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Brainstorm (G1)

2013-10-30T17:57:32Z

Kenai: /* The Headmasters cartoon */

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig2|the Headmaster character|the Marvel comic issue|Brainstorm!}}
:''Brainstorm is an [[Autobot]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] and one of the most <s>famous</s> notorious inventors from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:Brainstormg1.jpg|300px|thumb|If a job's worth doing, it's worth OVERDOING!]]
'''Brainstorm''' is not a modest person. He's a genius, he knows it, and he's going to make damn sure you know it too. He believes that all of society's problems can be resolved so long as ideas can be developed free of outside constraints. This is understandable, as Brainstorm is a never-ending font of ideas, ranging from useful biotechnology, to [[Metafictional bomb|outlandish anti-personnel weaponry]], to [[Malevolent Counterintuitive Pathogen|devices that harness the bizarre and unthinkable]]. It's perhaps telling that his fellow Autobots have adopted "the Brainstorm" as a unit of apocalyptic potential. Unlike his idol-cum-professional rival [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]], Brainstorm doesn't like to let little things like "basic safety" and "proper experimental procedure" get in the way of his projects, and will happily hand out new and untested inventions to [[Whirl (G1)|less-than-responsible comrades]] for field-testing.

Even when he isn't consciously working on one of his projects or ''even'' when he's in the middle of a fight, new ideas are the background noise of his mind, sometimes to such an extent that his brain will overheat. He looks forward to a time when military demands no longer frame his creative output, though Brainstorm can't deny that he does enjoy winding up the [[Ethics Committee]] with his "[[unmentionable]]" exploits.

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

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

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Brainstormtrialbyfire.jpg|left|250px|thumb|He's green, dammit! Green!]]
After [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] and his troops aboard the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' went missing, Brainstorm was one of several under the leadership of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. Their faction was mired in a seemingly endless war with a band of [[Decepticon]]s led by [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], in a struggle so pointless and self-perpetuating that Fortress Maximus decided to leave [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and its war and settle on the peaceful planet [[Nebulos]]. Brainstorm followed Fortress Maximus' lead, building the ''[[Steelhaven]]'' and departing their war-torn home.

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

[[File:Brainstormworldsapart.jpg|200px|thumb|Brainstorm would rather fight and die than live with the knowledge that he ran.]]
When the Decepticons arrived on Nebulos, Fortress Maximus and Brainstorm's heads convinced [[Galen]] to attempt the creation of hybrid warriors through a bio-mechanical engineering process. An experimental surgeon named [[Arcana]] constructed the necessary equipment based on the Autobots' theories and underwent the process himself along with several other Nebulans, [[binary bonding]] with Brainstorm. {{storylink|Broken Glass!}}

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

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

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

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

[[File:Tastybrainstorm.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Can Unicron detect how much cinnamon is packed into every bite of Brainstorm?]]''Brainstorm was displaced to [[Limbo]] along with a handful of other Autobots when [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Rodimus Prime]] traveled to the past with a group of Autobots of his own. {{storylink|Time Wars}}''
Later, he was one of the victims of a rogue Autobot [[Guardian (Marvel)|Mark V Guardian droid]], which resulted in him being thrown from the ''Ark'' and landing at the feet of Optimus Prime. Brainstorm's flaming body helped contribute to the Autobot leader regaining his desire to fight. {{storylink|Yesterday's Heroes!}}

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

{{-}}

====Regeneration One====
{{noteRG1}}
Twenty-one years after the death of Arcana and destruction of Brainstorm's original body, Nebulos had signed an [[Interplanetary Trade Treaty]] with Cybertron, which included [[Project Lazarus]]—a project to build new bodies for the original heads of the now-deceased Headmasters. Grimlock reviewed transmissions in which Senior Scientist [[Bork]] explained that the initial attempts had led to extreme pain and complete rejection of the new bodies, including footage of a disastrous attempt at integrating Brainstorm's head with a new body, until data from Zarak's old files improved the process. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 2}}

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

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

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

===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Michael Bell]] (English), [[Hiroshi Naka]] (Japanese)

[[File:Brainstormspike.jpg|250px|thumb|"Okay, we'll become Headmasters, but you gotta take the old man."]]Brainstorm was first seen on Cybertron, touting his new theory that an integration of human and Autobot would dramatically enhance their fighting abilities. Most of the other Autobots, though, thought he was a crackpot. Things turned around when he and a group of Autobots met a band of freedom fighters while stranded on the planet Nebulos. With several comrades kidnapped and the safety of the <s>MacGuffin</s> [[Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber|key]] to the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]] in jeopardy, the Autobots arranged to bond with the Nebulan soldiers. Their heads were reconstructed to accommodate Nebulan passengers and then "transform" around their partners as personal battle armor. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}}

[[File:Brainstormrebirthvehicle.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Uh, Arcana, he has a cockpit.]]
With the help of their partners, the Autobot Headmasters freed their comrades and drove off the Decepticons. Unfortunately, their foes then joined forces with the freedom fighters' enemies, a group of evil machinesmiths called the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]]. They also created a new form of binary bonding called Targetmasters. The revitalized Decepticons returned and engaged the Autobots in battle anew. [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]] detected the key on Brainstorm and managed to disarm him. Several Hive agents then swarmed Brainstorm and removed the key from him, but he was able to run a full spectrum exo-scan on [[Nightstick (Cyclonus)|Nightstick]], one of the Targetmaster partners, before they got away. With that information, Brainstorm was able to recreate the Targetmaster process for the Autobots. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}}

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

====Wings Universe====
{{wingsnote}}
[[File:FlashForward3-Headmasters.jpg|left|thumb|200px|]]
Following [[Hi-Q]]'s kidnapping, Brainstorm turned out with Highbrow, [[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] and Chromedome to brief [[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]]'s team. {{storylink|A Flash Forward, Part 3}}
{{-}}

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

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

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

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

[[File:HM3 Brainstorm.jpg|left|thumb|250px|"What do you mean 'shouldn't you have a mouthplate?'?"]]
In the year 2011, when Galvatron launched his latest attack on Cybertron with the added power of his new Decepticon Headmasters, Brainstorm and his fellow Autobot Headmasters travelled to the planet to help their comrades defend their homeworld. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} On arrival, they set about fighting the Decepticons. Brainstorm and Chromedome were able to overcome [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]], despite the Decepticon's powers of hypnotism. Following the battle's conclusion, they traveled to [[Athenia]] on board Battleship Maximus to join the Autobot forces there. Though they volunteered to accompany [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] to [[Earth]] to help search for the [[Matrix of Leadership]], he insisted on sidelining them. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} After [[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]]'s death, the Headmasters joined Hot Rod anyway and helped him search. When the came under attack from [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]], they were able to hold the Decepticon off long enough for Hot Rod to dig up the Matrix. They accompanied him back to Cybertron, where Hot Rod once more became Rodimus Prime, but they failed to stabilize [[Vector Sigma]], and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] was forced to do it himself by sacrificing his life. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}}

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[[File:HM20 Brainstorm closeup.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]
As Maximus neared the [[Twin Star]] system, Brainstorm got the other riled up by claiming battle was about brain over brawn. He volunteered to accompany Daniel, [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] to the planet of Toruin while the others fought the Decepticons on Spherity. The four of them weren't on the barren planet for long before they stumbled on an underground city—the inhabitants of Spherity were using the planet as a refuge. Brainstorm returned to the battle on Spherity, using a head swap technique with the other Headmasters so he could reach Fortress and deliver the news that Spherity was an empty world. He later apologized to the other Headmasters for his earlier comments about warfare. {{storylink|Battle for Defense of the False Planet}}

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

[[File:HM26 Brainstorm shocked.jpg|thumb|250px]]
Brainstorm was keen to take the fight to the Decepticons before their foe could return to Chaar. The Headmasters took part in a battle on the [[Pirate Planet]], though there turned out to be no energy there. {{storylink|Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship}} As the Decepticons returned to Chaar, the Autobot Headmasters returned to Athenia. They traveled to Earth to try to stem a Decepticon attack, but were too late to prevent [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s death at the hands of Sixshot. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}}

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

[[File:HM29 Brainstorm transform dash!.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]
With Earth largely abandoned by the Decepticons, the Autobot Headmasters set about finding the bombs they'd planted. Brainstorm and Highbrow retrieved a bomb from a mine and returned it to Battleship Maximus. During the disposal of the bombs in space, an accident created the [[Targetmaster]]s from a group of refugees from Master and some Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)}} Brainstorm and Highbrow carried [[Pointblank]] back to the ship, though the newcomer dismissed their combat skills. Warned by the refugees, the Headmasters returned to their home world and fought the Decepticons. {{Storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 2)}}

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
{{ongoing}}

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

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

When the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] broke out, Brainstorm joined the Autobots under the newly-minted [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]]. [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] didn't think much of Brainstorm's chances of survival in the early days of the war. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 13#"Old Ways"|Old Ways}} He briefly appeared among the Autobot troops fighting [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] and the Decepticons on Cybertron in the distant past. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1}}

[[File:AHM15 Brainstorm.jpg|thumb|200px|"They say great science is built on the shoulders of giants. Not here. At Kimia, we do all our science from scratch. No hand holding."]]
He was later stationed at the [[Kimia Facility]], working on lots of experimental technology and weaponry for the Autobot cause, where his designs were often considered the insane standard that all other weapon designers in Kimia held themselves to. More than any other Autobot, he had beaten a path to [[Room 113]] where his creations were time and time again rejected by the [[Ethics Committee]] as violations of the [[Non-Conventional Weapons Act]]. Undaunted by the rejections, Brainstorm continued to dream up more outlandish and dangerous weapons in his time at Kimia. His most daring inventions were referred to as the "[[Unmentionable]]s". {{storylink|Bullets}}

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

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

[[File:Brainstorm Chromedome infodump.jpg|thumb|left|250px|We reject your literary device and substitute our own!]]
Brainstorm and the other scientists were caught by surprise when [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] and the [[Sweep]]s invaded Kimia. {{storylink|Chaos Part One: Lamentations}} He survived and managed to escape before the facility's destruction, leaving in an escape pod together with Chromedome and a number of other Autobots. They were soon rescued by [[Arcee (G1)|"a psychopath in pink armor"]]. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings}} From her, they learned that they had to save the universe by stopping [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]] from letting the [[Dead Universe]] into it. Brainstorm had a hard time grasping all this, and together with Chromedome wondered if any species other than Cybertronians ever had to deal with this kind of problem. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis}}

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

[[File:MTMTE7 inverted Brainstorm.jpg|thumb|200px|"Science isn't about WHY! It's about WHY NOT! Why is so much of my science dangerous? Why not invent a special safety door that won't hit [[Chromedome (G1)|you]] on the butt on the way out, because you are FIRED!"]]
When a [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] was loose aboard the ''Lost Light'', Brainstorm found himself trapped in an elevator with the creature, which had been hunting [[Rung]]. Brainstorm cried out that he was too ''smart'' to die and held up his briefcase in an attempt to ward the Sparkeater off. Fortunately for him, the Sparkeater decided to continue chasing Rung, leaving Brainstorm flustered, but unharmed. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}}

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

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

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

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

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

[[Image:Brainstorm brings briefcase to funeral.jpg|right|thumb|200px]]
After Overlord's rampage cost the lives of Rewind and many other crew members, Brainstorm was sincerely worried about Chromedome. When the funeral was over, Brainstorm confronted him in his habitation suite about the shadowplay Chromedome performed on himself after the deaths of his last three [[Conjunx Endura]]e. Brainstorm begged him not to extract his memories of Rewind too, because that would mean Rewind was truly gone. {{storylink|The Gloaming}}

{{-}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: The Headmasters''===

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

===''The Transformers'' (PS2)===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Peter von Gomm]]

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

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

He retreated to formulate a new plan.

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

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[File:G1Brainstorm toy.jpg|300px|thumb|No no no no no...]]
*'''Brainstorm''' (1987)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-104'''
**''Accessories'': "Arcana" Headmaster pilot, left & right "High-Energy [[Photon pulse cannon|Photon Pulse Cannons]]"

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

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1987/Autobot/Brainstorm/brainstorm.htm More information on Brainstorm at TFU.info]''
{{-}}
==Notes==
[[File:G1BrainstormOriginalHead.jpg|150px|thumb|Please find us clearer footage.]]
[[File:Brainstormpretenderscommercial.jpg|150px|thumb|His blue period.]]
* In early planning stages, the Large Headmasters were to have differently styled heads that would be replaced by their more familiar heads during the Headmaster process. A [[commercial]] for [[Ring of Hate!|Headmasters #1]] featuring animation of Brainstorm and others is the only time these designs were used.
* The Headmasters appeared in a second commercial with much more sophisticated animation. In this entry, we see the Autobot Headmasters lined up in vehicle modes as their Nebulan partners run up into their cockpits and then launch into an attack. [http://youtube.com/watch?v=dDSemtc0JaU]
* Additional footage of the Headmasters featured in the animated introduction to the first commercial for the [[Pretender]]s. As Brainstorm battles [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]], the narration claims that after a series of defeats, the Autobots are required to up the ante by developing Pretender technology.
* In all three of these commercials, Brainstorm is colored in his [[Marvel Comics]] colors rather than his color scheme seen in "[[The Rebirth]]", with his dark green and orange being replaced with cyan and yellow.
* Brainstorm is a Christian! In the [[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|''Headmasters'' cartoon]] episode "[[The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery]]", when the Headmasters encounter a massacre on the planet [[Praum]], he crosses himself. (This is ''slightly'' less bizarre than it seems; the space frontier colony [[Iron Town]] includes a robot-scaled Church with a cross on it.)

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

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

[[Category:Engineers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Autobots]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce Autobots]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Autobots]]

Brainstorm (G1)

2013-10-30T17:56:31Z

Kenai: /* The Headmasters cartoon */

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig2|the Headmaster character|the Marvel comic issue|Brainstorm!}}
:''Brainstorm is an [[Autobot]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] and one of the most <s>famous</s> notorious inventors from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:Brainstormg1.jpg|300px|thumb|If a job's worth doing, it's worth OVERDOING!]]
'''Brainstorm''' is not a modest person. He's a genius, he knows it, and he's going to make damn sure you know it too. He believes that all of society's problems can be resolved so long as ideas can be developed free of outside constraints. This is understandable, as Brainstorm is a never-ending font of ideas, ranging from useful biotechnology, to [[Metafictional bomb|outlandish anti-personnel weaponry]], to [[Malevolent Counterintuitive Pathogen|devices that harness the bizarre and unthinkable]]. It's perhaps telling that his fellow Autobots have adopted "the Brainstorm" as a unit of apocalyptic potential. Unlike his idol-cum-professional rival [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]], Brainstorm doesn't like to let little things like "basic safety" and "proper experimental procedure" get in the way of his projects, and will happily hand out new and untested inventions to [[Whirl (G1)|less-than-responsible comrades]] for field-testing.

Even when he isn't consciously working on one of his projects or ''even'' when he's in the middle of a fight, new ideas are the background noise of his mind, sometimes to such an extent that his brain will overheat. He looks forward to a time when military demands no longer frame his creative output, though Brainstorm can't deny that he does enjoy winding up the [[Ethics Committee]] with his "[[unmentionable]]" exploits.

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

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

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Brainstormtrialbyfire.jpg|left|250px|thumb|He's green, dammit! Green!]]
After [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] and his troops aboard the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' went missing, Brainstorm was one of several under the leadership of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. Their faction was mired in a seemingly endless war with a band of [[Decepticon]]s led by [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], in a struggle so pointless and self-perpetuating that Fortress Maximus decided to leave [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and its war and settle on the peaceful planet [[Nebulos]]. Brainstorm followed Fortress Maximus' lead, building the ''[[Steelhaven]]'' and departing their war-torn home.

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

[[File:Brainstormworldsapart.jpg|200px|thumb|Brainstorm would rather fight and die than live with the knowledge that he ran.]]
When the Decepticons arrived on Nebulos, Fortress Maximus and Brainstorm's heads convinced [[Galen]] to attempt the creation of hybrid warriors through a bio-mechanical engineering process. An experimental surgeon named [[Arcana]] constructed the necessary equipment based on the Autobots' theories and underwent the process himself along with several other Nebulans, [[binary bonding]] with Brainstorm. {{storylink|Broken Glass!}}

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

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

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

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

[[File:Tastybrainstorm.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Can Unicron detect how much cinnamon is packed into every bite of Brainstorm?]]''Brainstorm was displaced to [[Limbo]] along with a handful of other Autobots when [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Rodimus Prime]] traveled to the past with a group of Autobots of his own. {{storylink|Time Wars}}''
Later, he was one of the victims of a rogue Autobot [[Guardian (Marvel)|Mark V Guardian droid]], which resulted in him being thrown from the ''Ark'' and landing at the feet of Optimus Prime. Brainstorm's flaming body helped contribute to the Autobot leader regaining his desire to fight. {{storylink|Yesterday's Heroes!}}

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

{{-}}

====Regeneration One====
{{noteRG1}}
Twenty-one years after the death of Arcana and destruction of Brainstorm's original body, Nebulos had signed an [[Interplanetary Trade Treaty]] with Cybertron, which included [[Project Lazarus]]—a project to build new bodies for the original heads of the now-deceased Headmasters. Grimlock reviewed transmissions in which Senior Scientist [[Bork]] explained that the initial attempts had led to extreme pain and complete rejection of the new bodies, including footage of a disastrous attempt at integrating Brainstorm's head with a new body, until data from Zarak's old files improved the process. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 2}}

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

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

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

===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Michael Bell]] (English), [[Hiroshi Naka]] (Japanese)

[[File:Brainstormspike.jpg|250px|thumb|"Okay, we'll become Headmasters, but you gotta take the old man."]]Brainstorm was first seen on Cybertron, touting his new theory that an integration of human and Autobot would dramatically enhance their fighting abilities. Most of the other Autobots, though, thought he was a crackpot. Things turned around when he and a group of Autobots met a band of freedom fighters while stranded on the planet Nebulos. With several comrades kidnapped and the safety of the <s>MacGuffin</s> [[Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber|key]] to the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]] in jeopardy, the Autobots arranged to bond with the Nebulan soldiers. Their heads were reconstructed to accommodate Nebulan passengers and then "transform" around their partners as personal battle armor. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}}

[[File:Brainstormrebirthvehicle.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Uh, Arcana, he has a cockpit.]]
With the help of their partners, the Autobot Headmasters freed their comrades and drove off the Decepticons. Unfortunately, their foes then joined forces with the freedom fighters' enemies, a group of evil machinesmiths called the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]]. They also created a new form of binary bonding called Targetmasters. The revitalized Decepticons returned and engaged the Autobots in battle anew. [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]] detected the key on Brainstorm and managed to disarm him. Several Hive agents then swarmed Brainstorm and removed the key from him, but he was able to run a full spectrum exo-scan on [[Nightstick (Cyclonus)|Nightstick]], one of the Targetmaster partners, before they got away. With that information, Brainstorm was able to recreate the Targetmaster process for the Autobots. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}}

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

====Wings Universe====
{{wingsnote}}
[[File:FlashForward3-Headmasters.jpg|left|thumb|200px|]]
Following [[Hi-Q]]'s kidnapping, Brainstorm turned out with Highbrow, [[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] and Chromedome to brief [[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]]'s team. {{storylink|A Flash Forward, Part 3}}
{{-}}

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

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

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

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

[[File:HM3 Brainstorm.jpg|left|thumb|250px|"What do you mean 'shouldn't you have a mouthplate?'?"]]
In the year 2011, when Galvatron launched his latest attack on Cybertron with the added power of his new Decepticon Headmasters, Brainstorm and his fellow Autobot Headmasters travelled to the planet to help their comrades defend their homeworld. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} On arrival, they set about fighting the Decepticons. Brainstorm and Chromedome were able to overcome [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]], despite the Decepticon's powers of hypnotism. Following the battle's conclusion, they traveled to [[Athenia]] on board Battleship Maximus to join the Autobot forces there. Though they volunteered to accompany [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] to [[Earth]] to help search for the [[Matrix of Leadership]], he insisted on sidelining them. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} After [[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]]'s death, the Headmasters joined Hot Rod anyway and helped him search. When the came under attack from [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]], they were able to hold the Decepticon off long enough for Hot Rod to dig up the Matrix. They accompanied him back to Cybertron, where Hot Rod once more became Rodimus Prime, but they failed to stabilize [[Vector Sigma]], and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] was forced to do it himself by sacrificing his life. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}}

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[[File:HM20 Brainstorm closeup.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]
As Maximus neared the [[Twin Star]] system, Brainstorm got the other riled up by claiming battle was about brain over brawn. He volunteered to accompany Daniel, [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] to the planet of Toruin while the others fought the Decepticons on Spherity. The four of them weren't on the barren planet for long before they stumbled on an underground city—the inhabitants of Spherity were using the planet as a refuge. Brainstorm returned to the battle on Spherity, using a head swap technique with the other Headmasters so he could reach Fortress and deliver the news that Spherity was an empty world. He later apologized to the other Headmasters for his earlier comments about warfare. {{storylink|Battle for Defense of the False Planet}}

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

[[File:HM26 Brainstorm shocked.jpg|thumb|250px]]
Brainstorm was keen to take the fight to the Decepticons before their foe could return to Chaar. The Headmasters took part in a battle on the [[Pirate Planet]], though there turned out to be no energy there. {{storylink|Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship}} As the Decepticons returned to Chaar, the Autobot Headmasters returned to Athenia. They traveled to Earth to try to stem a Decepticon attack, but were too late to prevent [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s death at the hands of Sixshot. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}}

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

[[File:HM29 Brainstorm transform dash!.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]
With Earth largely abandoned by the Decepticons, the Autobot Headmasters set about finding the bombs they'd planted. Brainstorm and Highbrow retrieved a bomb from a mine and returned it to Battleship Maximus. During the disposal of the bombs in space, an accident created the [[Targetmaster]]s from a group of refugees from Master and some Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)}} Brainstorm and Highbrow carried [[Pointblank]] back to the ship, though the newcomer dismissed their combat skills. Warned by the refugees, the Headmasters returned to their home world and fought the Decepticons. {{Storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 2)}}

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
{{ongoing}}

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

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

When the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] broke out, Brainstorm joined the Autobots under the newly-minted [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]]. [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] didn't think much of Brainstorm's chances of survival in the early days of the war. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 13#"Old Ways"|Old Ways}} He briefly appeared among the Autobot troops fighting [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] and the Decepticons on Cybertron in the distant past. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1}}

[[File:AHM15 Brainstorm.jpg|thumb|200px|"They say great science is built on the shoulders of giants. Not here. At Kimia, we do all our science from scratch. No hand holding."]]
He was later stationed at the [[Kimia Facility]], working on lots of experimental technology and weaponry for the Autobot cause, where his designs were often considered the insane standard that all other weapon designers in Kimia held themselves to. More than any other Autobot, he had beaten a path to [[Room 113]] where his creations were time and time again rejected by the [[Ethics Committee]] as violations of the [[Non-Conventional Weapons Act]]. Undaunted by the rejections, Brainstorm continued to dream up more outlandish and dangerous weapons in his time at Kimia. His most daring inventions were referred to as the "[[Unmentionable]]s". {{storylink|Bullets}}

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

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

[[File:Brainstorm Chromedome infodump.jpg|thumb|left|250px|We reject your literary device and substitute our own!]]
Brainstorm and the other scientists were caught by surprise when [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] and the [[Sweep]]s invaded Kimia. {{storylink|Chaos Part One: Lamentations}} He survived and managed to escape before the facility's destruction, leaving in an escape pod together with Chromedome and a number of other Autobots. They were soon rescued by [[Arcee (G1)|"a psychopath in pink armor"]]. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings}} From her, they learned that they had to save the universe by stopping [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]] from letting the [[Dead Universe]] into it. Brainstorm had a hard time grasping all this, and together with Chromedome wondered if any species other than Cybertronians ever had to deal with this kind of problem. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis}}

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

[[File:MTMTE7 inverted Brainstorm.jpg|thumb|200px|"Science isn't about WHY! It's about WHY NOT! Why is so much of my science dangerous? Why not invent a special safety door that won't hit [[Chromedome (G1)|you]] on the butt on the way out, because you are FIRED!"]]
When a [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] was loose aboard the ''Lost Light'', Brainstorm found himself trapped in an elevator with the creature, which had been hunting [[Rung]]. Brainstorm cried out that he was too ''smart'' to die and held up his briefcase in an attempt to ward the Sparkeater off. Fortunately for him, the Sparkeater decided to continue chasing Rung, leaving Brainstorm flustered, but unharmed. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}}

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

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

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

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

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

[[Image:Brainstorm brings briefcase to funeral.jpg|right|thumb|200px]]
After Overlord's rampage cost the lives of Rewind and many other crew members, Brainstorm was sincerely worried about Chromedome. When the funeral was over, Brainstorm confronted him in his habitation suite about the shadowplay Chromedome performed on himself after the deaths of his last three [[Conjunx Endura]]e. Brainstorm begged him not to extract his memories of Rewind too, because that would mean Rewind was truly gone. {{storylink|The Gloaming}}

{{-}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: The Headmasters''===

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

===''The Transformers'' (PS2)===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Peter von Gomm]]

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

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

He retreated to formulate a new plan.

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

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[File:G1Brainstorm toy.jpg|300px|thumb|No no no no no...]]
*'''Brainstorm''' (1987)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-104'''
**''Accessories'': "Arcana" Headmaster pilot, left & right "High-Energy [[Photon pulse cannon|Photon Pulse Cannons]]"

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

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1987/Autobot/Brainstorm/brainstorm.htm More information on Brainstorm at TFU.info]''
{{-}}
==Notes==
[[File:G1BrainstormOriginalHead.jpg|150px|thumb|Please find us clearer footage.]]
[[File:Brainstormpretenderscommercial.jpg|150px|thumb|His blue period.]]
* In early planning stages, the Large Headmasters were to have differently styled heads that would be replaced by their more familiar heads during the Headmaster process. A [[commercial]] for [[Ring of Hate!|Headmasters #1]] featuring animation of Brainstorm and others is the only time these designs were used.
* The Headmasters appeared in a second commercial with much more sophisticated animation. In this entry, we see the Autobot Headmasters lined up in vehicle modes as their Nebulan partners run up into their cockpits and then launch into an attack. [http://youtube.com/watch?v=dDSemtc0JaU]
* Additional footage of the Headmasters featured in the animated introduction to the first commercial for the [[Pretender]]s. As Brainstorm battles [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]], the narration claims that after a series of defeats, the Autobots are required to up the ante by developing Pretender technology.
* In all three of these commercials, Brainstorm is colored in his [[Marvel Comics]] colors rather than his color scheme seen in "[[The Rebirth]]", with his dark green and orange being replaced with cyan and yellow.
* Brainstorm is a Christian! In the [[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|''Headmasters'' cartoon]] episode "[[The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery]]", when the Headmasters encounter a massacre on the planet [[Praum]], he crosses himself. (This is ''slightly'' less bizarre than it seems; the space frontier colony [[Iron Town]] includes a robot-scaled Church with a cross on it.)

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

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

[[Category:Engineers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Autobots]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce Autobots]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Autobots]]

Brainstorm (G1)

2013-10-30T17:55:50Z

Kenai: /* The Headmasters cartoon */

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig2|the Headmaster character|the Marvel comic issue|Brainstorm!}}
:''Brainstorm is an [[Autobot]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] and one of the most <s>famous</s> notorious inventors from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:Brainstormg1.jpg|300px|thumb|If a job's worth doing, it's worth OVERDOING!]]
'''Brainstorm''' is not a modest person. He's a genius, he knows it, and he's going to make damn sure you know it too. He believes that all of society's problems can be resolved so long as ideas can be developed free of outside constraints. This is understandable, as Brainstorm is a never-ending font of ideas, ranging from useful biotechnology, to [[Metafictional bomb|outlandish anti-personnel weaponry]], to [[Malevolent Counterintuitive Pathogen|devices that harness the bizarre and unthinkable]]. It's perhaps telling that his fellow Autobots have adopted "the Brainstorm" as a unit of apocalyptic potential. Unlike his idol-cum-professional rival [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]], Brainstorm doesn't like to let little things like "basic safety" and "proper experimental procedure" get in the way of his projects, and will happily hand out new and untested inventions to [[Whirl (G1)|less-than-responsible comrades]] for field-testing.

Even when he isn't consciously working on one of his projects or ''even'' when he's in the middle of a fight, new ideas are the background noise of his mind, sometimes to such an extent that his brain will overheat. He looks forward to a time when military demands no longer frame his creative output, though Brainstorm can't deny that he does enjoy winding up the [[Ethics Committee]] with his "[[unmentionable]]" exploits.

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

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

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Brainstormtrialbyfire.jpg|left|250px|thumb|He's green, dammit! Green!]]
After [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] and his troops aboard the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' went missing, Brainstorm was one of several under the leadership of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. Their faction was mired in a seemingly endless war with a band of [[Decepticon]]s led by [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], in a struggle so pointless and self-perpetuating that Fortress Maximus decided to leave [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and its war and settle on the peaceful planet [[Nebulos]]. Brainstorm followed Fortress Maximus' lead, building the ''[[Steelhaven]]'' and departing their war-torn home.

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

[[File:Brainstormworldsapart.jpg|200px|thumb|Brainstorm would rather fight and die than live with the knowledge that he ran.]]
When the Decepticons arrived on Nebulos, Fortress Maximus and Brainstorm's heads convinced [[Galen]] to attempt the creation of hybrid warriors through a bio-mechanical engineering process. An experimental surgeon named [[Arcana]] constructed the necessary equipment based on the Autobots' theories and underwent the process himself along with several other Nebulans, [[binary bonding]] with Brainstorm. {{storylink|Broken Glass!}}

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

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

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

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

[[File:Tastybrainstorm.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Can Unicron detect how much cinnamon is packed into every bite of Brainstorm?]]''Brainstorm was displaced to [[Limbo]] along with a handful of other Autobots when [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Rodimus Prime]] traveled to the past with a group of Autobots of his own. {{storylink|Time Wars}}''
Later, he was one of the victims of a rogue Autobot [[Guardian (Marvel)|Mark V Guardian droid]], which resulted in him being thrown from the ''Ark'' and landing at the feet of Optimus Prime. Brainstorm's flaming body helped contribute to the Autobot leader regaining his desire to fight. {{storylink|Yesterday's Heroes!}}

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

{{-}}

====Regeneration One====
{{noteRG1}}
Twenty-one years after the death of Arcana and destruction of Brainstorm's original body, Nebulos had signed an [[Interplanetary Trade Treaty]] with Cybertron, which included [[Project Lazarus]]—a project to build new bodies for the original heads of the now-deceased Headmasters. Grimlock reviewed transmissions in which Senior Scientist [[Bork]] explained that the initial attempts had led to extreme pain and complete rejection of the new bodies, including footage of a disastrous attempt at integrating Brainstorm's head with a new body, until data from Zarak's old files improved the process. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 2}}

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

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

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

===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Michael Bell]] (English), [[Hiroshi Naka]] (Japanese)

[[File:Brainstormspike.jpg|250px|thumb|"Okay, we'll become Headmasters, but you gotta take the old man."]]Brainstorm was first seen on Cybertron, touting his new theory that an integration of human and Autobot would dramatically enhance their fighting abilities. Most of the other Autobots, though, thought he was a crackpot. Things turned around when he and a group of Autobots met a band of freedom fighters while stranded on the planet Nebulos. With several comrades kidnapped and the safety of the <s>MacGuffin</s> [[Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber|key]] to the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]] in jeopardy, the Autobots arranged to bond with the Nebulan soldiers. Their heads were reconstructed to accommodate Nebulan passengers and then "transform" around their partners as personal battle armor. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}}

[[File:Brainstormrebirthvehicle.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Uh, Arcana, he has a cockpit.]]
With the help of their partners, the Autobot Headmasters freed their comrades and drove off the Decepticons. Unfortunately, their foes then joined forces with the freedom fighters' enemies, a group of evil machinesmiths called the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]]. They also created a new form of binary bonding called Targetmasters. The revitalized Decepticons returned and engaged the Autobots in battle anew. [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]] detected the key on Brainstorm and managed to disarm him. Several Hive agents then swarmed Brainstorm and removed the key from him, but he was able to run a full spectrum exo-scan on [[Nightstick (Cyclonus)|Nightstick]], one of the Targetmaster partners, before they got away. With that information, Brainstorm was able to recreate the Targetmaster process for the Autobots. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}}

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

====Wings Universe====
{{wingsnote}}
[[File:FlashForward3-Headmasters.jpg|left|thumb|200px|]]
Following [[Hi-Q]]'s kidnapping, Brainstorm turned out with Highbrow, [[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] and Chromedome to brief [[Pyro (G1)|Pyro]]'s team. {{storylink|A Flash Forward, Part 3}}
{{-}}

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

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

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

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

[[File:HM3 Brainstorm.jpg|left|thumb|250px|"What do you mean 'shouldn't you have a mouthplate?'?"]]
In the year 2011, when Galvatron launched his latest attack on Cybertron with the added power of his new Decepticon Headmasters, Brainstorm and his fellow Autobot Headmasters travelled to the planet to help their comrades defend their homeworld. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} On arrival, they set about fighting the Decepticons. Brainstorm and Chromedome were able to overcome [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]], despite the Decepticon's powers of hypnotism. Following the battle's conclusion, they traveled to [[Athenia]] on board Battleship Maximus to join the Autobot forces there. Though they volunteered to accompany [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] to [[Earth]] to help search for the [[Matrix of Leadership]], he insisted on sidelining them. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} After [[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]]'s death, the Headmasters joined Hot Rod anyway and helped him search. When the came under attack from [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]], they were able to hold the Decepticon off long enough for Hot Rod to dig up the Matrix. They accompanied him back to Cybertron, where Hot Rod once more became Rodimus Prime, but they failed to stabilize [[Vector Sigma]], and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] was forced to do it himself by sacrificing his life. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}}

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[[File:HM20 Brainstorm closeup.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]
As Maximus neared the [[Twin Star]] system, Brainstorm got the other riled up by claiming battle was about brain over brawn. He volunteered to accompany Daniel, [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] to the planet of Toruin while the others fought the Decepticons on Spherity. The four of them weren't on the barren planet for long before they stumbled on an underground city—the inhabitants of Spherity were using the planet as a refuge. Brainstorm returned to the battle on Spherity, using a head swap technique with the other Headmasters so he could reach Fortress and deliver the news that Spherity was an empty world. He later apologized to the other Headmasters for his earlier comments about warfare. {{storylink|Battle for Defense of the False Planet}}

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

[[File:HM26 Brainstorm shocked.jpg|thumb|250px]]
Brainstorm was keen to take the fight to the Decepticons before their foe could return to Chaar. The Headmasters took part in a battle on the [[Pirate Planet]], though there turned out to be no energy there. {{storylink|Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship}} As the Decepticons returned to Chaar, the Autobot Headmasters returned to Athenia. They traveled to Earth to try to stem a Decepticon attack, but were too late to prevent [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s death at the hands of Sixshot. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}}

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

[[File:HM29 Brainstorm transform dash!.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]
With Earth largely abandoned by the Decepticons, the Autobot Headmasters set about finding the bombs they'd planted. Brainstorm and Highbrow retrieved a bomb from a mine and returned it to Battleship Maximus. During the disposal of the bombs in space, an accident created the [[Targetmaster]]s from a group of refugees from Master and some Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)}} Brainstorm and Highbrow carried [[Pointblank]] back to the ship, though the newcomer dismissed their combat skills. Warned by the refugees, the Headmasters returned to their home world and fought the Decepticons. {{Storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 2)}}

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
{{ongoing}}

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

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

When the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] broke out, Brainstorm joined the Autobots under the newly-minted [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]]. [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] didn't think much of Brainstorm's chances of survival in the early days of the war. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 13#"Old Ways"|Old Ways}} He briefly appeared among the Autobot troops fighting [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] and the Decepticons on Cybertron in the distant past. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1}}

[[File:AHM15 Brainstorm.jpg|thumb|200px|"They say great science is built on the shoulders of giants. Not here. At Kimia, we do all our science from scratch. No hand holding."]]
He was later stationed at the [[Kimia Facility]], working on lots of experimental technology and weaponry for the Autobot cause, where his designs were often considered the insane standard that all other weapon designers in Kimia held themselves to. More than any other Autobot, he had beaten a path to [[Room 113]] where his creations were time and time again rejected by the [[Ethics Committee]] as violations of the [[Non-Conventional Weapons Act]]. Undaunted by the rejections, Brainstorm continued to dream up more outlandish and dangerous weapons in his time at Kimia. His most daring inventions were referred to as the "[[Unmentionable]]s". {{storylink|Bullets}}

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

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

[[File:Brainstorm Chromedome infodump.jpg|thumb|left|250px|We reject your literary device and substitute our own!]]
Brainstorm and the other scientists were caught by surprise when [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] and the [[Sweep]]s invaded Kimia. {{storylink|Chaos Part One: Lamentations}} He survived and managed to escape before the facility's destruction, leaving in an escape pod together with Chromedome and a number of other Autobots. They were soon rescued by [[Arcee (G1)|"a psychopath in pink armor"]]. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings}} From her, they learned that they had to save the universe by stopping [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]] from letting the [[Dead Universe]] into it. Brainstorm had a hard time grasping all this, and together with Chromedome wondered if any species other than Cybertronians ever had to deal with this kind of problem. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis}}

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

[[File:MTMTE7 inverted Brainstorm.jpg|thumb|200px|"Science isn't about WHY! It's about WHY NOT! Why is so much of my science dangerous? Why not invent a special safety door that won't hit [[Chromedome (G1)|you]] on the butt on the way out, because you are FIRED!"]]
When a [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] was loose aboard the ''Lost Light'', Brainstorm found himself trapped in an elevator with the creature, which had been hunting [[Rung]]. Brainstorm cried out that he was too ''smart'' to die and held up his briefcase in an attempt to ward the Sparkeater off. Fortunately for him, the Sparkeater decided to continue chasing Rung, leaving Brainstorm flustered, but unharmed. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}}

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

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

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

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

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

[[Image:Brainstorm brings briefcase to funeral.jpg|right|thumb|200px]]
After Overlord's rampage cost the lives of Rewind and many other crew members, Brainstorm was sincerely worried about Chromedome. When the funeral was over, Brainstorm confronted him in his habitation suite about the shadowplay Chromedome performed on himself after the deaths of his last three [[Conjunx Endura]]e. Brainstorm begged him not to extract his memories of Rewind too, because that would mean Rewind was truly gone. {{storylink|The Gloaming}}

{{-}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: The Headmasters''===

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

===''The Transformers'' (PS2)===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Peter von Gomm]]

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

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

He retreated to formulate a new plan.

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

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[File:G1Brainstorm toy.jpg|300px|thumb|No no no no no...]]
*'''Brainstorm''' (1987)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-104'''
**''Accessories'': "Arcana" Headmaster pilot, left & right "High-Energy [[Photon pulse cannon|Photon Pulse Cannons]]"

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

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1987/Autobot/Brainstorm/brainstorm.htm More information on Brainstorm at TFU.info]''
{{-}}
==Notes==
[[File:G1BrainstormOriginalHead.jpg|150px|thumb|Please find us clearer footage.]]
[[File:Brainstormpretenderscommercial.jpg|150px|thumb|His blue period.]]
* In early planning stages, the Large Headmasters were to have differently styled heads that would be replaced by their more familiar heads during the Headmaster process. A [[commercial]] for [[Ring of Hate!|Headmasters #1]] featuring animation of Brainstorm and others is the only time these designs were used.
* The Headmasters appeared in a second commercial with much more sophisticated animation. In this entry, we see the Autobot Headmasters lined up in vehicle modes as their Nebulan partners run up into their cockpits and then launch into an attack. [http://youtube.com/watch?v=dDSemtc0JaU]
* Additional footage of the Headmasters featured in the animated introduction to the first commercial for the [[Pretender]]s. As Brainstorm battles [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]], the narration claims that after a series of defeats, the Autobots are required to up the ante by developing Pretender technology.
* In all three of these commercials, Brainstorm is colored in his [[Marvel Comics]] colors rather than his color scheme seen in "[[The Rebirth]]", with his dark green and orange being replaced with cyan and yellow.
* Brainstorm is a Christian! In the [[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|''Headmasters'' cartoon]] episode "[[The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery]]", when the Headmasters encounter a massacre on the planet [[Praum]], he crosses himself. (This is ''slightly'' less bizarre than it seems; the space frontier colony [[Iron Town]] includes a robot-scaled Church with a cross on it.)

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

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

[[Category:Engineers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Autobots]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce Autobots]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Autobots]]