in crystalline form both on Cybertron and select other planets throughout the galaxy, with Earth being home to a particularly high concentration of it. Transformers can power themselves off the crystals by using ambient absorption circuits in their body to soak up their energy, but this is always a dicey prospect, given the explosive nature of the mineral. For safety's sake, the crystals are usually processed into a liquid state before they consumed by Transformers, at which point the Energon can be taken orally in [[robot mode]] or loaded directly into the Transformer's fuel tank in [[alternate mode]]. This processed, liquid Energon can also be synthesised from other energy resources—an unfortunate necessity, given the rarity of the natural crystals on Cybertron after the Transformers' war took its toll on the planet. {{storylink|Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More Than Meets The Eye #8}}

Approximately 3.5 million years ago, Cybertron's supply of Energon was completely depleted, and the entire planet and all the Transformers on it were deactivated for a long, pre-programmed period known as the [[Great Shutdown]]. During this time, Cybertron slowly regenerated, and by the time the Transformers came back online around 3000 years ago, Energon was back in supply. With Cybertron restored to peace, the fuel was no longer a scarcity; by 2003, the [[High Council Pavilions]]' [[Energon Pools]] were recharged {{storylink|Brothers' Burden}} and the Transformers had even started canning the fuel in [[Kremzeek]]-branded cans, which were enjoyed by [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] in a moment of riverside relaxation {{storylink|Skyfire (issue)|Skyfire}} and served at Autobot strategy meetings along with small Energon cubes. {{storylink|Original Sin}}

{{note|A large pool of purple-pink goop was uncovered beneath the surface of the Earth by [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]] in "Original Sin", but it was never explained if this was actually energon or not, since Dreamwave went bankrupt and ceased publication before this plot thread could be revisited.}}

=====''The Transformers Trilogy''=====
{{note|Although they are notionally part of the Dreamwave continuity, the depiction of energon in ''[[The Transformers Trilogy]]'' of novels stands in complete contradiction to Dreamwave's writings.}}
Pure energon is a silvery-yellow liquid that exists naturally on certain planets, and is the power source of the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. During a battle with the alien [[Keeper (species)|Keepers]] in [[Las Vegas]], a subterranean reservoir of the fuel was discovered beneath the city that was of such size that Optimus Prime claimed he had never seen so much of it in one place before. With an American [[Nuclear weapon|nuclear missile]] streaking towards Vegas in order to eliminate both the Keepers and the Transformers, Prime immersed himself in the energon pool, supercharging the Matrix and suffusing his entire body with the energon's power. With this added power, Prime used the Matrix to contain and redirect the nuclear blast, apparently destroying the Keepers while protecting the rest of the city. {{storylink|Transformers: Annihilation|Annihilation}}

====2005 IDW continuity====
:''For further information, see: [[Regenesis]], [[Ore-13]], [[Innermost energon]], [[Energon synthesizer]]
[[File:Stormbringer1 ultra energon.jpg|left|thumb]]
In this universe, natural energon is known only to exist on Cybertron, {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}} and in the pre-war days, [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] was among the workers that mined it. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 1|Megatron Origin #1}} Unfortunately for the Transformers, their war stripped Cybertron of its resources, energon included, precipitating a cataclysm that ultimately rendered the planet sterile and uninhabitable. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 1|Stormbringer #1}} A similar fate befell many of the lost colony worlds that had splintered off from Cybertron in ancient times; in particular, the planet [[Caminus (planet)#2005 IDW continuity|Caminus]] was so deprived of energon that its people developed lower frequency [[spark]]s and bled blue energon as opposed to pink/purple energon of their ancestors and fellow colonists. {{storylink|The Last Autobot}} {{storylink|Windblade issue 4|Windblade #4}} [[Velocitron#2005 IDW continuity|Velocitron]] on the other hand, had such an abundance of solar power that their energon was only used to fuel its citizens as opposed to its widespread usage on other Transformer inhabited planets. {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 4|Windblade vol. 2 #4}}

With their homeworld lost to them, the Autobots and Decepticons subsequently scattered across the galaxy, seeking new sources of fuel, subsisting on "artificial energon derivatives" and "foul local brews" {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}} that [[Cliffjumper (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Cliffjumper]] described as "nowhere near as good as the real thing". {{storylink|Spotlight: Cliffjumper}} Several seemingly dead and empty planetoids contained underground reservoirs of liquid "pseudo-energon", which according to a [[Guardminder]] was about 20-25% as fuel efficient as proper energon. {{storylink|The Hunting Party (IDW)|The Hunting Party}} Scientists on [[Elonia]] discovered a way to synthesize energon in order to fuel [[Stardrive]], leading to their [[energon synthesizer]] becoming a target for the Decepticons. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 1|Shining Armor #1}}

Millennia beforehand, the Decepticon logician [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] had correctly predicted that Cybertron's resources would eventually dry up, and so formulated the [[Regenesis]] program as a countermeasure to the inevitable energon drought. Distilling energon, he created a series of thirteen ores with which he seeded specially-selected planets—including Earth—where energon would then flourish and grow, so that he could harvest it in the centuries to come. [[File:Infiltration6 starscream on ultraenergon.jpg|thumb|Hepped up on goofballs.]] As Shockwave visited each of the planets, he observed that some ores had failed to take root, and others had mutated and gained bizarre properties over time, life, death and more. On Earth, however, the thirteenth ore had flourished to the point that the planet had begun to undergo geological collapse, generating an atmosphere that was hazardous to Transformer life. Intending to regulate the process with global dampers, Shockwave was stopped by the Dynobots and buried in a volcanic eruption and leaving the ore to mature into an exceptionally powerful energon variant. {{storylink|Spotlight: Shockwave}}

Investigating Shockwave's research, the scheming [[Bludgeon (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Bludgeon]] learned of the Regenesis program, and travelled to Earth in the 1980s to harvest a sample of the super-powerful energon. {{storylink|Spotlight: Soundwave}} Using this "Ultra-Energon", as he termed it, Bludgeon reactivated the monstrous [[Thunderwing (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|Thunderwing]] to facilitate his agenda of conquest. {{storylink|The Transformers: Stormbringer|Stormbringer}} Meanwhile, a team of Decepticons led by Starscream independently discovered the existence of Ore-13, and initiated [[infiltration protocol]] to conquer the planet and harvest it. Seeing in Ore-13 the potential power to help him overthrow Megatron, Starscream powered himself up with the energon and staged his own coup. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}} It was the instability of the Ultra-Energon that was the downfall of both Starscream and Thunderwing: although the additional power it provided them was undeniable, it burnt out very quickly, at which point they were left extremely weakened and easily bested.

The methods by which energon is distilled and absorbed in this universe are not particularly detailed. Natural energon is mined as ore, and undergoes processing into an unknown state, after which it has only been shown being absorbed via a [[delivery capsule]], a large full body capsule which the Transformer enters. Even what goes on inside the capsule is unknown; all that can be discerned is that when the process is over, a cloud of gas colored in energon's traditional purple-pink escapes as the capsule re-opens. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}} In contrast, Cliffjumper required no capsule to take in artificial energon from a convertor; it was simply transferred through a tube that ran from the device into a port in his forearm. {{storylink|Spotlight: Cliffjumper}} Energon flows within Transformers' bodies in purple-pink liquid form, which is prone to splattering ''eeeeverywhere'' if the Transformer receives serious injury. {{storylink|The Transformers: Megatron Origin}} {{storylink|The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers}}

Following the failed Decepticon invasion of Earth, humans learned to produce yellow-colored energon, but it was a difficult and costly process and the substance could only be stored for a few months before growing unstable, making it nonviable as an alternate energy source. {{storylink|International Incident Part 1: "The Land Ironclads"|The Land Ironclads}} [[Skywatch]] ran experiments on energon and used it to power their [[crash suit]]s, which were based on Cybertronian technology. {{storylink|...For All Mankind}} [[North Korea]] was able to produce 7,000 cubic feet of energon per month, which according to Skywatch was enough to power [[Combaticon (G1)|five Transformers]]. {{storylink|International Incident Part 1: "The Land Ironclads"|The Land Ironclads}}

After the [[Matrix of Leadership]] had somehow restarted [[Vector Sigma]], {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}} Cybertron was reset to a primordial state causing it to once again become rich with energon. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}} After Cybertron had reconnected with Caminus, they brought much needed energon to the colony. {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 4|Windblade vol. 2 #4}} Human hero-turned-supervillain [[Joe Colton]] sought to poison Cybertron's energon reserves using the mysterious [[Talisman (G1)|Talisman]], thereby killing the planet and all the Transformers, but the alien wizard [[Merklynn]] beat him to the punch, instead using it to convert the energon into a form he could manipulate with his magic. Merklynn used the energon to transform a portion of the planet's underground into the city of [[New Prysmos]]. {{storylink|First Strike issue 6|First Strike #6}} Unbeknownst to Merklynn, his plans had factored into Shockwave's long-term goals. By activating the Talisman, the [[Prysmosian]] had poisoned Cybertron's energon and turned the planet into a poisoned trap for [[Unicron/Generation 1#2005 IDW continuity|Unicron]]. {{storylink|Our Finest}}

The Transformers soon discovered that the mystically-transformed energon was unpalatable to them, forcing them to instead rely on a substitute brewed on Earth by humans, which nobody was happy about. {{storylink|The Dead Come Home, Part 1 (of 2)|The Dead Come Home, Part 1}} Instead they found themselves relying on [[Ore-13]] supplied by Optimus. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 1: Surfeit of Primes|Surfeit of Primes}}

When Unicron finally arrived at Cybertron however, he physically tore the planet in two, never consuming the lethal energon. {{storylink|Road's End}}

=====The Functionist Universe=====
In a timeline where Megatron was never born, the [[Functionist Council]] grew ever more powerful. As the [[Grand Cybertronian Taxonomy]] grew more ubiquitous in society, the higher castes would continue to be given higher grade energon leading to some people, branded as the [[Pretender]]s, to bolt fake [[kibble]] onto themselves for better fuel. {{storylink|The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|The Custom-Made Now}}

When Cybertron was left stranded in the main universe, [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] made the decision to remove the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s uniquely powerful quantum engines to double the universally displaced planet's energon reserves to both make up for the Council's liberal use of the resource and provide enough fuel to nurture the [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]] [[spark]]s. {{storylink|How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2}}
{{-}}

====''Henkei! Henkei! Comic Bun Bun'' manga====
{{see|Energon Cube}}
[[File:Henkei chpt 03 energon-cube chase.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]
This universe's Cybertron gained its supply of energon from the colossal "Energon Cube", a solid mass of energon bigger than a starship. When it was lost to the reaches of space, [[Optimus Prime (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Megatron]] each led two small teams in pursuit of it, but they were unable to intercept the Cube before it crash-landed on Earth and shattered into innumerable fragments that were scattered all across the planet. {{storylink|Kingdom of Giants}} Additionally, the release of energy caused by the cube's shattering endowed a special ability in some newborn babies within range of the impact wave: they became [[Booster]]s, legendary beings able to generate and control energon. {{storylink|Wataru's Power}}

The Autobots and Decepticons hid themselves amongst human society to search for the cube shards and the Boosters. Both sides were able to accumulate substantial portions of energon, but only the Autobots were able to locate any Boosters: first was [[Akira Kihara]], who sadly died using his powers to save Optimus Prime, {{storylink|Time of Resurrection}} and second was [[Wataru Hoshinoumi]]. When they first met Wataru, the Autobots were unaware that he was a Booster, but Optimus Prime soon realized the truth after showing Wataru the chunk of the Energon Cube that they had recovered. [[File:Henkei8 megatron energon bath.jpg|thumb|225px]] When Wataru touched the shard, a wave of energon swept over the Autobots, healing their wounds and offering them a mystic, cross-dimensional vision of [[The Transformers (cartoon)|another time and place]]. {{storylink|Kingdom of Giants}}

As a Booster, Wataru was able to aid his Autobot allies by temporarily increasing their strength, healing their injuries, generating protective forcefields and powering up their weapons, as he did when he transformed Optimus Prime's [[energon-axe]] into a sword that the Autobot leader used to grievously wound Megatron. {{storylink|Optimus Prime's Secret}} [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] sought to heal his leader by placing him in a bath of molten energon cubes, but Optimus Prime tracked him down while he was still recovering. Megatron flew into a rage at the sight of Prime, and the energon began reacting to his furious emotions, levitating and whirling around. The maddened Megatron seized one of the cubes and bit deeply into it, triggering an explosive release of power. Consumed by the explosion, Megatron emerged, transformed by the power of energon into [[Galvatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Galvatron]]! {{storylink|Creation! The New Emperor of Destruction!!}}

====''Star Trek vs. Transformers''====
When the Autobots and Decepticons awoke on Earth during the 1980s, they immediately engaged in a covert war over the organic world's supply of energon. When the planet descended into [[World War III]], the Autobots left aboard [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] to search for the resource on other worlds, eventually finding a bounty on [[Cygnus Seven]]. Before they could begin mining operations, they were shot down by the Decepticons aboard [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], subsequently crashing and winding up in stasis lock. {{storylink|Prime's Directive, Part Two}} When the Transformers awoke in the 23rd century, Starscream decided to substitute energon with [[dilithium]] and use the mineral to fuel his conquest of [[Kronos]]. {{storylink|Prime's Directive, Part Four}}

====2019 IDW continuity====
[[File:ConstructiconsRisingPart2-Energon.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]

Crucial to the day-to-day functioning of Cybertronian infrastructure, energon had been mined from the living fabric of Cybertron since ancient times, {{storylink|The World In Your Eyes Part Five}} although the substance existed in raw crystalline form elsewhere in the galaxy. {{storylink|The World In Your Eyes Part Two}} During Cybertron's [[Golden Age]], Transformers colonized other worlds for the purposes of harvesting and refining energon, {{storylink|Orion Pax: Free Fall}} processing usable quantities into [[Energon cube|cube]] form. {{storylink|Wannabee, Part 1}} {{storylink|Constructicons Rising, Part 2}} The [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticon]]s possessed the mutant power to metabolize any matter into energon, {{storylink|Constructicons Rising, Part 2}} and one unusual organic species, the [[Probat (species)|Probat]], could burn their own guano and turn it into a highly refined energon crystal. {{storylink|Wannabee, Part 1}}

By the end of the [[War of the Threefold Spark]], the creation of the [[Winged Moon]]—a massive space station that extracted energon from the very fabric of spacetime—rendered the Cybertronian mining industry obsolete, {{storylink|The World In Your Eyes Part Two}} although colonial refineries on planets like [[Mayalx]] and [[Probat (planet)|Probat]] remained operational. {{storylink|Constructicons Rising, Part 3}} {{storylink|Wannabee, Part 1}} At some point after the war, [[Autobot]] leader [[Nominus Prime]] passed the historic [[Nominus Edict]]. This legislature forbade the harvesting of energon in space sectors controlled by other sentient lifeforms, and mandated that Cybertron maintain a level of energon sufficient to supply all foreseeable needs for at least ten [[Units of time|kilocycles]]. As a result of these stringent demands, the frequency of new [[Reproduction|forgings]] rapidly decreased. This also placed a restriction on both the energon ratios of the average citizen and the number of forgings that were allowed. {{storylink|Orion Pax: Free Fall}} Some individuals like the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicon]]s were deliberately kept underfuelled—leaving them perpetually tired and incapable of combination—supposedly for the safety of those around them. {{storylink|Constructicons Rising, Part 1}}

[[File:TheWorldInYourEyesPart5-EnergonStorageField.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]

A network of [[energon transmission station]]s handled the remote transmission of energon beamed down from the Winged Moon, {{storylink|The World In Your Eyes Part One}} sending it to individual polities where energon engineers safely handled and stored the substance in vast [[energon storage field]]s, in accordance with the terms of the Nominus Edict. By the time of [[Gauge]]'s forging, [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]'s energon yards had stockpiled enough energon to fuel the entirety of Cybertron's population for three to four kilocycles, with twice as much stored in the moon, [[Tarn (polity)|Tarn]], and all the sub-stations. {{storylink|The World In Your Eyes Part Five}}

Among other things, [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s [[Decepticon|Ascenticon]] faction campaigned for the dissolution of the Nominus Edict, and found support in a large number of citizens dissatisfied with the Autobot-controlled Senate and its strict energon rationing practices. {{storylink|The World In Your Eyes Part Five}} To fuel the terrorist activities of [[The Rise]], a group were somehow able to install a discreet [[energon siphon]] onto the Winged Moon, which transmitted a portion of the moon's energon into the salvaged refueling chambers stored in their base beneath Iacon's [[Memorial Crater]]. {{storylink|The Cracks Beneath Your Feet Part Three}} In between, they bolstered this by stealing from local energon transmission stations, including the station [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] operated beyond the [[Cybertronian Mountains]]. {{storylink|The World In Your Eyes Part One}} As [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] cracked down on The Rise and their allies, these stations were universally reinforced and fitted with powerful theft-deterrent measures. {{storylink|The Cracks Beneath Your Feet Part One}}

The subsequent destruction of the [[Tether]] that connected the Winged Moon to Cybertron caused a severe energon crisis, made worse by the destruction of at least two energon storage yards in Iacon. {{storylink|Arcee/Greenlight: Run}} As a result, Cybertronians began hoarding whatever energon they had, while members of The Rise were forced to find alternate ways to salvage fuel to continue their operations. {{storylink|Rise of the Decepticons: Swindle's|Swindle's}}

====''Mazinger Z versus Transformers''====
A mysterious group observed a recent crossover between two unrelated universes, and one wondered if it was due to the intersection of [[photon power]] and energon. {{storylink|Mazinger Z versus Transformers}}

====''Transformers vs. the Terminator''====
[[File:EnemyOfMyEnemyPart3-energoncubes.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Y'load sixteen tons, whaddya get...]]
The Decepticons attacked [[Cyberdyne Systems]] for its nuclear reactor, converted its output into energon, and used it to fill energon cubes. {{storylink|Enemy of My Enemy Part Three}}

{{-}}

====''My Little Pony/Transformers''====
[[File:IronFilingCasserole.jpg|thumb|right|200px]]

Energon was an ingredient in Cybertronian cuisine, such as [[Gauge]]'s favorite [[iron filings|iron filing]] casserole. After arriving in [[Equestria]], [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] attempted to find a way to turn ponies into energon, though [[Pinkie Pie]] and [[Gauge]] defeated him before he could find a way to put this theory into practice. {{storylink|They Eat Ponies, Don't They?}}

[[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] attempted to steal [[magic]]al artifacts from the [[Crystal Empire]] to create a more powerful fuel source for him and his troops, but the Decepticons were defeated and sent back to Cybertron without getting their hands on any Equestrian magic. {{storylink|Finale (Friendship in Disguise!)|Finale}}

====''Transformers/Back to the Future''====
In a timeline where the Decepticons ruled supreme, the people of [[Earth]] were enslaved and put to work creating energon cubes. {{storylink|Transformers/Back to the Future issue 1|Transformers/Back to the Future #1}} {{storylink|Transformers/Back to the Future issue 2|Transformers/Back to the Future #2}}
{{-}}

===2001 ''Robots in Disguise''===
:''For further information, see: [[Energon chain]]s.''

[[File:Sideburnsobsession energon chains.jpg|left|thumb|Is this the equivalent of being tied up with spaghetti?]]
Energon played only a minimal role in this universe, as the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] came to Earth in search of [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Fortress Maximus]], rather than for more traditional energy theft. It did crop up from time to time, though: the Predacons' craft, the [[Megastar]], ran on energon cubes, and they carried out a few heists to gather up Earthly energy sources they could process to create them—though flashlight batteries were not an especially viable option for conversion. {{storylink|An Explosive Situation}} Either the conversion or the process by which the cubes powered the ship involved a smelter. {{storylink|The Fish Test}} At one point, the Predacons created chains from energon and staged a trap for the Autobots using them. {{storylink|Sideburn's Obsession}}

Energon is ingested through an "energon intake" {{storylink|The Two Faces of Ultra Magnus}} and comes in "leaded" and "unleaded" varieties—[[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] swore off the latter when he found he didn't have the energy to keep up with the speedy [[Skid-Z (RID)|Skid-Z]]. {{storylink|Skid Z's Choice}}
{{note|In the original Japanese version of ''Robots in Disguise'', Optimus Prime wields an Energon Matrix (see [[#Beast Era|Beast Era]], above) rather than the Matrix of Leadership.}}

===Unicron Trilogy===
:''For further information, see: [[energon star]], [[energon weapon]], [[Energon Sword]], [[Energon Saber]], [[energon tower]], [[energon grid]], [[Energon Blaster]], [[Energon band]], [[Energon Orb]], [[energon gas]], [[Super Energon]], [[Energon Volant Accumulator]], [[energon tomato]]

====''Energon'' cartoon====
[[File:Energonep1 omnicons and energon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]

Energon exists naturally on multiple planets throughout the universe in the form of glowing golden ore. Following the end of the [[Unicron Battles]] in 2010, the allied forces of the Autobots and Decepticons united with humankind to mine Energon for the betterment of both their species. The Transformers' reawakened creator-god Primus—manifesting in this universe as a glowing white orb of Energon itself—bestowed upon the young human [[Kicker Jones]] the ability to sense the location of Energon, {{storylink|Cybertron City (episode)|Cybertron City}} and Kicker's father, [[Brian Jones]], used his son's new power to find Energon deposits on [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], in the [[asteroid belt]] and on multiple locations on Earth. The Transformers and humans set up [[Cybertron City (city)|Cybertron Cities]] in all these various locations to mine the ore: [[Mars City]], [[Asteroid City]], [[Ocean City]], [[Plains City]] in [[United Kingdom|England]], [[Jungle City]] in [[Mexico]], [[Desert City]] in [[Egypt]], [[Blizzard City]] in the [[Arctic]], {{storylink|Transformers: Energon Official Guidebook|Official Guidebook}} and later [[Lunar City]] on the [[Moon (moon)|Moon]]. {{storylink|Kicker Beware!}}

[[File:Energonep2 energon stars.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2]]

In its unprocessed form, Energon ore is bursting with raw energy, and hence hazardous to normal Transformer life. The only Transformers capable of safely handling energon are the [[Omnicon]]s, whose bodies became immunized to the ore's hazardous effects after years of mining it in space, and the [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcons]]. {{storylink|Survival Instincts}} These master Energon sculptors can absorb the energy from Energon ore into their bodies, and then generate sold-state [[Energon star]]s that can be given to other Autobots to temporarily boost their strength. The Stars are also capable of generating [[Energon weapon]]s like spears and axes, though these drastically shorten the Star's lifespan. {{storylink|Scorpinok (episode)|Scorpinok}} In one particularly puzzling instance, the interaction of multiple Energon Stars with [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s [[Matrix of Leadership#Unicron Trilogy|Matrix of Leadership]] led to the creation of the [[Energon Blaster]]. {{storylink|Starscream the Mysterious Mercenary}} Energon can also be processed into a liquid form that can be used as a medicinal bath capable of incredible feats like limb regeneration. {{storylink|Megatron Raid}} This refined, positively-charged "Autobot" Energon is typically red in color.

[[File:Energonep3 shock shock shock.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]

In 2020, trapped in the ruined, deactivated body of Unicron, the insane alien [[Alpha Quintesson|Alpha Q]] realized Energon's immense potential to create, and using what little Energon remained in the planet-eater's husk, created the [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcons]] from the very substance of Unicron to raid the Autobots' Energon mines. It was Alpha Q's intention to use indefinable, mystic properties of the Energon they would gather to recreate all the worlds that Unicron had consumed over the millennia. {{storylink|A Tale of Two Heros}} To rally the disenfranchised Decepticons to his side, Alpha Q forged an [[Energon Sword]] from the Spark of [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]], who had been trapped in Unicron's body for a decade. {{storylink|Megatron's Sword}} Megatron, however, was able to siphon off some of the Energon the Terrorcons returned with and crafted a new body for himself, ousting Alpha Q (who escaped in Unicron's disembodied head) and taking control of the Terrorcons. Under Megatron's directions, the Terrorcons gathered Energon to rebuild Unicron himself, so that Megatron could use him as a weapon. {{storylink|Megatron Resurrected}} The Terrorcons were created to be immune to the harmful effects of raw Energon; they consume it orally, and convert it into green, negatively-charged "Decepticon" Energon Stars internally. Like the Autobots' Omnicon-made stars, these could be used by the Decepticons as power-enhancers, but they apparently remained unsafe to touch directly: When [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]] tried to grab one, he received a debilitating jolt of energy that scarred his body with jagged lightning patterns. {{storylink|Scorpinok (episode)|Scorpinok}} The Terrorcons were also not the only thing Alpha Q used Energon to create: using the small supply he had left after escaping from Megatron, he restored the deceased [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]] to life. Unfortunately, he ran out halfway through the process, leaving Starscream incomplete, a sort of Energon "ghost", whose body constantly shifted from physical to incorporeal. {{storylink|Starscream the Mysterious Mercenary}}

[[File:Energonep14 energon grid.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2]]

Setting off into space to stop Megatron's plans, the Autobots left Earth protected by Doctor Jones' newest Energon innovation: the [[Energon grid]], a protective field of plasma-state Energon generated by [[energon tower]]s positioned at each of the Cybertron Cities. {{storylink|Battle of the Asteroid Belt}} The mechanism was later duplicated on Cybertron, where the towers were fuelled by [[Energon gas|gaseous green Energon]]. {{storylink|Battle Stations}} Earth's defense had to be sacrificed for the greater good, however, when Kicker convinced his father to beam all of Earth's Energon to Alpha Q, who used it to charge Unicron's head. Alpha Q rammed the positively-charged head into Unicron's body, causing the release of the "sparks" of all the planets Unicron had destroyed. {{storylink|Open Fire!}} Trying to destroy Alpha Q, Megatron triggered the release of all the negatively-charged Energon in Unicron's body, causing a violent reaction between the two kinds of Energon that tore open a fissure in space. {{storylink|Ripped Up Space}}

[[File:Energonep28 energon sun.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Red sun at night, sailor's delight. Red sun in morning, sailor's warning.]]

In the [[Alpha Q's universe|newly created dimension]] this fissure led to, Unicron's head became a glowing [[Energon Orb|sun]], nurturing all the reborn planets with its life-giving Energon light. Consequently, however, all of the planets were rich in Energon themselves, making them ripe targets for Decepticon pillaging. {{storylink|Protection}} Alas, the villains were able to gather enough Energon to restore and reactivate Unicron's body, and even reclaimed his head, extinguishing the Energon sun it had become and killing Alpha Q in the process. {{storylink|A Heroic Battle}} To stop Megatron's schemes, Primus transmitted Energon from Cybertron to the Autobots, [[burning justice|recoloring and powering them up]], and transforming the combined Optimus Prime and [[Omega Supreme (Energon)|Omega Supreme]] into a planetary-scale giant. {{storylink|Optimus Supreme}} Prime and Omega were able to destroy Unicron's body, but Alpha Q's planets were in danger of dying due to the destruction of Energon sun. {{storylink|Unicron Perishes}} Salvation came in the form of Primus' greatest creation: a reservoir of liquid blue [[Super Energon]], sealed away beneath Cybertron's surface, from a time when Autobots and Decepticons were allies, intended to usher in a new era of peace. {{storylink|Ambition}} This Energon had incredibly potent transformational abilities: it transformed Megatron into Galvatron, recolored and powered up [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]], {{storylink|Wishes}} and turned [[Insecticon (Energon)|Insecticon]] Terrorcons into giants. {{storylink|Decepticon Army}} A second immersion transformed Galvatron into a giant as well, at which point he was possessed by Unicron's still-living [[Spark]], but Primus orchestrated his downfall by gathering up the entire reservoir of Super-Energon and transforming it into a new foundling sun. Struggling against Unicron's control, Megatron flung himself into the sun, and both he and the planet-eater were seemingly destroyed as it burst into life. This new Energon sun took up position in Alpha Q's universe, nurturing his planets once more. {{storylink|The Sun}}

====''Energon'' comic====
[[File:Energon22 terrorcons power up.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]

In this universal stream, Energon's raw form is a green gas. It normally undergoes processing before use for optimal efficiency, but even in its crude gaseous form, it remains a very effective power source. [[Energon Volant Accumulator]] planes are used to collect Energon vapour before it is lost to the atmosphere. {{storylink|Multiplicity, Pt. 4}}

The existence of pockets of energon gas on Earth was discovered by the alternative energy research and development company [[Alterenergy]], who dubbed it "01 Source". Unknown the public, the discovery was the work of Alterenergy consultant Brian Jones, whose son Kicker had the unexplained ability to detect Energon. This made Alterenergy a target for the Terrorcons, a cell of Decepticons who had been recruited by the evil alien [[Alpha Quintesson]], who bade them gather Energon to reactivate his master Unicron. {{storylink|What Lies Beneath}} Attacking Alterenergy's [[Australia|Western Australia]] facility, the Terrorcons stole Energon using siphons that condensed the gas into green liquid form, which they then used to power themselves up with. [[File:Energon29 energon weapons.jpg|thumb|upright=1.95]] Thankfully, the Autobots arrived, able to take on their Energon-empowered foes thanks to their new [[Spark of Combination|combining abilities]]. {{storylink|What Lies Beneath, Part Three}} Following the Autobots' victory, {{storylink|What Lies Beneath, Part Four}} they entered into an alliance with the humans, and began setting up drilling sites around the Earth to replenish their own dwindling supplies of Energon. {{storylink|Omni-Potent}}

Energon can be shaped and moulded by the small group of evolved [[Mini-Con]]s known as Omnicons, who can fire it as blasts, create energy-constructs from it and sculpt it into powerful weapons. {{storylink|What Lies Beneath, Part Four}} Kicker also discovered that his energon-manipulating powers had evolved when he was attacked by Decepticons over an Energon pocket in [[Turkey]] and was able to channel and redirect the energy into the Omnicons. {{storylink|Multiplicity, Pt. 4}}

===Live-action film series===
:''For further information see: [[AllSpark]], [[Energon drone]], [[Dual Energon Swords]], [[Energon detector]]

{{quote|Without it, we'd all perish, oxidize and rust, ''like my wretched self!'' Do you have any idea what it's like to slowly fall apart and die?!|[[Jetfire (Movie)|Jetfire]] explains the importance of Energon|''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''}}

[[File:Defiance4 allspark creates primes.jpg|left|thumb|165px]]

Cybertron's source of Energon in this universe was the legendary, life-giving [[AllSpark]] cube, which sustained the planet and the Transformer race through its constant generation of the fuel, presumably in the form of crystals or ore. It was the Energon produced by the AllSpark that gave life to the first Cybertronians, the [[Dynasty of Primes]], creating them from Cybertron's metal surface itself. The Primes were soon to learn that the AllSpark's supply of Energon was not infinite: it required periodic recharging to continue Energon generation, and the only source of energy viable enough was that of suns. Using [[Star Harvester]]s, the Primes converted the suns of lifeless star systems into Energon, which fuelled the AllSpark, in turn allowing it to generate exponentially greater amounts of the energy, thereby allowing Cybertron to thrive, and more and more Transformers to be given life. {{storylink|Defiance issue 4|Defiance #4}}

Millions of years later, at the height of the civil war between the Autobots and Decepticons, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] had the AllSpark blasted into space, to put its power beyond the reach of [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]. Without the AllSpark's constant supply of Energon, however, Cybertron began to atrophy, eventually becoming a ruin of a planet, uninhabitable by the Transformers. They too took to the stars, searching for the lost cube: the Autobots to reinvigorate Cybertron, Megatron planning to use its Energon to bring to life the machinery of other worlds, forging an even greater army. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}} Without true Energon from the Allspark, the Transformers were forced instead to subsist on a manufactured brew processed out of other natural resources on the other worlds they visited. Although much more stable that the Energon of most universes, if this artificial Energon ''were'' hypothetically detonated, the resultant explosion would be large enough to obliterate most of a good-sized continent. {{storylink|Transformers: The Veiled Threat|The Veiled Threat}}

[[File:MovieAdaptation4 nokia bot.jpg|thumb|275px]]

The AllSpark landed on Earth in what would become Colorado, directly on top of an entrance into a mysterious network of subterranean caves that criss-crossed the entire planet. The cube's Energon radiation was funnelled into the tunnels for thousands of years, stimulating the growth of Energon ore, and mutating the animals that lived there into huge monstrosities. The Energon was discovered in caves in the Sierra Nevada mountains by gentleman adventurers [[Walter Simmons]] and [[Theodore Joseph Wells]] in the late 19th Century, {{storylink|Original}} but while these two men would go on to found the organization [[Sector Seven]], dedicated to protecting the Earth against the Transformers, they would not realize that this discovery was connected to their larger mission until they found the AllSpark and excavated it in 1913, uncovering more of the substance in the caves beneath it. They also discovered the abandoned [[Seeker (ROTF)|Seeker]] [[Jetfire (Movie)|Jetfire]], who was looking for the cube himself, and who accidentally triggered a surge of Energon from it that overloaded his systems and brought a nearby crane, car, gun and radio to life. {{storylink|Irreplaceable}} Energon was the subject of some study on Earth in later years; scientist [[Dina Morgan]] experimented with the energy potential of converting the crystals into liquid, and a memo about her research was later discovered by [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] during his advance recon on the planet in the early 21st century. {{storylink|Transformers: Rise of the Chevy Autobots}}

In 2007, Bumblebee was joined on the planet by more representatives of both factions, leading to a battle for possession of the AllSpark in [[Mission City]], during which a wave of Energon was released that brought [[Dispensor|several]] [[Xbox 360 robot|Earth]] [[steering wheel robot|machines]] to life. Ultimately, the cube was destroyed when [[Sam Witwicky]] plunged it into Megatron's Spark, overloading and apparently destroying him. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}} Following the destruction of the cube and the defeat of the Decepticons, the Autobots allied with humankind, and, lacking the time to confirm the presence of true Energon on Earth, instead began stockpiling manufactured Energon at [[NEST]] base on [[Diego Garcia]]. When questioned about the substance by [[Robert Epps]], [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] explained that it was basically useless to humanity; they could not use it to power weapons the way the Transformers did (like Optimus Prime's [[Dual Energon Swords]]) because its chemical composition was far beyond their ability to master. {{storylink|Transformers: The Veiled Threat|The Veiled Threat}}

[[File:ROTF jetfire awakens.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]

In 2009, the small fragments that remained of the AllSpark cube were revealed to still possess Energon-generating powers when one was stolen by the Decepticons and used to restore Megatron to life. At the bidding of his master, a renegade member of the Dynasty of Primes known as [[The Fallen]], Megatron uncovered a hidden Star Harvester The Fallen had built in Egypt nineteen thousand years beforehand, planning to use it to convert Earth's sun into Energon that could be used to sire a new race of Decepticon [[hatchling]]s. Another shard brought a group of [[Appliancebot|kitchen appliances]] in Sam Witwicky's home to life; Sam later used it to rouse Jetfire from his years-long slumber. Jetfire was living proof of the fact that without regular consumption of Energon of any kind, a Transformer's body and mind begin to slowly break down, rusting away in a kind of robotic senility. By combining with Jetfire, Optimus Prime gained the power to stop Megatron and The Fallen and destroy the Star Harvester. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}
[[File:ROTF fallen leaks energon.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|The [[Tony Todd|Candyman]] can, 'cause he mixes it with love, and makes the world taste good...]]
Not long after the Autobot victory in Egypt, [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] stumbled across a cave full of natural Energon, and was nearly brainwashed by the Decepticon [[Mindwipe (ROTF)|Mindwipe]] into harvesting it for the Decepticons. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 5}} Later still, [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] and [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] were seen transporting a cargo of Energon ''cubes'', but whether they were created from the natural Energon Ironhide found or just more manufactured Energon is unknown. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 10}} Within a few years, NEST developed [[Energon detector]]s that could alert them to the approach of Cybertronian lifeforms, and had them stationed around major cities, forcing the Decepticons to withdraw to unmonitored regions of the planet like [[Namibia]], [[Africa]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}

Energon flows inside Transformers' bodies in a liquid form through a structure akin to a human's circulatory system. It is prone to gushing out when a Transformer receives debilitating injuries—glowing blue Energon showered from the wounds sustained by several Transformers during the battle of [[Mission City]], {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}} while a golden form of liquid Energon oozed from The Fallen's dying frame<ref>Hasbro's online [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/TRANSFORMERS-Glossary.cfm Transformers glossary].</ref> when Optimus Prime killed him. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}} In fact, quite a ''lot'' of differently-colored fluids were seen slooshing and squirting from the Transformers during the quest for the Matrix of Leadership and the battles over [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]]'s space bridge, including a disturbingly blood-like red liquid, but whether or not any of these were Energon is unclear. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}} {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}} Later still, [[Grimlock (AOE)|Grimlock]], [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]], and [[Kinetic Solutions Incorporated|KSI]]'s robot prototypes could be seen spilling a ''green'' liquid when injured. {{storylink|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction}} The same liquid bled from the wounded [[Talisman Knight]], and spilt out from [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] after he was shot in the shoulder by [[Edmund Burton]]. [[Izabella]] hurled jars full of the stuff to confuse [[Transformers Reaction Force|TRF]] robots into firing on each other. {{storylink|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight}}
{{-}}

===Fun Publications comics===
{{see|Rarified Energon}}
[[File:CrossingOver5 rarified energon.jpg|left|thumb|165px|"The formula is water! Pure, ordinary water!"]]
On the second leg of their multiverse-hopping journey, amnesiac Transformers [[Skyfall (Cybertron)|Skyfall]] and [[Landquake (Timelines)|Landquake]] discovered a pool of liquid energon beneath the jungles of South America, being watched over a similar Transformer named [[Breakaway (Classics)|Breakaway]]. {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 5}} They were informed by Breakway's assistant, the computer system known as the [[Caretaker]], that the pool was no ordinary energon: it was [[Rarified Energon]], the base substance that made up Transformers' bodies and sparks. Skyfall, Landquake, and Breakway were, in fact, components of [[Nexus Prime]], one of the [[Thirteen|thirteen original Transformers]], who had been tasked with guarding Rarified Energon by Primus eons in the past. When Nexus Prime had been divided into five separate robots in order to protect the secret of [[Prima]]'s [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]], Rarified Energon was left without a guardian, and was consequently secreted away in the corners of the multiverse—for if it should be destroyed, then it would be impossible for more Transformer life to be created. The Caretaker opened a cross-dimensional portal to take the three Transformers to the universe where they would find the [[Topspin (Classics)|fourth of their number]], assuring them that the Rarified Energon would be teleported away to a new safe location once they had left. {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 6}}
{{-}}

===Animated===
{{see|Energon farm}}
[[File:Ani07 sllsparkinfusedenergon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"Mine mine mine! All mine!"]]
Crystalline formations of natural energon are cultivated on Cybertron at [[energon farm]]s, a menial task that earns workers a reputation as hayseeds despite its extreme importance, {{storylink|Autoboot Camp}} {{storylink|The Stunti-Con Job}} and stored in energon cubes. Despite the Autobots being in full control of Cybertron and no excess energon being expended in a war effort, the substance remains extremely precious, as evidenced by the risks cadet [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel]] took when he and fellow cadets [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus]] and [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Elita-1]] attempted to recover a huge stockpile of it from a starship that had crashed on the planet [[Archa Seven]] centuries beforehand. Sentinel called this "AllSpark-infused energon", but there was nothing to indicate that it was any different from normal energon, suggesting that the energies of the life-giving [[AllSpark]] are known to be shared by energon in this universe, as they are in [[#live-action film series|others]]. {{storylink|Along Came a Spider}}

Contrary to the hardships faced by Transformers in other universes, when [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]'s teams were stranded on Earth with no energon, they proved quite able to survive on simple [[oil]]. Back on Cybertron, though, energon remained on the menu at [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]], where varieties served included Z and Ultra blends from various different planets, as well as energon-on-a-stick for the little 'bots. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}} Energon is used to power the machines and weapons of Cybertron, like those of the [[Elite Guard]]'s [[Fortress Maximus (Animated)|Fortress Maximus]], {{storylink|This Is Why I Hate Machines}} and small energon cubes are used as blasting charges in construction. {{storylink|Endgame, Part I}}

===Shattered Glass===
[[File:Cliffjumper&SGGoryu Dungeons&Dinobots.jpg|left|thumb|100px|[[Steven Spielberg]] takes the directorial reins.]]
{{see|Energon rod}}
The energon of this twisted mirror universe is superficially different to the more recognizable fuel of most worlds. Here, it is a sickly green-yellow in color, is stored primarily in [[energon rod|rod]]s, and is considered by the dimensionally-displaced [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] to have a strange aftertaste when compared to the energon of his home dimension. It remains used as a form of currency among Transformers.

Among the natural sources of energon on this universe's Cybertron are bright blue crystalline deposits that form on the shores of the [[Rust Sea]], when the sea's innate trace energon content is solidified by evaporation. {{storylink|Dungeons & Dinobots}}
{{-}}

===Aligned===
:''For further information, see: [[Energon battle pistol]], [[Energon grenade]], [[Energon repair ray]], [[Geosynchronous Energon Bridge]], [[Dark Energon]], [[Energon prod]], [[Energon Harvester]], [[Synthetic Energon]], [[Energon shard]], [[Tox-En]], [[Red Energon]]
[[File:Wfc energon cubes.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
[[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] explained that energon is an emanation of Primus, and a different form of that which makes up a [[Transformer]] and everything else on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus}} Energon occurs naturally in the form of blue crystals, {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 1}} though these sometimes resemble normal rocks. {{storylink|Deus ex Machina}} It is stored within Energon cubes, {{storylink|Masters & Students}} the framework for which can be produced by the Decepticon [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]], {{storylink|Transformers: War for Cybertron (360/PS3/PC)|War for Cybertron}} and is fashioned into smaller ingots for oral ingestion by Transformers. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus}} To distinguish it from other varieties, the blue version was also referred to as "live energon." {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 5}}

In Cybertron's [[Golden Age]], the [[ancient]]s moved energon by reconstituting and concentrating it into its most rarefied form, that of pure energy, which is transmitted between arrays such as the [[Geosynchronous Energon Bridge]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus}} [[File:Starscreamharvestingcrystals.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Starscream harvesting raw Energon.]] Similarly, they used [[energon Harvester]]s to draw energy right out of energon crystals. {{storylink|Deus ex Machina}} A formula for a synthetic version of energon, known as [[Synthetic Energon]], was developed; but was apparently never put into production, the formula instead being stored within a [[Cybertronian data cylinder]], one that would eventually be launched off-world during the [[Great War (Prime)|Great War]]. {{storylink|T.M.I.}}

When war broke out on Cybertron, energon was weaponized in the form of the [[energon battle pistol]] and the [[energon prod]] (the latter an instrument of torture that would later prove to have a particularly deleterious, if temporary, effect on the human neural system {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 4}}), but also found use on the battlefield as an implement of healing in medical tools like the [[Energon grenade]], which releases a localized aura of energon that restores the vigor of Transformers within the grenade's range. Medics were also known to carry [[energon repair ray]]s, more focused tools that fire a beam of energon to heal the injured. {{storylink|Transformers: War for Cybertron (360/PS3/PC)}} As the war depleted energon supplies on Cybertron, both sides tried hiding their stockpiles of this valuable commodity on many other planets, including [[Earth]]. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 4}} To protect Decepticon assets, a squadron of [[Predacon (Prime)|Predacons]] were deployed to guard the deposits. {{storylink|Project Predacon}} The Decepticons even began experimenting with Energon's poisonous counterpart, [[Dark Energon]], a product of [[Unicron/Aligned|Unicron]] in the same way that live energon is a product of Primus. Using it, the Decepticons corrupted the [[core]] of Cybertron, and although the Autobots restored it, the planet's energon supply had been crippled, necessitating that the Transformers depart Cybertron so that it would be able to recharge and regenerate enough energon to once again support life. {{storylink|Transformers: War for Cybertron (360/PS3/PC)|War for Cybertron}}

Though the [[Autobot fleet]] was quick to flee Cybertron for other worlds, the Decepticons took the initiative and sought out energy rich planets whose resources they could convert into energon that would heal Cybertron. Using an ancient [[space bridge]] he'd found in the [[Rust Sea|Sea of Rust]], [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] stole energy from several worlds and converted it into energon, this process creating a toxic energon-based byproduct. Shockwave eventually rediscovered the Earth, finding it to possess enough raw energon for their purposes and reported its location to [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron}}

By coincidence or design, the Transformers' war eventually carried them back to Earth in the 21st century. After an undetailed initial clash, [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] retreated into space to gather up an army, and [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]], left in charge of the Decepticons on Earth, set about mining the energon that had flourished on the planet, claiming there was enough there to repower Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformers: Prime (graphic novel)}} The shifting geology of Earth occasionally stymied his attempts, as some deposits had become unmineable since originally being stored; the largest of these was labelled "ND-7 Class". {{storylink|Out of His Head}} After three years, however, Megatron returned, having recovered more Dark Energon from the depths of space {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 2}}, but he was fortunately stopped by the Autobots from using it to reanimate Cybertron's dead. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 5}}

[[File:Crossfire Insecticon holding energon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]]'s Autobots later discovered the data cylinder containing the synthetic Energon formula, but its contents were beamed directly into [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]]'s brain. The formula threatened to wipe his mind, so he was only able to transcribe a portion of it before it was necessary to remove it shoot it off into space. {{storylink|T.M.I.}} [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] then attempted to complete the formula, but the result of experiments was a green liquid form of energon which supercharged his physical attributes at the loss of his mental stability. In the throes of this rage, Ratchet attacked a Decepticon mine and was wounded by Megatron, allowing [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] to obtain for the Decepticons a sample of the Synthetic Energon that drained from his wounds. {{storylink|Stronger, Faster}}

Having gone rogue, Starscream was forced to either steal energon from the ''[[Trypticon (WFC)|Nemesis]]'' {{storylink|Orion Pax, Part 1}} or scavenge for it in abandoned mines. {{storylink|Crossfire (Prime)|Crossfire}} After [[MECH]] stole [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]]'s [[transformation cog|T-cog]] in an attempt to get their own creation working, Starscream pointed out that it required energon to properly function. He used a small amount of his own as a demonstration. {{storylink|Operation Bumblebee, Part 1}} With Starscream's help, they were able to track down a sizable deposit. {{storylink|Operation Bumblebee, Part 2}} [[Airachnid (Prime)|Airachnid]] later found an [[Insecticon (WFC)|Insecticon]] which searched for energon for her. {{storylink|Crossfire (Prime)|Crossfire}}

A sample of [[Tox-En]] was stored in the Iacon Vaults, and eventually made its way to Earth, which was found by Bulkhead. After a fight with [[Hardshell]], Bulkhead began to drip liquefied energon, which Bulkhead figured was leaking from a loose gasket. Bulkhead used the leak to make a false trail of energon puddles to lead the Insecticons away while he carried the Tox-En to a nearby volcano for disposal. At one point, Hardshell took time out to taste an Energon puddle. {{storylink|Toxicity}}

A chunk of [[Red Energon]] was uncovered on Earth, and during the race to get hold of it, Starscream managed to secure a chunk. {{storylink|New Recruit}} The destruction of [[Autobot Outpost Omega One]] left the Autobots with a critically short energon supply prompting Ratchet to look into the Synthetic Energon formula once again. {{storylink|Project Predacon}} Starscream and Knock Out attempted to mix Dark and Synthetic Energon together to create a new army of super soldiers but the resulting interaction between the two substances turned [[Silas|the test subject]] into a Terrorcon with an insatiable lust for live Energon. {{storylink|Thirst}}

After [[Predaking (Prime)|Predaking]] revealed his sentience, the Decepticons manipulated the Autobots into destroying the gestating Predacon clones luring them to Shockwave's laboratory with energon. {{storylink|Evolution}}

A bizarre interaction with the energon of Earth was responsible for bringing many weapons, including the Transformers' personal armaments, to life as the [[Arms Micron]]s.

One hazard encountered by the [[Rescue Bot]]s was the [[energon eater]], a space-going creature which fed off the energon from ships they attacked, and occasionally their occupants. {{storylink|Unfinished Business}} {{storylink|Uninvited Guest}}

Energon turned out to be the power source required to get the [[Temporal Station]] to work. {{storylink|It's a Bot Time}}

[[Madeline Pynch]]'s drilling operation uncovered a sizeable chunk of energon on the ocean floor. Once she learned of its energy potential, she dubbed it "Pynchonium" and used it to create [[Pynch-Cell]]s with which she intended to corner the world's energy market. The [[Griffin Rock]] rescue team launched a covert mission and managed to steal the energon from her compound on the mainland. {{storylink|Cody's 11}}

After the War ended, Earth's energon supplies had dropped even further. The Decepticon [[Ped (RID)|Ped]] attempted to steal the Autobot supply of [[Energon cube]]s to monopolize the precious resource and gain his long denied respect from the other Decepticons. {{storylink|Can You Dig It?}} A subset of Cybertronians were unable to normally consume Energon normally and had to suck it out of other Cybertronians. {{storylink|Even Robots Have Nightmares}} {{storylink|Sick as a Bot}}

During the gold rush, miners uncovered energon and subsequently abandoned the mine. It was later found by [[Hoist (RB)|Hoist]], [[Grimlock (RID 2015)|Grimlock]], [[Snarl (FOC)|Snarl]] and [[Sludge (FOC)|Sludge]], however the mine collapsed. Grimlcok was able to take a small nugget of energon before they escaped the mine. {{storylink|The Great Energon Rush}}
{{-}}

===''Cyberverse'' cartoon===
[[File:Cave Monsters - Cyberverse - The Journey.jpg|thumb|left|250px|[[Swerve (G1)|"Impossible! Our laserfire is just making him stronger!"]]]]

When the [[Ark (Cyberverse)|''Ark'']] ran low on energon, the crew stopped off at a nearby moon to mine more of the substance only to find that [[Cave monster|a race of insects]] had evolved to draw nourishment from the crystals, the Autobots' energon blasts likewise proving harmless to the beasts. Unwilling to condemn an innocent alien race, [[Optimus Prime (Cyberverse)|Optimus Prime]] decided against mining operations. {{storylink|The Journey}}

Some 66 million years later, to try and get the ''Ark'' spaceworthy, [[Wheeljack (Cyberverse)|Wheeljack]] created a super-concentrated energon derivative that he dubbed "[[Hyper Fuel]]". The Hyper Fuel proved a bit ''too'' hyper however, so he instead began working on [[Mega Fuel]]. {{storylink|The Visitor}}

As the ''Ark'' carried the [[AllSpark]] back to Cybertron, Wheeljack devised a system to draw energon directly from it. While the badges proved an initial success, [[Starscream (Cyberverse)|Starscream]] tampered with the delivery system, overloading the Autobots' systems with energon and driving them mad until Optimus shut it down. {{storylink|Party Down}}

Without the AllSpark, Cybertron's energon had begun to curdle into a toxic black variant. {{storylink|Battle For Cybertron III}}

When the AllSpark returned to Cybertron, live energon began flowing through the planet, restoring it. {{storylink|Battle For Cybertron IV}} With the caves of the [[Monsterbot (Cyberverse)|Monsterbots]] rich with the substance once more, [[Affluous]] seized on the opportunity to affect a paradigm shift in their society, dividing the Monsterbots into the "[[Energon Master]]s", led by him, and those he deemed unworthy. His rule went unchallenged until [[Bumblebee (Cyberverse)|Bumblebee]] and [[Grimlock (Cyberverse)|Grimlock]] arrived to find a psychic shard of [[Windblade (Cyberverse)|Windblade]], toppling Affluous in the process. {{storylink|Journey To The Valley Of Repugnus}}

{{--}}

==Toys and merchandise==
===''Beast Wars''===

[[File:BWNtoy-BigConvoy-Matrix.jpg|left|thumb]]

The [[rubsign]]s introduced into the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' toyline in 1997 were called "Energon Chips". On the Japanese side of things, Energon Matrices were included with [[Lio Convoy]] and [[Big Convoy]]'s toys; while the former's was merely sculpted detail beneath a panel on his chest, the latter's was fully removable.
{{-}}

===Generation 1===

[[File:G1 energon toys.jpg|thumb|275px|Foooood Fiiight!!!]]
[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)/toys|Megatron]]'s energon-axe and energon mace were the first toys that represented physical energon. [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] has enjoyed a long love affair with these weapons, which up until their release in plastic form, had only been ''very'' rarely seen. After several ''[[Heroes of Cybertron|Super Collection Figure]]'' PVC figurines depicted Prime and Megatron with the weapons deployed, the armaments made the jump to true toys with the ''[[The Transformers Collection|Transformers Collection]]'' line of reissues, which featured new axe and mace accessories for the 2003 re-releases of the original Generation 1 [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Transformers Collection|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)/toys#Transformers Collection|Megatron]] toys. These weapons were also included with the ''[[The Transformers: Masterpiece|Masterpiece]]'' versions of the characters, and on Prime's ''[[Hybrid Style]]'' and ''[[Robotmasters (franchise)|Robotmasters]]'' figures as well. Prime's axe in particular has gotten a lot of face-time, having been recolored with each new [[redeco]] of these various Prime toys—and that's been quite a few! See the [[energon-axe]] article for a full listing of this weapon's releases.

''The Transformers Collection'' also featured the first, and to-date only, toys made of energon cubes, three of which came packaged with the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]] giftset. The translucent pink cubes are made of soft rubbery plastic, and are quite small; fairly in-scale with the Insecticons themselves, but undeniably dinky next to any larger toys. The reason for their small size is so that they can fit into the Insecticons' opening cockpits, left over from their days as ''[[Diaclone]]'' toys. Three cubes were also included with the [[e-HOBBY]] exclusive [[Insecticon clone]] [[redeco]] of this set.
{{-}}
===''Energon''===

[[File:Energon weapons.jpg|left|thumb|275px]]

All the Omnicon and Terrorcon toys released in the ''Energon'' toyline came packaged with an Energon star (called an "Energon chip" in the toyline) which could attach to the Spark crystals that most of the toys in the series feature, and an Energon weapon, itself formed from several modular pieces that could be mixed and matched with other figures and other Energon weapon components through the miracle of [[5 mm post]]s. The Autobot stars and weapons were various shades of red, while the Decepticons' were green (purple was considered too close to red<ref>{{TFW2005|Purple is to close to red we needed more seperation between the two forms in the toys and for the cartoon and print partners.|https://news.tfw2005.com/2003/09/17/orsons-world-9-17-910|Aaron Archer|2003|09|17}}</ref>), with each faction sporting a different design for their Energon stars. These weapons included [[Strongarm (Energon)|Strongarm]]'s '''Energy Axe''' (formed from a boom arm and a spare tire) [[Skyblast (Energon)|Skyblast]]'s '''Energy Spear''' (the merging of a cannon and two rocket boosters), [[Signal Flare (Energon)|Signal Flare]]'s '''Energy Cutter''' (made up of a projecting dish and two shield panels), [[Arcee (Energon)|Arcee]]'s compound bow (built from fuel tanks and exhaust pipes), [[Battle Ravage]]'s twin cannons, [[Divebomb (Energon)|Divebomb]]'s '''Energy Raiden''' (the united form of two blades) [[Cruellock]]'s '''Energy Blade''' (a large sword made even larger with the addition of a small gun as a handle) and [[Insecticon (Energon)|Insecticon]]'s '''Energy Drill''' (a dagger and gatling cannon combined). In addition to being recolored and sold in the ''[[Transformers Timelines (toyline)|Timelines]]'' and live-action movie toylines along with the figures who wielded them, many of these weapons were released in new colors as exclusives in Japan, sometimes on their own, sometimes packaged with different toys. See the [[Energon weapon|Energon weapon article]] for a full list. One other set of modular Energon weapons was available as part of the line: the rifle and sword which came with Starscream, owing to the character's status as an "Energon ghost". This pair of weapons could combine to form a ''huge'' sword.

[[File:Energontoy sword and combiner.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]

The limb components of the three "Maximus" [[Combiner]]s released during ''Energon'' also each came with a translucent blue "Super Energon" star and an Energon weapon. Rather than follow the modular mix-and-match pattern of the earlier toys, however, these Energon weapons converted into either a hand or foot for their combined super [[robot mode]]. From [[Superion Maximus]], [[Treadshot (Energon)|Treadshot]] and [[Windrazor (Energon)|Windrazor]] came with twin double-ended cannons, while [[Sky Shadow (Energon)|Sky Shadow]] and [[Terradive (Energon)|Terradive]] were armed with double-barrelled blasters; from [[Constructicon Maximus]], [[Sledge (Energon)|Sledge]] and [[Bonecrusher (Energon)|Bonecrusher]] wielded odd clawed cudgels that were particularly strange next to [[Duststorm (Energon)|Duststorm]] and [[Wideload (Energon)|Wideload]]'s pincer-claws; and from [[Bruticus Maximus (Energon)|Bruticus Maximus]], [[Kickback (Energon)|Kickback]] and [[Blight (Energon)|Blight]] bore combined double-barrelled cannon radar arrays, while [[Blackout (combiner)|Blackout]] and [[Stormcloud (Energon)|Stormcloud]] brandished modular quintuple-barrelled arsenals. These figures were redecoed across the ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'', ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' toylines, and select limbs were chosen by the Transformers Collectors' Club to become components of their exclusive combiner figure, the energon-manipulating Nexus Prime.

[[Megatron (Armada)/toys|Megatron]]'s Energon Sword was his perennial accessory throughout the ''Energon'' toyline, available in various sizes and colors with his toys, and also with a ''Super Link'' exclusive Kicker figure and as a rather large role-play weapon. See the [[Energon Sword|Energon Sword article]] for a full list of releases. By contrast, [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/toys|Optimus Prime]]'s Energon Blaster was ''only'' released as a role-play weapon, its role in the toyline about as memorable as its brief, puzzling appearance in the cartoon.

Energon took another form for a small line of European-exclusive [[List of Transformers restaurant promotions|McDonald's Happy Meal ''Energon'' toys]]. The four figures in the series each came with a large, translucent "Energon cube", which could be inserted inside their body and featured various effects: Optimus Prime and [[Ironhide (Energon)#Toys|Ironhide]]'s had electronic sounds, while Megatron and [[Unicron/toys|Unicron]]'s featured LED lights.

===Live-action movies===
[[File:ROTF energon swords.jpg|left|thumb|225px| Now... where's that face?]]

The first [[subline imprint]] of the [[Transformers (2007 toyline)|live-action movie toyline]] was the "[[AllSpark Power]]" series, in which all the figures sported bright blue parts to represent the glowing blue Energon power of the AllSpark. The AllSpark itself was also rendered in plastic form: it came as a small accessory packaged with the Japanese releases of the "AllSpark Power" figures, or as more esoteric objects like a Rubik's Cube, a paperweight and a candy container. We guess that would make the candy itself the Energon! See the [[AllSpark|AllSpark article]] for a complete listing of merchandise.

[[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys|Optimus Prime]]'s original live-action movie toy did not include the Energon Sword he was seen deploying in the feature film, but the blade was soon added when the figure was retooled for the "[[Premium Series]]" subline imprint. A second sword was added to Prime's arsenal in the ''Revenge of the Fallen'' movie, and given that the swords played a major part in one of the film's set-piece battles, they were quickly established as a fixture on almost all of the line's Optimus Prime toys, from his large-scale Leader-class figure, all the way down to his ''[[Robot Heroes (toyline)|Robot Heroes]]'' figurine. See the [[Dual Energon Swords|Dual Energon Swords article]] for a full listing of toys wielding these face-taking blades.

===''G.I. Joe and the Transformers''===
An [[exclusive]] toy set released for [[San Diego Comic-Con]] 2012, was a [[redeco]] of the 2012 new-[[mold]] ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe: Retaliation]]'' [[HISS tank]] meant to represent Shockwave, with an additional cannon piece meant to emulate Generation 1 Shockwave's gun barrel. It includes the [[Cobra]]s [[Destro|James McCullen Destro XXIV]] and a [[Battle Android Trooper]]<ref>[http://www.yojoe.com/vehicles/12/shockwavehiss/ Shockwave H.I.S.S. page at yojoe.com]</ref> with a trolley for carrying a trio of [[Energon cube]]s. The three cubes, clearly inspired by the Generation 1 cartoon version, are clear pink plastic with inserts to make them appear to be partially filled with liquid.

===''R.E.D. [Robot Enhanced Design]''===
The [[Walmart]] exclusive non-transforming ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)|Generations]]'' toyline features characters from different [[franchises]] that are each dependent on [[show-accuracy]] in each sculpts within their own respective series, this also plays even with their own accessories. Characters from the Generation 1-era are packaged with Glowy Pink Cubes, Raw Energon Crystals for ''Beast Wars'' characters and [[Dark Energon]] Cubes for ''[[Transformers: Prime]]'' characters .

===''Legacy''===
In celebration of the approaching 40th anniversary of the [[Transformers brand|''Transformers'' brand]] and bringing most parts of the [[Multiverse]] (like ''[[Thrilling 30]]'' did for the 30th anniversary), ''Legacy'' toys are accompanied with clear weapons very reminiscent of the *Energon* part of the [[Unicron Trilogy]] (which is near his 20th anniversary in 2023) and in fashion with the ''[[Transformers: Prime (toyline)#Cyberverse|Cyberverse]]'' toys of the ''Prime'' Franchise, Autobots are marketed with Energon Weapons while Decepticons are associated with Dark Energon (only said during the [[Hasbro PulseCon 2021]]). Currently even characters who don't receive clear [[Drag Strip (G1)#Legacy|weapons]] or [[Transformers: Legacy (toyline)#Core_Class|accessories]] are marketed in posts from Official Transformers's social medias with "Energon-infused weapons accessories". <ref>[https://www.instagram.com/p/CY4XcbCL56p Instagram post from the Tranformers Offical account labeling the core class weapons with "Energon-infused accessories"]</ref>

{{--}}

==Notes==
===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Energon''' (エネルゴン ''enerugon'', エナジョン ''enajon'')
*''Chinese:'' '''Energon''' (comics, 异能晶 ''yìnéngjīng''), '''néngliàng kuài''' (Generation 1, 能量块, "energy block"), '''néngliàng jīngtǐ''' (''Generation 2'', 能量晶体, "energy crystal")
*''Russian:'' '''Energon''' (Энергон)

==Footnotes==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Animated substances]]
[[Category:Beast Machines]]
[[Category:Beast Wars substances]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising substances]]
[[Category:Cyberverse (2018)]]
[[Category:Drink]]
[[Category:Energon| ]]
[[Category:Energon franchise]]
[[Category:Food]]
[[Category:Generation 1 substances]]
[[Category:Movie]]
[[Category:Power sources]]
[[Category:Prime]]
[[Category:Primus]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen]]
[[Category:Shattered Glass substances]]
[[Category:Substances]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron]]

Infiltration issue 0

2022-02-19T15:05:14Z

JDspeeder1: /* Other trivia */

{{Comicstory
|series=infiltration|issueno=0
|prev=
|next=Infiltration issue 1
|image=Infiltration 0a.jpg
|caption=Freeze man, before I pop a cap in your afterburner.
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[October 19]], [[2005]]
|coverdate=October 2005
|written by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[E. J. Su]]
|colors by=[[John Rauch]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]] & [[Robbie Robbins]]
|edits by=[[Chris Ryall]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2006-7|2006-7]]
}}
'''A young woman steals an item from a businessman that turns out to be more than meets the eye.'''

==Synopsis==
At a bus station in [[Phoenix (city)|Phoenix]], [[Arizona]], young [[Verity Carlo]] is picking her marks when she spies a high-end [[SM-40|palmtop PC]] in use by an [[Stoker|anonymous businessman]]. Eager to nab the device, she's unaware that she's not the only person interested in the computer: from a nearby [[Runabout (G1)|black sports car]], someone—or some''thing''—is just as intrigued...

Using a stolen ticket, Verity hops onto the same [[Los Angeles]]-bound bus as the businessman. While he's napping she lifts his palmtop computer. Then, with the help of a rancid bagel, she feigns illness and is left at the side of the road. The bus takes off — followed closely behind by the two seemingly normal sports cars.

In a bunker deep underneath [[Oregon]], a report comes in: a target of interest has been "sanitized" but the "cache" is missing: a state of affairs that [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] can't abide.

Alone on the side of the road, Verity sticks out her thumb at the next car and is picked up by an intense young man named [[Hunter O'Nion]], who is rather self-conscious about his last name. Verity tries to figure out why a kid like him is in the middle of nowhere. After Verity grills him about his alien paraphernalia, O'Nion exasperatedly reveals why he's come to the desert, only to swerve suddenly when he spies trouble up ahead.

The two take a detour and discover that Verity's bus has been run off the road by two sports cars. Everyone's okay, except that the businessman whose palmtop Verity stole is missing. As the two depart, O'Nion explains his story: he runs a [[Mechatopia|website]] devoted to alien conspiracy theories. Two years ago, he claims, [[Earth]] was invaded by aliens, and not just ''any'' aliens: these extraterrestrial visitors are, according to his findings, gigantic mechanoids who have escaped [[human]] detection by disguising themselves.

[[File:Infiltration0 Thundercracker.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

A skeptical Verity has a good laugh at his expense... until a red light floods Hunter's van. Seconds later, the two humans realize that it's a scanning beam emitted by [[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|a blue fighter jet]], who, on Starscream's orders, "contains" the two humans as they flee from their van, blowing their only means of escape to bits, and then prepares to "purge" the humans. Verity wonders if they can talk down the jet, but Hunter reveals that he got a good look at the jet's cockpit — and there's nobody inside!

As the jet comes around for another pass, the two humans try and make a break for it, but don't expect to be saved by [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|an ambulance]], who zooms to their rescue and sends the jet fleeing with a roof-mounted cannon. The ambulance's smiling driver reveals himself and tells them that, if they want to live, they'd better come with him!

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (8)
|c2=
*[[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]] (3)
*[[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] (4)
*[[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] (5)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]] (7)
|c3=
*[[Stoker]] (1)
*[[Verity Carlo]] (2)
*[[Hunter O'Nion]] (6)
}}

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* As this is our intro to this new universe, it's told heavily from a human point of view. This also ties into the story's heavy emphasis on concealment and disguise.
*The Transformers are shown to have concealed heavy artillery in their alternate modes. This will often be used in subsequent issues—the fight scenes in the next two issues are primarily done in vehicle mode.

===Transformers references===
* The use of Ratchet and Thundercracker as primary characters in this introduction to IDW's continuity may homage early stories of the [[Marvel Comics continuity]]. Specifically, Ratchet was the lead protagonist in [[Bob Budiansky]]'s [[The New Order|first]] [[The Worse of Two Evils!|story]] [[Warrior School!|arc]] for the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|US comic book]]. Thundercracker, meanwhile, served as a main antagonist (or ''the'' main antagonist, [[Man of Iron (issue)#Production notes|depending upon the version and the coloring]]) for the first original story appearing in the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|Marvel UK comic]], "[[Man of Iron (issue)|Man of Iron]]".
* Further, the emphasis on Transformers remaining disguised in alternate modes, even throughout battles, also seems to homage [[Man of Iron (issue)|Man of Iron]]. Other than Starscream's shadowed back, no Decepticons are seen in robot mode in this issue, similar to how only alt-mode Decepticons appeared until the very end of the Man of Iron storyline.

===Real-life references===
*Ratchet's holomatter driver states, "If you want to live, come with me," in a reference to the often-used line from the ''[[Terminator]]'' franchise. Verity made fun of this in issue #1. Simon Furman would later be the author on a ''Terminator''-based comic series called ''Terminator 2: Infinity''.

===Errors===
[[File:Verity 6 fingers Carlo.jpg|200px|thumb|Six fingers on each hand, six toes on each foot, a healthy baby girl.]]
*After identifying herself as "Verity Carlo" in the narrative text, the character identifies herself to Hunter as "Verity Carter". An internal justification could be that "Verity Carter" is an alias she uses to prevent Social Services tracking her down, but when Ratchet asks for her name in issue #1 she answers with "Verity Carlo".
*When Verity points her knife at the duffel bag on the bus, her right hand has six fingers. Also, when Verity whips out her dual mace spray attack, she has six fingers on each hand.
*Hunter must possess both superhuman vision and nerves of steel to be able to see there is no pilot inside Thundercracker's cockpit as the Decepticon jet passes overhead.

===Other trivia===
*The issue features a welcome page by Chris Ryall (as ChrisCharger), a 3-page interview with author Simon Furman, and 2 pages of sketches from artist E. J. Su, including a 1-page writeup.
*Cover A features [[Jazz (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jazz]] with his original Porsche 935 hood/chest, but when actually seen in the comic, he transforms into a current-model Porsche 911 (aka 997).

===Covers (8)===
<gallery>
File:Infiltration 0a.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #0 cover A''' - Eat lead, dig?
File:Infiltration 0b.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #0 cover B''' - Could it be? Respecting [[scale]]???
File:Infiltration 0c.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #0 cover C''' - Forget Megatron, every girl in the city's got some serious cleavage!
File:Infiltration 0d.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #0 cover D''' - Still function now, Megatron?
</gallery>
*'''''Infiltration'' #0 cover A:''' Autobots, by [[E. J. Su]].
*'''''Infiltration'' #0 cover B:''' Decepticons, by E. J. Su.
*'''''Infiltration'' #0 cover C:''' [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] in city, by [[James Raiz]].
*'''''Infiltration'' #0 cover D:''' [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] fighting Megatron, by [[Milx]].
<gallery>
File:Infiltration 0botcon.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #0 [[BotCon 2005]] exclusive cover''' - Come on, Archer, finish the cover!
File:Infiltration 0gatefold.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #0 Gatefold Incentive cover''' - Totally cool, totally ''not'' in this comic! [[Spotlight: Shockwave|Yet]].
File:Infiltration 0summitprime.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #0 Retailer Summit Exclusive (Boston) cover''' - Well, that's just Prime!
File:Infiltration 0summitmegs.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #0 Retailer Summit Exclusive (Fort Wayne) cover''' - Pissed he won't be in the book for another 6 months.
</gallery>
*'''''Infiltration'' #0 [[BotCon 2005]] exclusive cover:''' Optimus Prime sketches wraparound cover by Aaron Archer and assorted Hasbro artists
*'''''Infiltration'' #0 Gatefold Incentive cover:''' [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] wraparound cover by [[Ed McGuinness]]
*'''''Infiltration'' #0 Retailer Summit Exclusive (Boston) cover:''' Optimus Prime face by E. J. Su
*'''''Infiltration'' #0 Retailer Summit Exclusive (Fort Wayne) cover:''' Megatron face by E. J. Su

===Advertisements===
*[[Infiltration issue 1|''Infiltration'' #1]]
*''Angel: Old Friends'' comic (back interior cover)
*Optimus Prime wants YOU: The Transformers and IDW Publishing (back cover)

===Reprints===
Other than [[The Transformers: Infiltration#Collections|reprints of the full series]]
* N/A

Infiltration issue 0

2022-02-19T14:55:01Z

JDspeeder1: /* Synopsis */

{{Comicstory
|series=infiltration|issueno=0
|prev=
|next=Infiltration issue 1
|image=Infiltration 0a.jpg
|caption=Freeze man, before I pop a cap in your afterburner.
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[October 19]], [[2005]]
|coverdate=October 2005
|written by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[E. J. Su]]
|colors by=[[John Rauch]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]] & [[Robbie Robbins]]
|edits by=[[Chris Ryall]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#2006-7|2006-7]]
}}
'''A young woman steals an item from a businessman that turns out to be more than meets the eye.'''

==Synopsis==
At a bus station in [[Phoenix (city)|Phoenix]], [[Arizona]], young [[Verity Carlo]] is picking her marks when she spies a high-end [[SM-40|palmtop PC]] in use by an [[Stoker|anonymous businessman]]. Eager to nab the device, she's unaware that she's not the only person interested in the computer: from a nearby [[Runabout (G1)|black sports car]], someone—or some''thing''—is just as intrigued...

Using a stolen ticket, Verity hops onto the same [[Los Angeles]]-bound bus as the businessman. While he's napping she lifts his palmtop computer. Then, with the help of a rancid bagel, she feigns illness and is left at the side of the road. The bus takes off — followed closely behind by the two seemingly normal sports cars.

In a bunker deep underneath [[Oregon]], a report comes in: a target of interest has been "sanitized" but the "cache" is missing: a state of affairs that [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] can't abide.

Alone on the side of the road, Verity sticks out her thumb at the next car and is picked up by an intense young man named [[Hunter O'Nion]], who is rather self-conscious about his last name. Verity tries to figure out why a kid like him is in the middle of nowhere. After Verity grills him about his alien paraphernalia, O'Nion exasperatedly reveals why he's come to the desert, only to swerve suddenly when he spies trouble up ahead.

The two take a detour and discover that Verity's bus has been run off the road by two sports cars. Everyone's okay, except that the businessman whose palmtop Verity stole is missing. As the two depart, O'Nion explains his story: he runs a [[Mechatopia|website]] devoted to alien conspiracy theories. Two years ago, he claims, [[Earth]] was invaded by aliens, and not just ''any'' aliens: these extraterrestrial visitors are, according to his findings, gigantic mechanoids who have escaped [[human]] detection by disguising themselves.

[[File:Infiltration0 Thundercracker.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]

A skeptical Verity has a good laugh at his expense... until a red light floods Hunter's van. Seconds later, the two humans realize that it's a scanning beam emitted by [[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|a blue fighter jet]], who, on Starscream's orders, "contains" the two humans as they flee from their van, blowing their only means of escape to bits, and then prepares to "purge" the humans. Verity wonders if they can talk down the jet, but Hunter reveals that he got a good look at the jet's cockpit — and there's nobody inside!

As the jet comes around for another pass, the two humans try and make a break for it, but don't expect to be saved by [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|an ambulance]], who zooms to their rescue and sends the jet fleeing with a roof-mounted cannon. The ambulance's smiling driver reveals himself and tells them that, if they want to live, they'd better come with him!

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (8)
|c2=
*[[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]] (3)
*[[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] (4)
*[[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] (5)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]] (7)
|c3=
*[[Stoker]] (1)
*[[Verity Carlo]] (2)
*[[Hunter O'Nion]] (6)
}}

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* As this is our intro to this new universe, it's told heavily from a human point of view. This also ties into the story's heavy emphasis on concealment and disguise.
*The Transformers are shown to have concealed heavy artillery in their alternate modes. This will often be used in subsequent issues—the fight scenes in the next two issues are primarily done in vehicle mode.

===Transformers references===
* The use of Ratchet and Thundercracker as primary characters in this introduction to IDW's continuity may homage early stories of the [[Marvel Comics continuity]]. Specifically, Ratchet was the lead protagonist in [[Bob Budiansky]]'s [[The New Order|first]] [[The Worse of Two Evils!|story]] [[Warrior School!|arc]] for the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|US comic book]]. Thundercracker, meanwhile, served as a main antagonist (or ''the'' main antagonist, [[Man of Iron (issue)#Production notes|depending upon the version and the coloring]]) for the first original story appearing in the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|Marvel UK comic]], "[[Man of Iron (issue)|Man of Iron]]".
* Further, the emphasis on Transformers remaining disguised in alternate modes, even throughout battles, also seems to homage [[Man of Iron (issue)|Man of Iron]]. Other than Starscream's shadowed back, no Decepticons are seen in robot mode in this issue, similar to how only alt-mode Decepticons appeared until the very end of the Man of Iron storyline.

===Real-life references===
*Ratchet's holomatter driver states, "If you want to live, come with me," in a reference to the often-used line from the ''[[Terminator]]'' franchise. Verity made fun of this in issue #1. Simon Furman would later be the author on a ''Terminator''-based comic series called ''Terminator 2: Infinity''.

===Errors===
[[File:Verity 6 fingers Carlo.jpg|200px|thumb|Six fingers on each hand, six toes on each foot, a healthy baby girl.]]
*After identifying herself as "Verity Carlo" in the narrative text, the character identifies herself to Hunter as "Verity Carter". An internal justification could be that "Verity Carter" is an alias she uses to prevent Social Services tracking her down, but when Ratchet asks for her name in issue #1 she answers with "Verity Carlo".
*When Verity points her knife at the duffel bag on the bus, her right hand has six fingers. Also, when Verity whips out her dual mace spray attack, she has six fingers on each hand.
*Hunter must possess both superhuman vision and nerves of steel to be able to see there is no pilot inside Thundercracker's cockpit as the Decepticon jet passes overhead.

===Other trivia===
*The issue features a welcome page by Chris Ryall (as ChrisCharger), a 3-page interview with author Simon Furman, and 2 pages of sketches from artist E. J. Su, including a 1-page writeup.
*Cover A features Jazz with his original Porsche 935 hood/chest, but when actually seen in the comic, he transforms into a current-model Porsche 911 (aka 997).

===Covers (8)===
<gallery>
File:Infiltration 0a.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #0 cover A''' - Eat lead, dig?
File:Infiltration 0b.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #0 cover B''' - Could it be? Respecting [[scale]]???
File:Infiltration 0c.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #0 cover C''' - Forget Megatron, every girl in the city's got some serious cleavage!
File:Infiltration 0d.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #0 cover D''' - Still function now, Megatron?
</gallery>
*'''''Infiltration'' #0 cover A:''' Autobots, by [[E. J. Su]].
*'''''Infiltration'' #0 cover B:''' Decepticons, by E. J. Su.
*'''''Infiltration'' #0 cover C:''' [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] in city, by [[James Raiz]].
*'''''Infiltration'' #0 cover D:''' [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] fighting Megatron, by [[Milx]].
<gallery>
File:Infiltration 0botcon.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #0 [[BotCon 2005]] exclusive cover''' - Come on, Archer, finish the cover!
File:Infiltration 0gatefold.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #0 Gatefold Incentive cover''' - Totally cool, totally ''not'' in this comic! [[Spotlight: Shockwave|Yet]].
File:Infiltration 0summitprime.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #0 Retailer Summit Exclusive (Boston) cover''' - Well, that's just Prime!
File:Infiltration 0summitmegs.jpg|'''''Infiltration'' #0 Retailer Summit Exclusive (Fort Wayne) cover''' - Pissed he won't be in the book for another 6 months.
</gallery>
*'''''Infiltration'' #0 [[BotCon 2005]] exclusive cover:''' Optimus Prime sketches wraparound cover by Aaron Archer and assorted Hasbro artists
*'''''Infiltration'' #0 Gatefold Incentive cover:''' [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] wraparound cover by [[Ed McGuinness]]
*'''''Infiltration'' #0 Retailer Summit Exclusive (Boston) cover:''' Optimus Prime face by E. J. Su
*'''''Infiltration'' #0 Retailer Summit Exclusive (Fort Wayne) cover:''' Megatron face by E. J. Su

===Advertisements===
*[[Infiltration issue 1|''Infiltration'' #1]]
*''Angel: Old Friends'' comic (back interior cover)
*Optimus Prime wants YOU: The Transformers and IDW Publishing (back cover)

===Reprints===
Other than [[The Transformers: Infiltration#Collections|reprints of the full series]]
* N/A

Insectrain

2022-02-17T12:20:47Z

JDspeeder1:

{{factions|decepticon}}
:''The Insectrain is a [[Decepticon]] made up of the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticon]] [[subgroup]] from the [[Hearts of Steel]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:Hearts of Steel Insecticons insectrain.jpg|upright=2|thumb|Like [[Reflector]] if they combined into a KICK-ASS train instead of an, ahem, camera.]]

The '''Insectrain''' is the combined form of [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]], [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] and [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]]. It is a mighty battletrain, combining the scissor blades of Shrapnel, the pile drivers of Kickback, and Bombshell's rotating turret.

==Fiction==
===''Hearts of Steel''===
The Insectrain smashed through a human train carrying a huge amount of wealth from the Federal mint in Denver to Sacramento. It then separated into its component robots to rob the train and bring the wealth contained to Starscream. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 2|Hearts of Steel #2}}
{{IDW HOS}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
* The name Insectrain was never used in the fiction, but comes from the concept art in the back of the trade paperback.

[[Category:Combined forms]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Decepticons]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Maximals]]
[[Category:Insecticons]]

Jules Verne

2022-02-17T11:55:42Z

JDspeeder1:

[[File:LastOfMorocco Jules Verne.jpg|thumb|right|200px|See Mom, ''Transformers'' IS educational.]]
'''Jules Verne''' is a famous [[France|French]] science-fiction author best known for his works including: ''{{w|Journey to the Center of the Earth|A Journey to the Centre of the Earth}}'', ''{{w|From the Earth to the Moon}}'', ''[[Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea]]'', ''{{w|Around the World in Eighty Days}}'' and ''{{w|The Mysterious Island}}''. Lesser known facts about him include his participation in a millennia-old battle between [[Transformer|alien robots]] here on Earth and his status as a time traveler.

==Fiction==
===''Hearts of Steel''===
[[Image:Jules Verne.jpg|left|200px|thumb|...Whatever one of those may be.]]
Some time in the mid-to-late 1800s, while visiting [[San Francisco]], Verne rode a [[Enterprise|chartered ferry]] with [[Mark Twain]] into the middle of [[San Francisco Bay]] to witness [[Tobias Muldoon]]'s new invention, a "sub-marine" named the [[S.S. Vicuna|S.S. ''Vicuna'']]. However, a technical mishap plunged the ''Vicuna'' to the bottom of the bay, a misfortune that brought laughter from Verne, Twain, and the [[Enterprise captain|ferry's skipper]]. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 1|Hearts of Steel #1}}

A few years later, Verne published ''Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea''. Coincidence? We think not.

{{IDW HOS}}

===''Rescue Bots'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Diedrich Bader]] (English)|[[Robert Dubois]] (French), [[Armando Tiraboschi]] (Brazilian Portuguese)}}
In 1862, Jules Verne met [[Doctor Morocco|Thaddeus Morocco]] at the London Exposition, and the pair became friends, sharing scientific breakthroughs and even the "[[Verne device]]" Jules had developed. Verne used the device to create a balloon capable of [[time travel]], and on a journey to the future, encountered [[Autobot]]s. He did not share with Morocco the power source that allowed him to time travel, and as time went on, the two friends grew distant.

In 1869, Verne got a note from Morocco directing him to a place and date over 140 years in the future. Verne used his balloon to travel there and encountered the [[Griffin Rock]] rescue team, who helped reunite him with Morocco. Verne soon found his friend had changed, and on learning the crimes Morocco was charged with, wanted to take Morocco with him. Verne later took Morocco to the future and showed him around [[Paris]]. {{storylink|The Last of Morocco}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
*In the real world, Jules Verne never visited San Francisco and did not know Twain personally. Of course, the real world has no cool giant robots, either, so we'll take the fiction.

==External links==
*{{w|Jules Verne}} at Wikipedia

{{DEFAULTSORT:Verne, Jules}}
[[Category:Generation 1 humans]]
[[Category:Entertainers]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) humans]]
[[Category:Real people]]
[[Category:Rescue Bots humans]]

Kiss

2018-10-05T00:12:02Z

JDspeeder1:

{{featured}}
[[Image:Arcee_and_Aileron.jpeg|right|400px|thumb|"Japan surrenders, end of war!"]]
A '''kiss''' is a peculiar sort of bonding ritual involving (sometimes mutual) oral contact, especially among [[human]]s. The reasons for this strange phenomenon are usually beyond some [[Transformer]]s' understanding, resulting in many an uncomfortable line of questioning. Are these fleshlings transmitting data? Is it an energy-transferral process? Why are they doing it in [[Bumblebee (G1)|my back seat]]? Why, when the humans do kissing on me, does it [[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)|grant me special powers?]]

Some other Transformers understand kissing juuuuust fine.

==Fiction==
===Generation 1===
====Marvel Comics continuity====
[[Image:Hardtoexplain.jpg|left|100px|thumb|More of a "tongue-transferral process."]]
Shortly after the Transformers first woke up on [[Earth]], an [[Autobot]] reconnaissance expedition was thoroughly confused by the sight of automobiles parked in a drive-in theater playing a movie that featured two humans kissing. {{storylink|The Transformers (issue)|The Transformers}}

[[Image:Kissprimitiveform.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Looks like he's about to round third base as well.]]
It has been stated on a few occasions that the kiss is an act of atonement for past perceived misdeeds. However, this information comes from a very small dataset, specifically the individual human named [[Jesse (G1)|Jesse]]. While in the company of [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]], she has repeatedly described the act of kissing as "apologizing". Since the use of this term has not been observed in use by any other human (other than Buster himself, seemingly part of an attempt to encourage continued kissing from Jesse), the conclusions one can draw are strictly limited. {{storylink|Brainstorm!}} {{storylink|Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom}}

Kissing is not limited to the humans of Earth. The ritual is also practiced on [[Nebulos]] by the Nebulans [[Gort]] and [[Marita]]. The Autobot [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] was able to witness this event, which caused a short but violent war between their race and the Transformers. Clearly volatile emotions surround this act. Highbrow, at the time, was not able to ascertain whether kissing was akin to a [[binomial data transfer]], and even after [[binary bonding]] with Gort, answers have not been forthcoming. {{storylink|Ring of Hate!}}
{{-}}

====Generation 1 cartoon continuity====
[[Image:Megrimlocknokisser.jpg|right|200px|thumb|ME GRIMLOCK SAY NO MEANS NO. ''(Grimlock and Re-Cycle are to the left.)'']]
During the [[Golden Age]], the [[Autobot]]s were known to have engaged in kissing, as [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Orion Pax]] was kissed by his girlfriend [[Elita One (G1)|Ariel]]. {{storylink|War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn}}

The dominant species of the planet [[Brobdingnag]] also engaged in kissing. The boy [[Aron]] received a goodnight kiss from [[Aron's parents|his father]] after a day with some conflict between them. {{storylink|Child's Play (episode)|Child's Play}}

[[Astoria Carlton-Ritz|Astoria]] kisses [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]]'s face before parting. {{storylink|The Girl Who Loved Powerglide}}

The [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]] have adopted the human ritual of kissing, apparently after watching much of their television transmissions. [[Re-Cycle]] even kissed the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot leader]] [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]. This act greatly confused the Dinobot leader, and caused him to reassert his status as "king". {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}

[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] described the (to him) pleasing sound of the [[harmony]] as "a musical kiss". {{storylink|Carnage in C-Minor}}

[[Marissa Faireborn]] and [[Dirk Manus]] shared several kisses during their time together, confusing the witnessing [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]], who called it a bizarre Earth ritual. Dirk used one kiss to distract Marissa as he stole her blaster. {{storylink|Money Is Everything (episode)|Money Is Everything}}

[[Hellbat (Victory)|Hellbat]] used hugs and kisses to distract [[Guyhawk]] from just hearing him plot to get rid of him. {{storylink|Rescue! Guyhawk}}
{{-}}

====Beast Era====
[[File:AgendaPart3 Rattrap kisses Rhinox.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]
The [[Maximal]] [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]] and the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] have been nearly observed kissing at several opportunities, but none of the recording equipment through which we have witnessed the Beast Wars has been able to successfully capture it at the exact moment of contact. Again, as on Nebulos (see above), the act created an amount of irritation amongst the participants' peers. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 1)|The Agenda (Part 1)}} The after-effect of the kiss has been observed, however. When applied to the Maximal following Blackarachnia's Transmetal 2 upgrade, it seemed to disorient him for a moment and shoot small amounts of energy through his cranial module. {{storylink|Crossing the Rubicon}}

After finally deciding to quit the Predacons, [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] sarcastically implored [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] and [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] to plant a "big wet juicy one" right on his posterior. They declined the invitation and shot him instead. {{storylink|Nemesis Part 1}}

Let's not even get into [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] and [[Botanica (BM)|Botanica]]. {{storylink|Spark of Darkness}}

And we aren't even going to touch Rattrap kissing Rhinox after he fell into his arms. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}}.
{{--}}

====''Kiss Players''====
Oh God. You don't want to know. You shouldn't know. But your curiosity will get to you. [[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)|We apologize for any damage caused to your psyche or immortal soul.]]

====IDW Generation 1 continuity====
[[File:ThePriceOfYou-smoochy.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Let's merge.]]

As part of [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]]'s dream of a happy domestic life with [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]], the two bots got very close to kissing before the dream was interrupted by a [[mnemosurgery|mnemosurgically]]-connected [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]]. {{storylink|The Price of You}}

[[Arcee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Arcee]] gave [[Aileron]] a big ol' smooch right on the lips as thanks for saving her life. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 6: Unforgivable|Unforgivable}} Apparently both sides found it enjoyable, as Arcee gave Aileron another kiss on the forehead shortly after she was teleported to [[Earth]] and decked Starscream across the face. {{storylink|Road's End}}

[[File:ASparkAmongEmbers-smoochy.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Die mad about it.]]

[[Anode]] and [[Lug (IDW)|Lug]], awaiting a possibly deadly battle, kissed before expressing their love for each other. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 6): A Spark Among Embers|A Spark Among Embers}}
{{-}}

===Live-action film series===
[[Sam Witwicky]] and [[Mikaela Banes]] could be found macking on [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee's]] hood (note: he was in car mode) to the strains of [[Linkin Park]], as the other Autobots watched. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}}

===''Animated''===
[[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] and [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus]] sometimes look to come close to doing this but it tends to just be a trick on Blackarachnia's part. {{storylink|Along Came a Spider}} {{storylink|Black Friday (episode)|Black Friday}}

[[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]] has shown interest in wanting to steal a kiss from Blackarachnia. {{storylink|Black Friday (episode)|Black Friday}}

===2015 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon===
The Autobots were shocked and bewildered by the sight of two humans kissing on [[television]]. {{storylink|Can You Dig It?}}

===''Shattered Glass''===
After exchanging playful banter, [[Strongarm (SG)|Strongarm]] and [[Windblade (SG)|Windblade]] started making out in front of the other [[Underbase]] bots. [[Demolishor (SG)|Demolishor]] questioned this practice while [[Highwire]] expressed fear that he and his friends had been turned into cyborgs specifically for smooching purposes. {{storylink|Coalescence}}

[[Category:Beast Wars]]
[[Category:Beast Machines]]
[[Category:Earth culture]]
[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:Kiss Players]]
[[Category:Movie]]

Aligned continuity family

2015-05-08T05:59:53Z

JDspeeder1: /* War for Cybertron, Rise of the Dark Spark, and Fall of Cybertron video games */

{{noname-unconfirmed}}
{{cleanup|December 2014|Several parts of the "continuities" section waaay out of date.}}
[[File:Hasbrobible-OPrimedescription.jpg|upright=1.95|thumb|Optimus Prime's depiction in Hasbro's brand bible at the center of the aligned continuity family.]]
The '''Aligned continuity family''' was launched in 2010 with the intention of being the foundation of most ''[[Transformers brand|Transformers]]'' projects for the decade to come.<ref name="decade">[[Hasbro Q&A/January 2011: Answers|TFWiki.net Hasbro Q&A, Jan. 2011]]</ref> Its core is the "[[Binder of Revelation]]",<ref>[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/botcon-2011-coverage-hasbro-intellectual-property-panel/21870/ Seibertron.com Botcon 2011 Coverage: Hasbro Intellectual Property Panel]</ref> a 354-page<ref>[http://www.figures.com/forums/news/13305-botcon-2011-hasbro-panel-report.html Figures.com recap of Hasbro BotCon 2011 panel]</ref> [[production bible|brand bible]] co-written by [[Aaron Archer]], [[Rik Alvarez]] and other Transformer experts from [[Hasbro]] and the [[fandom]], charting billions of years worth of history for the Transformers.<ref>''[[Transformers Vault]]''.</ref> The [[Continuity family|family]] currently comprises the ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (franchise)|War for Cybertron]]'', ''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron]]'', ''[[Transformers: Prime (franchise)|Prime]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Rescue Bots (franchise)|Rescue Bots]]'' franchises,<ref name="aligned">[http://www.allspark.com/content/view/8189/20/ Hasbro continuity declaration]</ref> and it has some influence on [[Transformers Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] character portrayal.<ref name="newaligned">[http://www.tfviews.com/news/main/hasbro-q-and-a/1024 TFviews.com Hasbro Q&A, July 2010]</ref>

Hasbro has not given this family an official title. We have derived the name "Aligned" from Hasbro statements referring to this as a new "aligned continuity".<ref name="aligned" /><ref name="newaligned" /> Hasbro considered the whole continuity "a bit of an animal to define".<ref name="allspark2011botcon"/>

==Creative vision==
The Aligned venture appears to be Hasbro's attempt at synthesizing a grand unified [[continuity]] out of all of the previous lore. An expression of this can be seen in the Hall of Fame profiles, one of which was officially confirmed as being "based off of" Aligned continuity.<ref name="newaligned" /> That one and several others present each character as an amalgam of traits from disparate continuities, ranging from ''[[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]]'' to the [[Unicron Trilogy]] to the [[live-action film series]] and more (see [[#Hall of Fame profiles|below]]).

This is a significant departure from Hasbro's [[Transformers: Universe (2003 franchise)|previous]] [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club (magazine)|forays]] into meta-continuity, which preserved the integrity of old timelines as separate, coexistent universes within a single [[multiverse]]. In that schema, the Aligned family would be simply one more [[universal stream]] added to the mix, beholden to preestablished concepts like [[Multiversal singularity|multiversal singularities]]. But when asked about how [[The Fallen|a certain singularity]] would relate to the new fiction, Hasbro replied, "Anything you know from past generations of the brand may or may not be factual in the new continuity."<ref name="fallen">[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=74182&view=findpost&p=1675011 Allspark.com Hasbro Q&A, Nov. 2010]</ref> At [[BotCon 2011]], the multiverse was referred to as a "separate universe".<ref name="allspark2011botcon">[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=79726 AllSpark.com live transcript of Archer and Alvarez's 2011 BotCon panel]</ref>

Where, exactly, this leaves the Aligned fiction in relation to the rest of the multiverse is unclear. [[Movie continuity|Other]] [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|contemporary]] [[Transformers Timelines (fiction)|fiction]] has continued to tell stories set in older universes, so it seems at least that Aligned material is not meant to supersede the continuities from which it draws. The Aligned universe has also been involved in crossovers with older universes, meaning that it is not entirely separate from the rest of Transformers fiction.

==Continuities==
{{See also|Aligned timeline}}

Hasbro consistently refers to all Aligned fiction as one "continuity", and while different storylines may appear to contradict each other, "reasons for the confusion will be revealed".<ref name="decade" /> However, that ideal is hampered by the fact that various elements of the fiction have separate creative teams with distinct visions that sometimes conflict. For that reason, this wiki takes the more cautious route of calling it a "continuity family". The brand bible's description in ''Transformers Vault'' states it paints the Transformers history in broad strokes, so as to give creators the necessary flexibility when crafting their stories, a belief echoed by statements made at [[BotCon 2011]]: Archer spoke of a "squint test" where everything can be seen as one family of stories, where only fans would see differences.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/botcon-2011-hasbro-story-building-panel-172316/ TFW coverage of Botcon 2011 Hasbro Story Building Panel]</ref> Branches of fiction include:

===Hall of Fame profiles===
In May of 2010, before any Aligned franchises had launched, Hasbro announced a "Transformers Hall of Fame" honoring characters and people associated with the ''Transformers'' brand. The spot for one inductee was put to a fan-vote: [[Transformers Hall of Fame#Nominees|Five character profiles]] were published on Hasbro.com, and users could cast a vote for one of them. Most of them were described with a combination of traits from various continuities; for example, [[Jazz (disambiguation)|Jazz]] is pictured in [[Jazz (G1)|his ''Generation 1'' form]] but described as a "[[Cyber-Ninja Corps|Cyber-Ninja]]" like [[Jazz (Animated)|his ''Animated'' incarnation]].<ref>[http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/news/TRANSFORMERS-HALL-OF-FAME-Nominee-3.cfm Jazz's Hall of Fame profile]</ref> [[Soundwave (disambiguation)|Soundwave]], also looking like [[Soundwave (G1)|his ''Generation 1'' self]], is said to have a mysterious origin like [[Soundwave (Cybertron)|his ''Cybertron'' counterpart]], his partners are called "[[Mini-Con]]s" instead of "[[Mini-Cassette]]s", and he has [[Soundwave (ROTF)|his live-action movie incarnation]]'s vulnerability to simultaneous sonic booms.<ref>[http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/news/TRANSFORMERS-HALL-OF-FAME-Nominee-1.cfm Soundwave's Hall of Fame profile]</ref> Later, a [[Hasbro Q&A]] answer stated that Jazz's entry is based on Aligned continuity.<ref name="newaligned" /> [[Jazz (WFC)|The character does appear in ''War for Cybertron'' fiction]], but with no particularly Cyber-Ninja-like attributes.

===''War for Cybertron'', ''Rise of the Dark Spark'', and ''Fall of Cybertron'' video games===
Created by [[High Moon Studios]] under Game Director [[Matt Tieger]] with tie-in games by [[Next Level Games]] and [[Vicarious Visions]], [[Transformers: War for Cybertron (games)|''War for Cybertron'']]'s aesthetics and characterizations are heavily based on [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]]; for example, [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] and [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] speak words, despite both being quasi-mute in the [[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|''Prime'' cartoon]]. Set in the ancient days of the [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]ian war, the games' plot focuses on [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]]'s quest to harness [[Dark Energon]], which ends up corrupting the planet itself and leaving it uninhabitable for millions of years. Those events overlap a large portion of the simultaneously-released ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]'' novel, but they [[Transformers: War for Cybertron (360/PS3/PC)#Synopsis|differ in many details]]. Two years later, ''War for Cybertron'' was followed by its sequel, ''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron]]''. Two years later still saw the release of the ''[[Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console)|Rise of the Dark Spark]]'' ''[[Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (3DS)|games]]'', which cross over with the ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction]]'' cast.

===Novels===
Written by [[Alex Irvine]], ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]'' describes the beginning of the war and then, as mentioned above, covers the same ground as the ''War for Cybertron'' games with many differing details. (Hasbro did take a small stab at reconciliation by declaring [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]]'s predecessor in the games, "Zeta Prime", and the one in the novel, "Sentinel Prime", to be the same individual, "[[Sentinel Zeta Prime]]".)<ref>[http://www.ripten.com/2010/06/26/creators-talk-transformers-war-for-cybertron-at-botcon-2010-panel-lbd416/ Ripten.com's coverage of the BotCon 2010 Activision panel]</ref> Irvine also wrote the [[Transformers: War for Cybertron (comic)|''War for Cybertron'' comic]] and the apocryphal short story [[Bumblebee at Tyger Pax]], both set in the novel's pre-game period. The comic contains no major discrepancies, other than maintaining the "Sentinel Prime" name, but the short story features [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] losing his ability to speak words before the game events. ''[[Transformers: Exiles]]'' continues the saga immediately post-Cybertron, as ''Exodus'' ends shortly after the events of ''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron]]'', while ''[[Transformers: Retribution]]'' will continue to explore the gap between the ''Cybertron'' games and ''Prime'' series.

===''Generations'' toy bios===
[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (franchise)#Toys|A handful of toys]] were created directly from ''War for Cybertron'' designs and sold as part of the [[Transformers: Generations|''Generations'' toyline]]. While lacking the phrase "War for Cybertron" on their packaging, the release of the first wave was timed within days of the games and novel,<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=69812 Allspark.com toy-sighting forum reports]</ref> and their on-package [[bio]]s are basically in sync with that fiction as well. Megatron's, for example, focuses on his penchant for upgrading his body with "bleeding-edge" technology,<ref>[http://www.seibertron.com/images/toys/files/127/cybertronian-megatron-011.jpg Cybertronian Megatron's on-package bio]</ref> which may be an allusion to his lustful utilization of Dark Energon. Bumblebee's says he was once a "chatterbox" but is now a "silent warrior",<ref>[http://www.seibertron.com/images/toys/files/127/wfc-bumblebee-009.jpg Cybertronian Bumblebee's on-package bio]</ref> which appears to be a bridge between his ''War for Cybertron'' and then-upcoming ''Prime'' portrayals; however, it's not strictly accurate because in ''Prime'' he can still vocalize, just [[R2-D2|not in words]]. Later Generations toys made from ''Fall of Cybertron'' designs WOULD feature the phrase "Fall of Cybertron."

===''Prime'' cartoon===
Overseen by the team of [[Jeff Kline]], [[Duane Capizzi]], [[Roberto Orci]] and [[Alex Kurtzman]], [[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|this show]] is set on modern-day [[Earth]] with a unique aesthetic somewhere between the [[live-action film series]] and ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Animated]]''. Released five months after ''War for Cybertron'', it also features Dark Energon as a primary plot element, but it seems to be a more mysterious substance with the added quality of being able to [[Terrorcon (Prime)|reanimate corpses]].<ref>[[Darkness Rising, Part 2|''Prime'' episode "Darkness Rising, Part 2"]]</ref> Also, strangely, Megatron is able to create an army of such creatures by crashing Dark Energon into the dead world of Cybertron,<ref>[[Darkness Rising, Part 2|''Prime'' episode "Darkness Rising, Part 5"]]</ref> despite the reason for the planet's demise in ''War for Cybertron'' being its complete infection with the stuff. It was stated at [[BotCon 2011]] that Dark Energon's nature differed because of the modern era of the show, as opposed to the ancient setting of the novel and games. The producers also iterated that while they strive to maintain continuity, ultimately leeway was allowed if it served the story.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/botcon-2011-transformers-prime-panel-172315/ TFW coverage of Hasbro Studios panel at BotCon 2011]</ref>

A [[Transformers: Prime (graphic novel)|prequel comic]] written by [[Mike Johnson]] shows events on Cybertron immediately before the cartoon, incorporating the ''Exodus'' notion of [[space bridge]]s being a lost art and Megatron's backstory as a [[Kaon]]ian miner. [[Titan Books|Titan Comics]] also publishes a [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|magazine]] tied in to the cartoon.

===''Online'' and ''Universe'' online games===
Developed by [[NetDragon]] and [[Jagex]] for their respective Eastern and Western markets, the ''[[Transformers Online]]'' and ''[[Transformers Universe]]'' online games were to tie into ''Prime'' aesthetically and broaden the universe. However, both games were discontinued shortly after their initial release, leaving them largely unconnected to the rest of the Aligned continuity family outside of a few passing references.

===''Prime'' game===
''[[Transformers: Prime - The Game]]'' was published by [[Activision Blizzard|Activision]] for Nintendo gaming systems. It was released on [[October 30]], [[2012]].

===''Rescue Bots'' cartoon===
''[[Transformers: Rescue Bots (cartoon)|Rescue Bots]]'' features a group of Autobots not ready to face the Decepticons. Instead, they are assigned to help a team of search & rescue workers on an island in Maine.

===2015 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon===
''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)|Robots in Disguise]]'' is a direct sequel to the ''Prime'' cartoon. It follows Bumblebee leading a new team of Autobots back to Earth to re-capture Decepticon criminals.

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==Notes==
* Instead of giving this continuity family an official name, Hasbro has instead referred to it with brief descriptors such as "new aligned",<ref name="newaligned" /> "aligned",<ref name="aligned" /> "modern",<ref name="decade" /><ref name="fallen" /> and "War for Cybertron/Exodus".<ref name="newaligned" /> VP of Intellectual Property Development [[Aaron Archer]] said at a [[BotCon 2010]] panel that he had considered naming it "Epochs" but then decided not to.
* The [[Transformers (2010 toyline)|subtitle-less ''Transformers'' toyline launched in 2010]] and its companion line, ''Generations'', share some of the Aligned spirit, since they likewise contain characters and concepts from previous franchises with little separation. But the only real connection between those toylines and Aligned material is the small number of [[#Generations toy bios|previously-mentioned]] ''War for Cybertron''-inspired toys. Hasbro has referred to the [[Power Core Combiners]] subline as "exist[ing] in the modern world continuity",<ref>[[Hasbro Q&A/November 2010: Answers|TFWiki.net Hasbro Q&A, Nov. 2010]]</ref> but the context of that statement doesn't suggest a specific reference to Aligned.
* The ''Hubworld Transformers: Prime'' TV special featured footage of BotCon attendees taking a ''Transformers'' quiz, with the questions being what Optimus Prime's original name was, what his job had been, and which soap opera was the Autobots' favorite. The soap opera (''[[As the Kitchen Sinks]]'') is from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original ''The Transformers'' cartoon]], but the "correct" answers to the first two questions were said to be "Orion Pax" and "data clerk". Aligned continuity is the only source where both of those ideas are true. This seems to reflect Hasbro's current policy of treating Aligned material as the default ''Transformers'' "truth". Something similar occurred during the [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] era, where [[DK Publishing|DK]]'s ''[[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide]]'' treated that continuity as the default "truth," so this is not a completely new phenomenon.
* By surface appearances, the Aligned continuity appears to have influenced the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity]], with [[James Roberts]] introducing elements into his work such as the Optimus-Megatron backstory, with Optimus as a civil servant swayed by Megatron's rhetoric, a [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] starting to feel his advanced age, and the idea of [[alternate mode]] determining social and racial position. Amazingly, however, this is all ''complete coincidence''; Roberts is not overly familiar with what's going on in the Aligned universe, and originated these ideas on his own.
**On the other hand, the use of ''War for Cybertron'' character designs in the ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' and ''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise|Robots in Disguise]]'' series ''is'' intentional, and given how closely editor [[John Barber]] and Hasbro work together, some cross-pollination of ideas would be unsurprising.<ref>[http://www.newsarama.com/21865-big-boys-come-to-play-in-transformers-combiner-wars-crossover.html Newsarama: Big Boys Come To Play in TRANSFORMERS’ COMBINER WARS Crossover]</ref>

==See also==

* [[Aligned timeline]]

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Aligned| ]]
[[Category:Continuity families]]
[[Category:Prime]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron]]