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To sell toys

2011-08-11T06:04:46Z

Lord Starscream: The "Commandos" link under the section 'Power Levels' lead one to the episode, not the subfaction, when the surrounding text calls for the faction.

[[Image:MarvelUS-19.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Hasbro wasn't quite sure whether to advertise this expensive toy until the fans forced their hand.]]

To understand ''Transformers'' fiction, it is important to understand that it exists '''to sell toys.''' [[Hasbro]] and [[TakaraTomy]] are toy companies, and they are primarily interested in continuing to sell [[Toy|toys]] to children and adults. The cartoons, comic books, etc., mostly exist to make this happen. To be sure, they normally [[Transformers (2007)#Reception|make a profit in their own right]], but this is regarded as mere gravy.

The "to sell toys" effect often distorts the fiction in interesting ways. Primarily, since you can't usually sell someone the same toy twice<ref>Except for repaints of [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]].</ref>, Hasbro and Takara constantly introduce new toys, and often require the creators of the fiction to introduce the new characters into ongoing storylines. Older characters (whose toys are no longer being sold) are shoved aside to make room.

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

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

==Casting==
===Huge casts===
[[Image:CosmicRust-BigGroup.jpg|right|300px|thumb|[[Pokeformers|Gotta catch 'em all!]]]]
Hasbro makes a lot of toys at once, and they generally want all of them to appear in their fiction. This can force writers to bring in vast numbers of characters all at once, sometimes with awkward results. Examples include:

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

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

* Season 2 of the cartoon introduced many new characters/buyable toys with no explanation; despite never having been seen before, the story treats them as though they have [[Beachcomber (G1)|been there]] [[Perceptor (G1)|the whole]] [[Tracks (G1)|time]].
[[Image:Decepticonpretenders-behold.jpg|right|200px|thumb|After seven issues, it's finally time for these six dudes to do something!]]
[[Image:Optimusprimeg1preearthmarvel2.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Apparently, the Triggerbots didn't make much of an impression on Prime.]]
* The comic issue "[[Pretender to the Throne!]]" suddenly introduces a dozen Autobots and Decepticons that we've never met before, and follows their adventures. The story adds nothing to the long-range plot that couldn't have been accomplished by using existing characters; these teams were added to the mix to promote their new toys.
* Many issues of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel comic]] had cover blurbs in the form "Introducing the _______!", where the blank was whatever the latest line of toys was. The following issues specifically introduce new toys on the cover: [[Repeat Performance!|#8]], [[The Next Best Thing to Being There!|#10]], [[Brainstorm!|#11]], [[Command Performances!|#19]], [[Aerialbots over America!|#21]], [[Crater Critters|#29]], [[The Cure!|#30]], [[Pretender to the Throne!|#40]], [[People Power!|#42]], [[Ca$h and Car-nage!|#46]], [[Club Con!|#47]], and [[Yesterday's Heroes!|#60]]. Throw in a few covers where new characters were pictured but not named, and that's 1/5th of the series.
* In [[Spacehikers!|issue #36]] of the Marvel comics, when [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] decides that he needs help in dealing with [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s inept leadership, he doesn't turn to any of the ''dozens'' of Autobots aboard the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'', which include two combiner teams and Omega Supreme. No, he has to call in his "old buddy"/new toy, [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]].
* In the prelude to the [[Underbase Saga]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] were the lead characters in a story set before the Transformers came to [[Earth]]. But rather than palling around with the likes of Jazz or Prowl, they are instead shown alongside the newest "gimmick" characters, the [[Triggercon]]s and the [[Triggerbot]]s.
* [[Mainframe Entertainment]] planned to use [[Wolfang (Maximal)|Wolfang]] in ''Beast Wars'', but [[Tigatron]] appeared instead because he had an upcoming toy, and to save money as his CGI model was only a slight tweak of [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]]'s. <ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/browse_frm/thread/9c79c4226fc6dd28/30c3cdf158ea6e52?lnk=st&q=bob+forward+beast+wars+tigatron+wolfang&rnum=1#30c3cdf158ea6e52 Ben Yee relays some info from Bob Forward in regards to Wolfang being replaced by Tigatron in the Beast Wars cartoon]</ref>
* Rather than revealing stuff about the [[Vok]] and [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]], a long-running subplot, "[[Other Victories]]" spends much of its time telling us how great [[Tigerhawk]] is and how we should buy his toy.
* The [[First (and Second) in Flight|sixth issue]] of ''[[The Arrival]]'' stops following the regular cast so it can flag the awesome cool out-now-in-shops [[Safeguard (Animated)|Safeguard]] toy.
* Prominent generals in [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|Titan's movieverse]] Decepticon army change frequently and without any acknowledgment as new toys jostle for (and gain) space.

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

[[Image:Metamorphdeceps2.JPG|right|200px|thumb|The full might of the Decepticon army.]]
* The early episodes of ''[[Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'' featured only the toys available on the shelves. This resulted in two ridiculously small teams going to [[Earth]] for the all-important mission of gathering Mini-Cons, rather inexplicable in story terms.
* [[Armada (Dreamwave comic)|Both the Dreamwave]] and [[Armada (Panini comic)|Panini comics]] suffered exactly the same problem, but it gets worse: [[First Encounter|The first ''Armada'' episode]] reused models of older Transformers as generic background guys to bump numbers up. The comics ''didn't''. So Megatron apparently conquers all of planet Cybertron with an army of three guys, whereas the city/planet defending Autobots are just five blokes.
* Dreamwave would also [[Dreamwave Armada issue 10|feature a scene on Cybertron]], where the ''only'' Autobot who seemed to exist was [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]].
* For the movie prequels, IDW got around this by deciding that [[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]] was going to be a [[Class Alpha drone unit|series of drones]] instead of one guy, allowing for really big battle scenes despite a then-limited number of toys. {{storylink|Movie Prequel}} (It would later turn out there was ''also'' Dreadwing who was one guy.) Titan Magazines would borrow this, and turn other Decepticons into drone series too.
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==Plot==
===Forced explication===
{{main|Introdump}}

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

[[Image:Introdump decepticons marvelus01.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Reflector is actually here, he's just buried underneath a pile of speech bubbles.]]
* Again, [[The Transformers (issue)|''Transformers'' #1]] has two huge splash pages in which 28 characters do nothing but stand around and tell each other who they are and what they can do.
* The two-part Generation 1 cartoon episode "[[Dinobot Island, Part 1|Dinobot Island]]" features many new 1985 characters getting their own short little introductory scene, often with a characteristic bit of self-description ([[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]]: "I'd rather stay in my stunning auto mode!" [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]]: "I'm ''always'' ready for action!" [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]]: "Wow, like, I hope we don't destroy this place before we can study it!")
* "[[The Rebirth]]" has ''three different sequences'' in which large new groups of characters form a lineup and introduce themselves to viewers one after another. Strangely enough, much of this screen- and dialogue-time is given over to Nebulan partners; the "main" Transformer characters get no such introductions, even though they are the items kids would have to purchase to acquire the Nebulan accessories. For instance, [[Spasma]], [[Monzo]], and [[Peacemaker]] (all speaking characters) are introduced by name as part of various lineups, but their in-store hosts [[Apeface]], [[Weirdwolf]], and [[Pointblank]] are never named (and Weirdwolf never even speaks).
* "[[Beast Wars (Part 1)]]" has the Maximals walk on one-by-one admiring their beast modes, loudly explaining their names and showing character traits. This also gives the impression they deliberately changed their names to fit these new beast modes for no apparent reason.

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

* The Headmaster gimmick got [[Headmasters (comic)|an entire Limited Series comic book]] devoted to it.
* The comic issue "[[Pretender to the Throne!]]" features [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] proudly creating the [[Pretender]]s, gloating that they will hide the Decepticons' identities from the Autobots "until it is too late". Not only does the plan not actually work, it's also a plot point with absolutely zero lead-in or build-up—at no point has Scorponok ever expressed concern about his troops being detected by the Autobots, and we've never even met the Pretender characters before. It was brought about solely because the new toys had to be jammed into the story. (The, uh, story of returning Optimus Prime's character to the comic book because he had [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#PMOP|a new toy]].)
* [[Rotor Force]] made their debut in "[[New Dawn]]", and both here and in subsequent ''Generation 2'' issues would primarily fight enemies not with guns like everyone else, but by firing their giant rotors at them. Page 3 of ''New Dawn'' actually shows them having to ''stop and reattach their rotors'' before they can carry on fighting.
[[Image:Mistaken Identity Galvatronscourge.jpg|right|250px|thumb|It's Morphin Time! MASTODON!]]
* ''[[Robots in Disguise (franchise)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]] had six alternate modes and the cartoon really wanted you to see them, which is why [[Battle Protocol|his first appearance]] is as ''a giant hand for no reason''. It gets sillier when he turns into Galvatron and gains four more modes. In "[[Mistaken Identity]]", he turns into his "Iron Mammoth" form when facing off against [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|a hostile Fortress Maximus]] even though he doesn't ''do'' anything in his form except stand there ''as he was already doing''.
* [[Jetstorm (Animated)|Jetstorm]] and [[Jetfire (Animated)|Jetfire]] are the only Autobot jets in the ''Animated'' line. (Not counting the toyless [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]].) To fully big this up, their origin story has it that there have ''never been'' any flying Autobots before, despite them having been in (and won) a long and bitter war with enemies who ''often fly''.

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

* The quest for power-enhancing [[Mini-Con]]s practically defined the plot of the ''[[Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'' cartoon, with both factions out to recruit or capture all the Mini-Cons.
* [[Powerlinx|Powerlinxing]] is shown again and again and again in ''[[Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'', despite having comparatively little relevance to most episode plotlines.
* [[Cyber Key]] powerups are likewise shown repeatedly in ''[[Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]].''
* All three series were also marked by lengthy transformation sequences which highlighted the gimmicks in very toy-accurate animation (and also made production cheaper, thanks to [[Stock footage|recycled footage]]).

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

* Marvel UK had to promote the [[Special Teams]] toys ''before'' they knew how they'd be appearing in the US reprints. To get around this, [[Simon Furman]] wrote a story arc titled "[[Second Generation!]]", where [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]], Optimus and Shockwave <strike>watched an advert</strike> saw a Matrix-induced vision of the Special Teams in action. These events were previewed in "The Special Teams Have Arrived", nine issues earlier, with no indication that they were part a vision, making their place in continuity uncertain.
* In the US Marvel comics, the simultaneous introduction of the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] and [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] and the introduction of the Pretenders both saw a lot of rigamarole involved in explaining why both the Autobots and the Decepticons had new members with identical numbers/gimmicks at the same time.
* Season 3 of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] almost completely ignored the characters of the previous two seasons that were no longer on toy shelves. The 1985 Autobot cars, for example, are not seen at all. [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and the 1985 Mini-Vehicles, by contrast, show up now and again, as their toys were still shipping. Even Starscream, who was ''dead'', managed to get a couple of Season 3 episodes all to himself; again, his toy sold through 1986.
* [[Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 2]] wrote an entire story devoted to Optimus sternly explaining which Autobots and Decepticons were on sale in [[Germany]] in 1989. The reason he had to? [[Quickmix (G1)|Quickmix]] had ''shot an Autobot''!
* The first thirteen issues of the ''[[Armada (Dreamwave comic)|Armada]]'' comic were focused around the Mini-Cons, with plots often revolving around their desire to be seen as equals and not be enslaved. Then without ''any'' prior set-up, the last five issues turn into a dimension-spanning battle against [[Unicron]]—who had just had a new and expensive toy.
[[Image:Samprowl.jpg|right|100px|thumb|<strike>Upgrades are bad.</strike> Upgrades are GOOD. We have always been at war with <strike>Eurasia</strike> Eastasia.]]
* "[[A Fistful of Energon]]" has [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] learn not to use upgrades, and gives up using powerful samurai armour. But whoops, Hasbro thought "hey, we could make a toy out of that armour"! And so in [[Five Servos of Doom|a later episode]], Prowl ''regains'' it and the show hurriedly claims that the upgrade is fine ''now'' because Prowl realizes now that it's the Autobot, not the upgrade.
* The [[France|French]] decided to be good sports and start using propeller-driven nuclear bombers again, just so [[Octane|Tankor]] could be used ([[All Hail Megatron issue 11]]).
* [[Ransack (ROTF)|Ransack]] has been on Earth for a while, in hiding from other Decepticons while he waits for orders from [[the Fallen]]. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.7|Turnabout}} Ransack is a member of a race that can scan any object and take its form as a disguise. Ransack moves around in the cunning disguise of ''a 100-year-old plane''. (At least, unlike the previous example, the oldness of the alt-mode was pointed out.)
* In Titan's ''Revenge of the Fallen'' comic, [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] go from being [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee's]] responsibility to bugging [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] to being [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe's]] responsibility in the space of three issues, all to allow each issue to focus on a specific toy-bearing movie star. Similarly, only one or two Decepticons per issue are sent on a mission, when presumably the Fallen might want to send loads of guys to silence the twins.
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===Awkward continuity===
[[Image:Earthforce.jpg|right|200px|thumb|This happened... er.... look just buy the toys, ok?!]]

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

* The ''[[Transformers Annual 1986]]'' contains many stories featuring toys from the 1985 release long before they were formally introduced in the regular comic, often interacting with other characters who would be out of action by then. As a result few of the stories easily fit the continuity of the weekly comic.
* The demands of Hasbro UK for the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] and [[Targetmaster]]s to be featured heavily even before the US ''[[Headmasters (comic)|Headmasters]]'' mini-series was available meant that both the ''[[Transformers Annual 1988]]'' and the regular strip "[[Worlds Apart!]]" contain a slightly different set of events that are at odds with the mini-series.
* The requirement to give prominence to the rereleased toys in the [[Classics (Europe)|Classics]] range resulted in one the biggest continuity trainwrecks of all, [[Earthforce]]. Over two decades later fans are still uncertain where it fits in continuity, and even [[Simon Furman]] admits to being unsure.<ref>"Looking back, as I try my hardest not to do, it's very hard to tie the Earthforce stories into a specific time frame (in terms of the US continuity), because (if I'm brutally honest) I didn't try too hard to make it work in the first place. By that point, I was just trying to tell a bunch of fun UK stories that didn't necessarily impact on the larger (US) storyline. How was I to know 15 or so years later people would be trying to reconcile it all?" [http://transfans.co.uk/interviews_furman.php TransFans.net - Interviews: Simon Furman - Part 1 'The Past'].</ref>
* Germany's ''[[Transformers Comic-Magazin]]'' started in 1989 and reprinted older Marvel US and UK strips. Since, of course, these would rarely show the current toys, Comic-Magazin ran text stories from #2 that showcased ''completely different'' Transformers that were on Earth at the same time, and just happened not to be seen in the strips.
* Trapped between the need to pimp toys and the problem of not knowing what the plot of ''Revenge of the Fallen'' would be, Titan just threw up their hands and unambiguously set their lead strip in [[Transformers (Titan Magazine)#Alternate universe|an alternate universe]].
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===Power levels===
In order to make new characters seem more ''totally awesome'', they're often depicted as ultra-powerful in their initial appearances. Once they become old news, they frequently seem to lose their super-charged abilities.

* The Generation 1 cartoon introduced [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] as the ultimate threat. Once newer combiner teams came along, however, he was less of a threat, easily defeated at various times by [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]], [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] and even [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]].
[[Image:Buzzsawyikes4.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Buzzsaw reminds Omega Supreme he's not a new toy any more.]]
* The Marvel comics feature [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] as nigh-invulnerable and ultimately powerful in [[Command Performances!|his debut issue]], slaughtering 2/3rds of the Decepticon forces sent to attack him. Just [[Dark Star (issue)|two years later]], he's getting his butt handed to him by the likes of [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]], one of his original victims.
* [[Waspinator]] was, amazingly, something of a threat in early episodes; he holds his own against [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] in his debut. He only became significantly weaker than the other Predacons during the second season.
* In her first appearance on the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon, [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] effortlessly blasts [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] to pieces. She never displays such a level of power again.
* Similarly, [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]] was presented as a huge threat when he first appeared, but just a few episodes later, he seems just slightly tougher than the average Predacon (save for a few notable occasions).
* [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] was actually a credible threat for his first couple of episodes.
* The [[Commando|Commandos]] were far more powerful and competent than the Predacons, who were made even ''less'' powerful and competent as episodes went on. Remarkably, this was actually used in the plot, with Megatron focusing on the new toys while the Predacons became underdogs trying to get their old status back and one-up the new guys.
[[Image:ArmTVTidalWave.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Before he shrank in the wash.]]
* ''Any'' new toy character in the Unicron Trilogy cartoons is almost guaranteed to win the day's battle.
* [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]] was a staggering behemoth as big as the sky in his introduction, and his ability to combine with Megatron LITERALLY gave the battle advantage to the Decepticons until his equally powerful counterpart [[Overload (Armada)|Overload]] was introduced. By the time of the ''Energon'' cartoon, Tidal Wave is just this tall guy (but not as tall as he used to be) and is treated as just another Decepticon, even after he gets a body upgrade in the form of "Mirage".
* When the newly redecoed Jetfire and Optimus combine in Dreamwave's Armada comic, they are so powerful ''they can hurt Unicron himself''.
* [[Jungle Planet (Cybertron)|Jungle Planet]] ruler [[Scourge (Cybertron)|Scourge]] was incredibly powerful when he was first introduced, but later on, he's getting slaps on the wrist by [[Lori]] and [[Thunderblast (Decepticon)|Thunderblast]], and schooled by [[Bud Hansen|Bud]], ultimately becoming more of a sympathetic comedic bumbler than a credible threat.
* The Decepticons in ''Animated'' started off as being so horrifically powerful that the entire Autobot team had to take on a ''single'' one. By Season 3, this no longer happens. Uniquely, this was ''deliberate'' by the writers: they wanted to show the Decepticons as supreme threats, and have the Autobots gradually being better at dealing with them.
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===New bodies===
There's rarely a compelling reason for a Transformer to get a brand-new body in fiction; it's simply to promote a new toy. It has become a default way to keep a popular character on shelves, rather than having to kill them off and introduce a new character to keep moving toys. Sometimes fiction writers are able to work these alterations in elegantly... sometimes not.

[[Image:Bumblebeeskindeep.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Ratchet pulls a Kitty Pryde on Bumblebee.]]
* [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] was rebuilt and upgraded into Goldbug following his near-destruction... and is later rebuilt back into Bumblebee to sell the [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#Pretender|new Classic Pretender toy]]. The reason given is that [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] deliberately downgraded Goldbug against his will because he liked his old form better, something Bumblebee is strangely fine with.
* Season 2 of ''[[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' introduced the new [[Transmetal]] toys in short order, requiring some strange sci-fi waffling to explain why members of both teams suddenly got special new bodies. The writers had originally planned to introduce these changes gradually, across the length of Season 2, but Hasbro ordered them to be brought in immediately. (The slow-and-gradual notion would eventually appear during Season 3.)
* The [[Unicron Trilogy]] cartoons feature [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] getting recolored and renamed "Galvatron" ''three times''; at the start of each subsequent series, he's given a different body but called Megatron ''again'', because the name "Megatron" just sells more toys. (This also means Hasbro gets to keep the [[trademark]] "Galvatron".)
* Several times during the Unicron Trilogy, characters get new paint jobs as part of some magical power-up enhancement. These new color schemes exist solely to promote redecorated toys like "[[Ironhide (Energon)|Energon Ironhide]]" or "[[Hot Shot (Armada)/toys|Powerlinx Hot Shot]]". Even the comics got in on the action, introducing the redecorated versions of [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] and [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus]] during the Unicron arc.
* The three future members of the [[Cybertron Defense Team]] get shot up by Megatron, then transmogrify through the power of [[Burning justice|BLAZING HEART OF JUSTICE]] into new forms. These new forms, of course, were just hitting shelves at a toy store near you.
* In the course of the [[Transformers (2007)|live-action movie]], [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] gets irritated at a slight against his alternate mode, and scans a new form. Voila, suddenly he's got ''two'' toys on the shelf!
* When [[IDW Publishing|IDW]]'s ''Transformers'' comic originally came out, there were no Generation 1-themed toys to flog, and many characters were given altered designs for the series. Then along came ''[[Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'', featuring new toys of Generation 1 characters, and suddenly multiple characters get new, toy-accurate bodies in ''[[All Hail Megatron]]'', for no apparent in-story reason. Later, [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] even gets a namechange to ''Silver''streak to fit his toy.
* [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]] was originally grey, but when he was reunited with the ''Animated'' Decepticons, he changed his colours to purple while referring to it as his proper look. Why he changed colouration to go undercover was not explained, but it may have something to do with a purple-coloured Shockwave toy being out when that episode aired.
* In ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] start out as an old ice cream truck combiner but after a disastrous mission [[NEST]] decides to upgrade them to new individual [[General Motors]] vehicles. New toys ''and'' product placement!

===Abrupt conclusions===
[[Image:MarvelUSG2-12.jpg|right|150px|thumb|It's the end of the road for Transformers Generation 2! That can't bode well for the toyline.]]

Just as ''Transformers'' fiction lives at Hasbro's pleasure, so too does it die. Falling sales, a change of plans, and standard [[rebranding]] can all cause a storyline to come to a sudden end when Hasbro decides to pull the plug.

* The American Generation 1 cartoon got a somewhat rushed conclusion in the form of "[[The Rebirth]]", rather than a full fourth season.
* The Generation 1 comics were nearly canceled at [[On the Edge of Extinction!|issue #75]], but granted a reprieve. The stay of execution was only temporary, however; with the Generation 1 toyline ending, the comic was terminated a mere five issues later, resulting in a rather hasty concluding plotline.
* Hasbro was only willing to support the [[Generation 2 (Marvel comic)|''Generation 2'' comic]] for twelve issues, unless it proved an unqualified (perhaps phenomenal) success. Aware of this from the start, writer Simon Furman was able to plot a story arc that reached its finale as the series ended (and poked fun at it with a character whose name is a pun on "[[Jhiaxus (G2)|Gee, axe us]]".)
* The writers of the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon reportedly never had any idea if they'd be back for another season. When the axe fell with Season 3, they had only three episodes left to wrap up the whole series.
* Hasbro nearly killed off the just-begun comic series ''The Wreckers'' in 2001, wishing instead for [[3H Productions|3H]] to focus on a ''[[Universe (2003 comic)|Universe]]'' comic advertising its current toyline.
* Even though ''[[Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]'' wasn't abruptly canceled, Kids WB ended the series on the cliffhanger of the episode "[[Revelation (episode)|Revelation]]", leaving millions of kids tuning in next time only to get a re-run of ''Xiaolin Showdown''. The reason? The Cybertron Defense Team toys hadn't hit stores yet.
* With ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' coming out in June, Titan had to end their alternate universe storyline in May so they could tie in early—an issue earlier than planned. The main strip handled this, with the notable exception of [[Jazz (Movie)#Titan Magazines Transformers movie comics|the Jazz plot arc]] going completely unresolved, but it played havoc with working out the IDW reprints!
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==Death==
===Killing off old product===
[[Image:Tftm1986a.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Guess who's no longer in the Mini Vehicles case assortment?]]
[[Image:Newyorkunderbase.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Publisher's clearing house.]]
[[Image:BW Scorponok Terrorsaur deaths.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Scorponok, Terrorsaur, we're condemning you to a fiery death 'cause Waspinator has a bigger fan club.]]
The most obvious To Sell Toys effect comes from the temporary nature of retail sales. Even in the 1980s, toys rarely stayed on the shelves past two years; today that timespan is much smaller. Once a toy is no longer selling, Hasbro has no interest in supporting fiction about that character—especially when there's newer toys to promote. Therefore, writers are often compelled to remove characters from the story by killing them off. Sometimes this happens through carefully developed story arcs, but it's easier to do it with huge, apocalyptic battles with massive numbers of casualties.

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

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

===Hi-and-die===
[[Image:Chuffer cof.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Likely dialog: "SHEEEAAGH!!"]]
Kids don't want to buy a toy of a character who's dead. So if the plot calls for someone to die, smart money bets on the character who has a toy as the survivor. The guy without a toy, who you've never heard of before? Toast. This is the Transformers version of ''Star Trek's'' infamous [[wikipedia:redshirt_syndrome|redshirt syndrome]].

* This approach was particularly common in the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#UK comics|UK comics]]. Characters created specifically so they could be killed off include Wrecker leader [[Impactor]], Autobot/zombie food [[Chuffer]], Tailgate's Autobot trainee buddies/mutant fodder [[Subsea]] and [[Flattop (Autobot)|Flattop]], and the sixth member of the "Magnificent Six", [[Stampede]].
* The US comics also used this approach on occasion, as with [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]'s poignantly adorable buddy [[Scrounge (G1)|Scrounge]].
* The ''Energon'' cartoon introduced [[Padlock (Energon)|Padlock]], whose purpose was to die at [[Shockblast]]'s hands, proving motivation for toy-character [[Wing Saber (Energon)|Wing Saber]].
* ''Animated'' chucked in [[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]] so Ratchet could have a tragic past where he failed to save someone. (And ''then'' she got a toy!)
* The [[Transformers Animated (Titan)|''Animated'' comic]] wants to do a story arc about an Autobot who's really a spy and then have him killed. Quick, [[Afterburn|make someone up]]!
* ''[[Transformers: Exodus|Exodus]]'' invents hordes of characters solely to populate the story with casualties while preserving the classic characters: [[Chromatron]], [[Gauntlet]], [[Halogen (WFC)|Halogen]], [[Drixco]], [[Revo]], [[Catalycon]], and dozens of other unnamed Autobots, Decepticons and [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]].
{{-}}

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

[[Image:Inferno dies agenda2.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Only a flesh wound!]]

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

===Untouchables===

[[Image:Armorhide_drawhisfire.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Really, they could just stand there making rude noises at Starscream.]]

Obviously, if a character ''does'' have a current toy (or soon will), they're not going to die, even if the plot or common sense indicates they should.

* [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] had betrayed [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] to the Maximals, ruining his greatest shot at victory. As he declared, "There will be no more betrayals!", she would pay the price: being knocked into stasis lock so the Maximals could fix her and she could stay on their team. {{storylink|Optimal Situation}}
* Megatron himself was in a prime position to be terminated, as were the Maximals later on, in "[[The Weak Component]]". Since this was only episode 6 and everyone had toys out, the cast politely agreed not to take this opportunity to end a brutal war for the planet.
* Titan's Movie strip was moved to an alternate universe, where you'd [[Rhythms of Darkness!|expect nobody to be safe from death]]. However, most of the cast had toys out, so whether it was a desperate guerrilla fight against Decepticon occupation, the rise of [[Unicron]], a [[Decepticon Civil War]], or the final battle, very few characters bought it. The big exception was [[Divebomb (Movie)|Divebomb]], dying in his first battle.
* Starscream, the end.

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

===Toys not released in the relevant market===

[[Image:Swoopg1marvelukfirst.jpg|right|200px|thumb|YOU CAN'T HAVE ME.]]

Occasionally the ''Transformers'' fiction released in a particular country features characters whose toys were not released in that country. The Marvel UK comic featured two variants of this phenomenon:

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

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

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

===Post-Marvel comics===
[[Image:Infiltration 1b.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"Hey, Runamuck, it's our first appearance on a comic book cover in twenty years!" "Heh heh, now if only we could appear on toy store shelves..."]]

Both [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] and [[IDW Publishing|IDW]] comics, the two recent holders of the license to publish ''Transformers'' comic books, sometimes produce comics using whichever toy line is current (e.g., Dreamwave's ''[[Armada (Dreamwave comic)|Armada]]'' comic or IDW's [[Transformers (2007)|2007 movie]] tie-ins), and sometimes publish comics using whatever characters they please (e.g., ''[[The War Within]]'' and ''[[Escalation (IDW)|Escalation]]''). The characters in their "discretionary" comics are often not currently available in toy form ([[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]], a current character in IDW's G1 continuity, has only recently had a toy on shelves after twenty years), sometimes are drawn with bodies that have ''never'' been toys (most of the ''War Within'' characters), and sometimes are toys that were never available outside of specific countries ([[Lio Convoy]] in IDW's ''Beast Wars'').

[[Chris Ryall]], IDW Editor-in-Chief and writer of the miniseries adapting the 2007 movie to comics, had stated on IDW's forums that Hasbro does not dictate what comics IDW must make ("Nope, no dictates at all from Hasbro. We put the plan together, send to them for approval.").<ref>http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=69377</ref> By the time of ''All Hail Megatron'', however, the ''Universe'' line came out and Hasbro asked IDW to start using some of those designs. <ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=102461&sid=2298445cdfba342643da80282a95cc7a#102461 Guido reveals the Hasbro request]</ref> This practice seems to have been thrown out for the new Ongoing title.

===New toys, same basic design===

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

==Footnotes==
<references/>

[[Category:Toys]]

Solar energy beam rifle

2010-08-25T00:50:51Z

Lord Starscream: New page: thumbDevastator's weapon of choice, the '''Solar Energy Beam Rifle''', is said to reach up to 10,000 degrees Celsius in tempe...

[[Image:G1devastator toy.jpg|right|180px|thumb]][[Devastator (G1)|Devastator's]] weapon of choice, the '''Solar Energy Beam Rifle''', is said to reach up to 10,000 degrees Celsius in temperature. [[Mixmaster]] can also use it in his Mixing Truck mode.

Mixmaster (G1)

2010-08-25T00:18:41Z

Lord Starscream: Devastator's tech specs call the gun a Solar Energy Beam Rifle. Nowhere in Mixmaster's tech specs does it mention a Magna Laser.

{{factions|decepticon|decepticong2|ultracon}}
{{picsneeded|Apparences in fiction, toys}}
{{disambig3|Mixmaster}}
:''Mixmaster is a [[Decepticon]] [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicon]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:MixmasterG1.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Cuts Faster!]]
Nothing is safe. From raw ore to living robots, it all goes into '''Mixmaster''''s grisly drum where it's reduced, refined, and recombined into virtually any raw material the Decepticons need. Watching Mixmaster prepare a new batch of materials is like seeing some mad alchemist at work, giggling and cackling over his creations with evil glee. It would be a stretch to call him a scientist; a better comparison would be to a witch throwing arcane scraps into her cauldron to complete a bubbling potion. His fellow Decepticons suspect Mixmaster of having a few wires loose in his logic center, but they can't argue with the results. He transforms into [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]'s left leg.

{{quote|Okay, let's mix up some... eh, [[wikipedia:Sulfuric_acid|H2SO4]]... with, uh... with [[wikipedia:Hydrochloric_acid|HCl]]... with, uh... I know! I'll combine some of each of the stronger acids!|Mixmaster|"[[Heavy Metal War]]"}}

:''Hungarian name:'' '''Kevernök'''
:''French-Canadian name'': '''Malaxo'''
:''Portuguese name (Brazil comic):'' '''Misturador'''
:''Portuguese name (Portugal comic):'' '''Misturador'''
:''Italian name'': '''Rollo'''

==Fiction==
===Cartoon continuity===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Frank Welker]] (English), [[Yū Shimaka|Yutaka Shimaka]] (Japanese)

[[Image:HeavyMetalWar Mixmaster spray.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Autobots have [[Inferno (G1)|fire trucks]]. Decepticons have ACID trucks.]]
Mixmaster's origins are [[Constructicon (G1)#Origin inconsistency|muddy]]. He was supposedly alive on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] several million years ago, where he helped create [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} According to [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], however, Mixmaster and the Constructicons were nice guys back then, and built [[Crystal City]] which Omega was the guardian of. This changed when Megatron attacked the Constructicons with his [[Robo-Smasher]], effectively reprogramming them into Decepticons. {{storylink|The Secret of Omega Supreme}}

In 1984, Mixmaster and the Constructicons were stationed on [[Earth]], where Megatron claimed to have built them. One of their first missions was to sabotage the Autobot computer [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]] while the Autobots were distracted, and Mixmaster helped by mixing up an acid strong enough to melt through solid rock and the floor of [[Ark (G1)|Autobot headquarters]]. Ultimately they were driven back by the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] and despite forming the mighty Devastator, they were knocked into a river of lava. {{storylink|Heavy Metal War}} The Constructicons survived and continued to work with Megatron during his various schemes. During one such scheme, namely the reconstruction of [[New York City]] into "New Cybertron", Mixmaster repeated himself a lot ("Auto-auto-autobots!"). This never happened again, but [[#Notes|everyone assumes it was his standard vocal quirk anyway]]. {{storylink|City of Steel}}

[[Image:CityofSteel SkywarpMixmasterCar.JPG|right|200px|thumb|This really is almost scale-accurate, if you squint.]]
Mixmaster and the Constructicons went on to build the [[Transfixatron]] and an Autobot-eating machine, but were eventually defeated by the former. {{storylink|The Autobot Run}} Next on the agenda was drilling a hole to Earth's core so that Megatron could drain its energy. During this project, the Constructicons got [[Dominator disc|dominator discs]] snuck onto them, with Mixmaster and [[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] getting theirs from [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] and his gun. This allowed the Autobots to control Devastator and use him against the Decepticons, although this scheme eventually broke down. {{storylink|The Core}} Some time afterwards, the Constructicons helped the Autobots [[Grapple]] and [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] build a [[solar tower]], only to trap them inside the structure and hand it over to Megatron as soon as it was done. {{storylink|The Master Builders}}

Mixmaster and company later took care of a [[space bridge]] shipment of [[Cybertonium]] from Cybertron. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1}} Following that, they went into space to mine minerals from an asteroid. Omega Supreme, miffed about the Constructicons going evil and wrecking Crystal City back in the day, attacked and nearly killed them. Luckily for Mixmaster, the giant Autobot had to leave to deal with [[Asteroid bird alien|some kind of alien]] that had lived inside the asteroid, and the Constructicons escaped termination. {{storylink|The Secret of Omega Supreme}} When [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] betrayed Megatron and took control of the Decepticons, he promised the Constructicons a joint leadership if they built him a giant maze. When they were done, Blitzwing abandoned his promise and told them to jump of a bridge, so the Constructicons formed Devastator and attacked him. Eventually, Megatron defeated all of them and took control again. {{storylink|Triple Takeover}}

[[Image:TFTM DecepticonsShuttleAttack.JPG|left|200px|thumb|"I may be an engineer, but some days I wake up and just have to destroy something! Get it? Get it?"]]
The Constructicons later built a ruby-powered laser cannon {{storylink|Masquerade}}, and were defeated by the newborn [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]. {{storylink|Starscream's Brigade}} In preparation of the [[Battle of Autobot City|attack]] on [[Autobot City]], Megatron, [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] and the Constructicons boarded an [[Autobot shuttle]]. Mixmaster participated in the barrage of laser blasts that killed [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], and soon enough he found himself attacking Autobot City itself. As Devastator, the Constructicons did heavy damage to the city, but they were sent packing when Megatron was defeated by [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]. Retreating on board [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], the Decepticons soon started scuffling about who should be the new leader. The Constructicons were prevented from forming Devastator, and eventually Starscream came out on top. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}

[[Image:BurdenHardestBear Constructicons water.JPG|right|200px|thumb|]]
The Decepticons were soon exiled to [[Chaar]], where Mixmaster fought his teammates for the few scraps of [[Energon (fuel)|energon]] they could find. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}} The Constructicons briefly joined up with the [[Quintesson|Quintessons]] when the aliens offered them energon {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2}}, but when [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] returned, they switched their loyalty back to the Decepticon cause. Galvatron soon allied with the Quintessons himself, and the factions concocted a plan that involved the Constructicons building [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] out of a human city. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} Mixmaster and the Constructicons went on to built a massive rocket engine on an asteroid {{storylink|Carnage in C-Minor}}, participate in the attack on [[Paradron]] {{storylink|Fight or Flee|Fight or Flee}}, and join up with [[Predaking]] to attack [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] in the sea of [[Japan]]. {{storylink|The Burden Hardest to Bear}} They were last seen among the Decepticon forces that invaded Cybertron in order to infiltrate the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]]. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}}
{{-}}

====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
Mixmaster and the Constructicons were stationed on Earth in 2011, under the command of [[Sixshot]]. They attempted to prevent Ultra Magnus from sending reinforcements to Cybertron to help the Autobots fend off Galvatron's siege on [[Vector Sigma]]. Mixmaster and his squad were ganging up on the [[Trainbot]]s until [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] arrived and shooed them off with his superior firepower. Having failed to stop the Autobot reinforcements from departing, the Constructicons followed them to Cybertron. As Devastator, they tried to shoot [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] in the back, but Optimus Prime foiled their aim, making them hit [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]] instead. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} Devastator was involved in a combiner shootout on Cybertron until the [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Battleship Maximus]] arrived and annihilated the Decepticon combiners. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

Mixmaster and the Constructicons were guarding the Decepticon [[Space Bridge]] on Earth, but failed miserably when [[Blaster (G1)|Twincast]] single-handedly fought them off and stole a ride on the bridge. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}}

====''Zone'' OVA, manga and story pages====
Seeking to create a [[Decepticon Zone]] to counter the [[Micro|Autobot Zone]], [[Emperor of Destruction|Decepticon Emperor]] [[Violen Jiger]] gathered together the Nine Great Demon Generals, upgrading them with powerful new armor and weaponry, then sent them forth to conquer planets. Mixmaster was among those summoned, but only in the form of Devastator. {{storylink|Zone (story page)|Zone Part 1}} {{storylink|Zone (manga)|Transformers: Zone}} {{storylink|Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
{{noteukonly}}
[[Image:Constructiconsbornmarvel.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Mixmaster is the green and purple one.]]
Early in the Transformers' war on [[Earth]], [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] used the stolen power of the [[Creation Matrix]] to give life to the first of a new generation of Decepticon warriors, the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]]. Mixmaster and the other Constructicons were immediately given a mission upon their coming online—construct a communications tower to transmit a message to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. A truckstop was raided for raw materials, attracting the ire of trucker [[Bomber Bill]], who, with the aid of the [[Autobot]]s, managed to destroy the tower the Constructicons had built. {{storylink|The Next Best Thing to Being There!}}
''Mixmaster and the Constructicons, after troubleshooting their union as [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], were sent by Shockwave to abduct [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]]. Their attack was called off to regroup when [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] discovered Buster held the rest of the Creation Matrix in his head. {{storylink|Devastation Derby!}}''

''He was miffed when everyone started talking about these lah-de-dah [[Special Teams]] and the Constructicons became last year's model. {{storylink|Second Generation!}}''

After [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] took back Decepticon command, Mixmaster and his comrades were charged with building perimeter defences around their headquarters located at the base of a coal strip mine in eastern [[Wyoming]]. Devastator's services were again required when the Autobots staged a surprise attack, but they retreated once they had what they needed. {{storylink|Command Performances!}}

''In vehicle mode, Mixmaster carried Megatron to the city, where they questioned a film crew for LCTV on [[Robot-Master]] and [[Joy Meadows]]' whereabouts. When [[Centurion (Marvel)|Centurion]] appeared and attacked Megatron, Mixmaster caught gun-mode Megatron and fired at Centurion. Later, Mixmaster followed his Decepticon teammates to the location of the Dinobots, and during the ensuing fight, Swoop picked him off. Eventually, Soundwave ended the fight, destroying Meadows' footage, and the Decepticons left the area. {{storylink|In the National Interest}}''

During [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]'s command, an attack was ordered on the combined Autobot forces on Earth's [[Moon (moon)|moon]] while [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] and [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] dueled for leadership. Under cover of battle, Mixmaster and the other Constructicons retrieved the remains of several fallen and captured Decepticons. {{storylink|Totaled!}}

====Earthforce====
{{earthforcefiction}}
''Mixmaster chose to work for Megatron once he and Shockwave split the Decepticon faction on Earth. He and [[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] ran into the Autobots [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] while guarding Megatron's ozone rocket, but didn't last long in the fight—Mixmaster ended up leaping over a rushing Wheeljack and landing hard on Prowl's fist. {{storylink|Starting Over!}} At Megatron's side during the [[Enclave]], Mixmaster was present when a hidden sniper began taking potshots at his leader. He returned fire along with Soundwave and [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]], and Shockwave's minion [[Headstrong]] fell to the floor from his perch, an apparent assassin sent by his leader. This led to an enormous skirmish between the two factions, who little realized it had been arranged by some canny Autobot surveyers. {{storylink|The Bad Guy's Ball!}} Mixmaster was last seen charging into battle with the other Decepticons when they made an ill-fated siege on Autobot Earthbase. {{storylink|Divide and Conquer!}}''

''He's also a known dealer of [[Syk]], a forbidden circuit-booster. Zesty.'' {{storylink|Secrets}}

[[Image:Hallofheroesspacepirates.jpg|right|200px|thumb|I'll have to give myself a promotion!]]
====Marvel UK future timelines====
''In 2008, Decepticon Commander [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] gathered his lieutenants and told them to prepare for war against the Autobots. Mixmaster was present at this war council, apparently representing the Constructicons as their ranking officer! {{storylink|Space Pirates!}}''

====''Timelines'' Classics comics====
{{note|The Classics comics continue from the Marvel G1 comics, but disregard G2 and Marvel UK.}}
The Constructicons were among the troops that Megatron covertly rebuilt on Earth after [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]'s defeat and exile. But both Mixmaster and [[Hook (G1)|Hook]] were curiously absent from team, with the enigmatic [[Hightower (Classics)|Hightower]] in their place. Hightower himself joked about stripping enough spare parts off of [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] to "build a new Hook." {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 6}} It's unclear if whatever had happened to Hook had also caused Mixmaster's disappearance. Hightower has a similar enough personality to Mixmaster that they may be the same individual, though if that's the case, then it's odd that he was rebuilt with Hook's alt-mode.

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
{{notekeepers}}
Mixmaster was a member of the Constructicons beginning at least nine million years ago, when he and his partners helped prepare Cybertron for conversion into a mobile juggernaut under Megatron's direction. {{storylink|The War Within}}

At one point, the Constructicons designed the original [[combiner]] process, and applied it to themselves to create their alter-ego Devastator. Devastator was mentally unsound due to problems in their programming prototype, but Megatron insisted they keep him around anyway for his raw destruction power. The creation of Devastator spawned several copycat programs among Autobots and Decepticons alike, and soon at least a half dozen "[[Special Teams]]" were in combat on both sides. They began causing far too much damage on the planet, however, and so by the time of the Dark Ages the [[Crisis Intervention Accord]] was issued banning any group of combiners from all serving together on any one faction—they could be a neutral group or separated soldiers, but no more. The Constructicons were the first to break these accords and join up as a unit with [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]'s [[Ultracon|Ultracons]]. {{storylink|War Within: The Dark Ages}}

At some unknown time, the Constructicons made their way to Earth in order to serve with Megatron and the lost crew of the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'' in the 1980's. Like all Transformers, they vanished after the destruction of the [[Ark II]], but were reactivated by [[Lazarus]] in the 21st century. Mixmaster and the Constructicons formed Devastator and began attacking California after regaining their free will, but were ultimately destroyed. {{storylink|Prime Directive}}

''When Megatron was abducted by the [[Keeper (species)|Keepers]] to outer space, Starscream took the opportunity to assume control of the Decepticons. One of his cards to play was Devastator, as he had secretly rebuilt Mixmaster and the other Constructicons following their defeat in California. The Constructicons' loyalty helped him gather other Decepticons under his command, and together they took control of the human city of [[Las Vegas]], turning it into New Centurion, capital of the rising Decepticon Empire. When [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] and a group of humans and Autobots came in attempting to free the city, Mixmaster confronted them alongside Hook, Bonecrusher and Scrapper. Mixmaster made a particularly dramatic entrance by burning his way up through the bottom of the street with his acids, bursting up from a chemically-induced volcano. This bit of theatricality proved to be a mistake, however, when Grimlock knocked Scrapper off-balance and he fell into Mixmaster's molten pit. The cackling chemist was forced to take his eyes off of the enemy to pull his partner to safety before he was consumed. Never turn your back on a T-Rex—Grimlock took advantage of this distraction to crush Mixmaster's head between his massive iron jaws. Although he was pulled to safety and somehow recovered later that day, Mixmaster surely learned a valuable lesson about flash over substance. {{storylink|Hardwired}}''

''Megatron eventually returned to Earth, but Mixmaster and the Constructicons owed Starscream for reconstructing them, and so remained loyal to him when the Decepticons split into two factions. Of course, this only meant they were among the first to be captured by the Keepers when those aliens took over Las Vegas and turned Starscream into their puppet. Trapped behind an impenetrable force dome, Mixmaster and the Constructicons attempted to batter their way out as Devastator using sheer brute force, until [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] offered a better idea. Reconverting into their separate modes, the Constructicons dug a tunnel out beneath the force field, enabling Starscream's faction to join the final battle against the Keepers. Acting as Devastator, they were too far away from [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and his [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]-induced force shield when the American nuclear assault was dropped on the Keepers, and were blasted into pieces. {{storylink|Annihilation}}''

''The nuclear blast left Devastator fused into his singular robot mode, leaving him unable to split back into Mixmaster and his other components. Eventually, Devastator fell into the Void along with [[Omega Sentinel (G1)|Omega Sentinel]] in the final conflict with the Keepers, and was left in stasis lock, drifting in the vacuum of space, after the Sentinel destroyed the Keepers' power source and shattered the Void back into real space-time. The starship ''[[Bounty]]'', on a secret space mission from Earth, came across Devastator's remains and planned to tow him back to Earth. {{storylink|Fusion (novel)|Fusion}}''

The pieces of Mixmaster and the Constructicons fell under the control of [[Earth Defense Command]], and were held in their Roswell facility for study. {{storylink|Generation One issue 0}}

===Devil's Due ''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers'' continuity===
[[Image:Scrapperdevilsdue.jpg|right|125px|thumb|He's got legs, and he knows how to use 'em.]]
The ruthless terrorist organization known as [[Cobra]] dug dozens of Autobots and Decepticons out of their four-million-year resting place and began rebuilding them into a Cobra-controlled army. However, with [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]'s help, the mind-controlled Transformers were awakened, and the very cheesed-off Constructicons, including Mixmaster, descended upon their previous captor, [[Doctor Mindbender]]. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 3}}

They decided to pay him back him painfully by mixing him to death inside Mixmaster's drum, but were interrupted by Soundwave, who needed the doctor to work the [[SPS Satellite]] for him. Mixmaster was disappointed about Soundwave taking their fun away, but was ordered to protect the satellite controls from the attacking Autobot and [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] forces. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 4}} The Constructicons did like they were told, but were ultimately defeated despite forming Devastator during the battle. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 5}}
{{-}}

===IDW comics continuity===
Mixmaster and the other Constructicons apparently joined up with Megatron after the labor shortages for engineering robots cut them loose. Instead of actively participating in Megatron's [[Gladiatorial combat|gladiator tournaments]], however, they lent their talents to quickly clearing random deserted areas and building new arenas on-site shortly before the matches, so that the games were constantly moving. The Constructicons were very efficient in their work—they would even melt down [[Empties]] found at their construction sites in a pool of Mixmaster's solvents. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 2}} At the same time they worked as medics, repairing injured gladiators. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3}} When Megatron's open rebellion began, Mixmaster headed out with [[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] to kill people in [[Kaon]]. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 4}}

As the war began in earnest between the Autobots and Decepticons, Mixmaster and the Constructicons remained loyal followers of Megatron. Four million years ago, Mixmaster was part of a convoy along with [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]], [[Octane]] and his fellow Constructicons bringing energon to the war effort. They were intercepted and captured by [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]]. {{storylink|The Iron Age}}

Later during the war, Mixmaster was one of the Cybertronian scientists [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] consulted with when he uncovered Cybertron's energy problems and the inevitable cataclysmic destruction that would be wrought should they continue fighting and living as they always have. Mixmaster evidently rejected Thunderwing's findings, forcing him to take matters into his own hands, with devastating results. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 1}}

Millions of years later, Constructicons were eventually called to Earth, where they displayed their newfound ability to combine into Devastator to the local Autobots. They did not enjoy it. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7}} With the Autobots vanquished, Mixmaster joined in the attack on [[New York City]], wher the Constructicons awed the crowds by transforming in plain sight. At first, he played along with Scrapper's claims that they were benevolent aliens. Ever the nut job, Mixmaster did not join in the attack, but instead took a moment to examine the building materials that the humans used. He told Scrapper that they were soft, just like the humans. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1}} He later helped form Devastator in order to speed up the mindless destruction a bit. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 2}}

Swayed by [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]'s words regarding the future of the Decepticons, Mixmaster and the other Constructicons joined him in his revolt against Megatron. They attacked Megatron in the form of Devastator, and probably would've killed him if they hadn't been interrupted by the arrival of [[Europe]]an jets. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10}} Devastator started swatting the humans out of the sky, only to be attacked by [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] when the Autobots returned to the planet. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11}} The Constructicons were defeated when Omega blasted a hole straight through their combined mode. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12}}

During the two years that followed, Mixmaster and Hook were captured by [[Skywatch]] and deactivated. Requiring help in getting off Earth, a mixed Autobot-Decepticon group led by [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] and [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] retrieved the two Constructicons and started working on bringing them back online. {{storylink|A Rude Awakening}} They succeeded, and Mixmaster and Hook started helping the group with their spaceship project. {{storylink|Seasons in Flight}}

Naturally, the Decepticons eventually turned on the Autobots, and Mixmaster was seen fighting against Rodimus Prime himself during the [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] battle. After the new gestalt was defeat, Swindle escaped from Autobot and Skywatch custody along with some Constructicons, possibly including Mixmaster. {{storylink|Earthworks}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:Mixmaster toy.JPG|right|200px|thumb|"But do I get a Classic reissue, heck no."]]
* '''Mixmaster''' (Constructicon, 1985)
**''Team ID number:'' '''6'''
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''34'''
**''Accessories:'' [[Laser pistol]], [[Solar Energy Beam Rifle]], twin blaster, drill missile projectile

:Mixmaster was originally from [[Takara]]'s[[ Pre-Transformer]]s ''[[Diaclone]]'' toyline, as Construction Vehicle Robot No. 6 Concrete Mixer. Mixmaster transforms into a green and purple cement mixer, which can also form an '''Attack Truck''' mode by attaching his laser pistol and Devastator's rifle onto and behind his cab roof. Unlike the other Constructicons with projectile launchers, Mixmaster's launcher is built into him (above his head), and can only be used in robot mode. Either the twin blaster or the drill projectile can be loaded into this launcher, though [[for safety reasons]], the spring inside was severely weakened.

:When the Constructicon toys are combined into [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], Mixmaster forms the left leg.

::*''[http://tfu.info/1985/Decepticon/Mixmaster/mixmaster.htm More information on Mixmaster at TFU.info]''

*'''Devastator''' (Giftset, 1985)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''37'''

:Mixmaster was also available as part of the Devastator giftset that was available in several markets, including the United States, Japan and parts of Europe.
{{-}}

* '''Constructicon''' (Constructicon, 1992)

: This European exclusive version of Mixmaster was yellow, but with the darker purple from the original toy instead of the lighter Generation 2 shade, and came with no Devastator parts. This toy was also not officially named, as he came on a card shared by the other Constructicons.

{{-}}
===Generation 2===
* '''Mixmaster''' (Constructicon, 1993)
**''Team ID number:'' '''6'''
**''Accessories:'' Laser pistol, Magna Laser, twin blaster

: The complete set of Constructicons were re-released and [[Redeco|redecoed]] as part of the first assortments of ''[[Generation 2 (toyline)|Generation 2]]'' products. The first—and seemingly more common—versions were yellow like the previous European release, but lacked the gray plastics, had brighter purple parts, had the "DECEPTICON" [[Tampograph|tampographs]] on each one somewhere, and --most importantly-- came with all the Devastator bits.

: A later and seemingly less common run changed the yellow plastics to rich orange. It has been rumored that this release was only available in Kay-Bee stores, but not verified.

: On the specifics of Mixmaster, the missile launcher mechanism was removed for this release, as was the single-tipped missile.

::*''[http://tfu.info/1993/Decepticon/Mixmaster/mixmaster.htm More information on ''Generation 2'' Mixmaster at TFU.info]''

{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===Decoy===
{{charstubtoys}}

==Notes==
*The hose/gun/cannon/thingy that Mixmaster uses to spray whatever is in his mixing drum at the time often changed its shape during the G1 cartoon. In his first appearance alone, it changed three times.
* A common misconception is that Mixmaster has a speech quirk, where he repeats all or part of a word for no reason. Fictionally however, this has only shown up in "[[City of Steel]]".

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

[[Category:Constructicons]]
[[Category:Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Generation 2 characters]]
[[Category:Headmasters characters]]
[[Category:Scientists]]
[[Category:Ultracons]]

Transformers: Generations (toyline)

2010-08-22T09:49:40Z

Lord Starscream: I found Blurr at Wal-Mart.

{{disambig3|Generations}}
'''''Generations''''' is a line of Deluxe Class figures launched in 2010. Its ancestors are the 2006 ''[[Classics (2006)|Classics]]'' and 2008 [[Universe (2008)|''Universe'']] lines in that it, too, aims to recreate older Transformers characters as new toys and celebrate the history of the brand. Unlike ''Classics'' and ''Universe'', there will be no larger pricepoints. The range also includes designs from the video game ''[[War for Cybertron]].''

==Toys==
===General retail===
====Wave 1====
[[Image:Generations Drift toy.jpg|right|250px|thumb|RETRIBUTION!]]
* [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Cybertronian Bumblebee]]
* [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Cybertronian Optimus Prime]]
* [[Drift (G1)|Drift]]
* [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]]
{{--}}

====Wave 2====
* [[Megatron (Prime)|Cybertronian Megatron]]
* [[Straxus (G1)|Darkmount]]
{{--}}

====Wave 3====
* [[Soundwave (Prime)|Cybertronian Soundwave]]
* [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]
{{--}}

====Wave 4====
* [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (retool/redeco of Drift)
* [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]]
{{--}}

====Future waves====
* [[Cliffjumper (Prime)|Cybertronian Cliffjumper]] (retool/redeco of Cybertronian Bumblebee)
* [[Jazz (G1)|Special Ops Jazz]]
* [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]]
* [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]]
* [[Skullgrin]] (retool/redeco of Darkmount)
* [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]
* [[Tracks (G1)|Turbo Tracks]]
* [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] (retool/redeco of Perceptor)

{{comingsoontoy}}

[[Category:Franchises]]
[[Category:Generations| (toyline)]]
[[Category:Toys]]

User:Lord Starscream

2010-08-08T07:08:19Z

Lord Starscream:

''Lord Starscream is a [[Human]] From various Continuities, but first appeared in the [[Wikipedia:Real life (reality)|real-life]] Continuity.''

[[Image:DancitronGang.jpg|left|200px|thumb|You see the guy, fifth from the right? The one with the lady Liberty Hair? That's me.]]

Lord Starscream is a Transformers Fanatic. He can tell you any facts no one needs to know about Transformers on the spot, and could probably beat Rewind at a Transformers
Edition Jeopardy. He lives in Canada, eh?

He is weird. Really weird. Eh?

==Rant==
===Beast Wars===
Beast Wars was phenomenal. It had one of the greatest cartoons I've ever seen! It was interesting, story-wise, the Animation looked great, and it was almost free of animation and continuity errors. The toys revolutionized Transformers,and gave us most of the innovations that we didn't have in 1984.
First off, Optimus Prime is not a Monkey, and neither is Optimus Primal. Optimus Primal was a gorilla, and Optimus Prime was still a good old Freightliner FL86 COE (<-- Off of memory.Check his article. It's true!)Beast Wars revived the Brand. It did not kill it. Check your facts, if it wasn't for Beast Wars, Generation 2 would have sent transformers down the drain almost twenty years ago. Beast Machines, in turn, killed Beast Wars, ultimately getting it replaced by RiD.

===Gimmicks===
Gimmicks. They are everywhere. They make toys move. From articulation to Cyber Planet keys, they cannot be avoided.
Gimmicks are what runs Transformers, what keeps it from the toilet. If it weren't for the Transformation Gimmick, Transformers would not have been a success. If it weren't for the Cyber Planet keys, Transformers: Cybertron may have died.
It all runs on gimmicks, people. If you don't like it... well, too fucking bad.

===Change===
It is 1996. You are a typical fanboy (Or girl). You love Transformers. You walk into a store, and what do you find?: Beast Wars. It's everywhere. you hate it. You hate everything about it. Why? Because Optimus Prime should be a Truck, not a monkey. You immediately attack it with your keyboard on every Transformers online fan club you can find. Beast Wars will kill Transformers. Nothing is good about it. It has a cartoon? Well, that sucks too. But here we are, fourteen years later, and Transformers is still alive and running.
You see, fans, change is why Transformers exists. Change is why children have enjoyed Transformers so much. It is not all about you. If you hate change, go play with your fucking Generation One toys, instead of complaining to everyone and his dog about why Transformers sucks.
It IS NOT ALL ABOUT YOU. I know you would like to think so, but get this- Transformers is targeted at kids. You were a little kid when Transformers came out. You loved it. But now, when little kids try to love Transformers, they can't, because it sucks? Hasbro makes Transformers to get money from people via Children. Children need to be interested, so it needs to fit their standards. Get used to it, Shitheads.

Sorry.

==Favorite Toys/Characters/Anything else==
===Autobot/Maximal Characters===
[[Optimus Prime (G1)]]
[[Bluestreak]]
[[Sideswipe (G1)]]
[[Optimus Primal]]
[[Rhinox (BW)]]
===Decepticon/Predacon Characters===
[[Megatron (G1)]]
[[Soundwave (G1)]]
[[Laserbeak (G1)]]
[[Dinobot (BW)]]

==Personal Canon==
-Unicron is not a multiversal singularity. Niether is anyone else. Armada [[Unicron]] was on crack.

-The Fallen's name is NOT [[Megatronus Prime]].

-Any BotCon fiction does not exist. Except for Shattered Glass.

-''G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' is the same world as ''The Transformers''.

-The [[Constructicons (G1)]] came from Cybertron, made Megatron to be good but turned out evil, then got turned into Decepticons, got destroyed and Megatron rebuilt them on Earth.

-Skids is really Spongebob Squarepants in an Exo-suit doing a racistly stereotypical impression of a Black Man.
==Fuck Yes!==
[[Skywarp (G1)]]<-- He was my first Transformer ever. Got him for my birthday from a friend way back in the day. (Which, by the way, was a Wednesday.)

[[Wreck-Gar (G1)]] <-- Personally my favorite character. Even I talk T.V. sometimes. Wouldn't it be cool if Wreck-Gar's entire article was done entirely in Movie/T.V. quotes?

User:Lord Starscream

2010-08-07T23:29:52Z

Lord Starscream:

''Lord Starscream is a [[Human]] From various Continuities, but first appeared in the [[Wikipedia:Real life (reality)|real-life]] Continuity.''

[[Image:DancitronGang.jpg|left|200px|thumb|You see the guy, fifth from the right? The one with the lady Liberty Hair? That's me.]]

Lord Starscream is a Transformers Fanatic. He can tell you any facts no one needs to know about Transformers on the spot, and could probably beat Rewind at a Transformers
Edition Jeopardy. He lives in Canada, eh?

He is weird. Really weird. Eh?

==Rant==
===Beast Wars===
Beast Wars was phenomenal. It had one of the greatest cartoons I've ever seen! It was interesting, story-wise, the Animation looked great, and it was almost free of animation and continuity errors. The toys revolutionized Transformers,and gave us most of the innovations that we didn't have in 1984.
First off, Optimus Prime is not a Monkey, and neither is Optimus Primal. Optimus Primal was a gorilla, and Optimus Prime was still a good old Freightliner FL86 COE (<-- Off of memory.Check his article. It's true!)Beast Wars revived the Brand. It did not kill it. Check your facts, if it wasn't for Beast Wars, Generation 2 would have sent transformers down the drain almost twenty years ago. Beast Machines, in turn, killed Beast Wars, ultimately getting it replaced by RiD.

===Gimmicks===
Gimmicks. They are everywhere. They make toys move. From articulation to Cyber Planet keys, they cannot be avoided.
Gimmicks are what runs Transformers, what keeps it from the toilet. If it weren't for the Transformation Gimmick, Transformers would not have been a success. If it weren't for the Cyber Planet keys, Transformers: Cybertron may have died.
It all runs on gimmicks, people. If you don't like it... well, too fucking bad.

===Change===
It is 1996. You are a typical fanboy (Or girl). You love Transformers. You walk into a store, and what do you find?: Beast Wars. It's everywhere. you hate it. You hate everything about it. Why? Because Optimus Prime should be a Truck, not a monkey. You immediately attack it with your keyboard on every Transformers online fan club you can find. Beast Wars will kill Transformers. Nothing is good about it. It has a cartoon? Well, that sucks too. But here we are, fourteen years later, and Transformers is still alive and running.
You see, fans, change is why Transformers exists. Change is why children have enjoyed Transformers so much. It is not all about you. If you hate change, go play with your fucking Generation One toys, instead of complaining to everyone and his dog about why Transformers sucks.
It IS NOT ALL ABOUT YOU. I know you would like to think so, but get this- Transformers is targeted at kids. You were a little kid when Transformers came out. You loved it. But now, when little kids try to love Transformers, they can't, because it sucks? Hasbro makes Transformers to get money from people via Children. Children need to be interested, so it needs to fit their standards. Get used to it, Shitheads.

Sorry.

==Favorite Toys/Characters/Anything else==
===Autobot/Maximal Characters===
[[Optimus Prime (G1)]]
[[Bluestreak]]
[[Sideswipe (G1)]]
[[Optimus Primal]]
[[Rhinox (BW)]]
===Decepticon/Predacon Characters===
[[Megatron (G1)]]
[[Soundwave (G1)]]
[[Laserbeak (G1)]]
[[Dinobot (BW)]]

==Personal Canon==
-Unicron is not a multiversal singularity. Niether is anyone else. Armada [[Unicron]] was on crack.

-The Fallen's name is NOT [[Megatronus Prime]].

-Any BotCon fiction does not exist.
-
''G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' is the same world as ''The Transformers''.

-The [[Constructicons (G1)]] came from Cybertron, made Megatron to be good but turned out evil, then got turned into Decepticons, got destroyed and Megatron rebuilt them on Earth.

-Skids is really Spongebob Squarepants in an Exo-suit doing a racistly stereotypical impression of a Black Man.
==Fuck Yes!==
[[Skywarp (G1)]]<-- He was my first Transformer ever. Got him for my birthday from a friend way back in the day. (Which, by the way, was a Wednesday.)

[[Wreck-Gar (G1)]] <-- Personally my favorite character. Even I talk T.V. sometimes. Wouldn't it be cool if Wreck-Gar's entire article was done entirely in Movie/T.V. quotes?

User:Lord Starscream

2010-08-07T23:21:10Z

Lord Starscream:

''Lord Starscream is a [[Human]] From various Continuities, but first appeared in the [[Wikipedia:Real life (reality)|real-life]] Continuity.''

Lord Starscream is a Transformers Fanatic. He can tell you any facts no one needs to know about Transformers on the spot, and could probably beat Rewind at a Transformers
Edition Jeopardy. He lives in Canada, eh?

He is weird. Really weird. Eh?

==Rant==
===Beast Wars===
Beast Wars was phenomenal. It had one of the greatest cartoons I've ever seen! It was interesting, story-wise, the Animation looked great, and it was almost free of animation and continuity errors. The toys revolutionized Transformers,and gave us most of the innovations that we didn't have in 1984.
First off, Optimus Prime is not a Monkey, and neither is Optimus Primal. Optimus Primal was a gorilla, and Optimus Prime was still a good old Freightliner FL86 COE (<-- Off of memory.Check his article. It's true!)Beast Wars revived the Brand. It did not kill it. Check your facts, if it wasn't for Beast Wars, Generation 2 would have sent transformers down the drain almost twenty years ago. Beast Machines, in turn, killed Beast Wars, ultimately getting it replaced by RiD.

===Gimmicks===
Gimmicks. They are everywhere. They make toys move. From articulation to Cyber Planet keys, they cannot be avoided.
Gimmicks are what runs Transformers, what keeps it from the toilet. If it weren't for the Transformation Gimmick, Transformers would not have been a success. If it weren't for the Cyber Planet keys, Transformers: Cybertron may have died.
It all runs on gimmicks, people. If you don't like it... well, too fucking bad.

===Change===
It is 1996. You are a typical fanboy (Or girl). You love Transformers. You walk into a store, and what do you find?: Beast Wars. It's everywhere. you hate it. You hate everything about it. Why? Because Optimus Prime is a Truck, not a monkey. You immediately attack it with your keyboard on every Transformers online fan club you can find. Beast Wars will kill Transformers. Nothing is good about it. It has a cartoon? Well, that sucks too. But here we are, fourteen years later, and Transformers is still alive and running.
You see, fans, change is why Transformers exists. Change is why children have enjoyed Transformers so much. It is not all about you. If you hate change, go play with your fucking Generation One toys, instead of complaining to everyone and his dog about why Transformers sucks.
It IS NOT ALL ABOUT YOU. I know you would like to think so, but get this- Transformers is targeted at kids. You were a little kid when Transformers came out. You loved it. But now, when little kids try to love Transformers, they can't, because it sucks? Hasbro makes Transformers to get money from people via Children. Children need to be interested, so it needs to fit their standards. Get used to it, Shitheads.

Sorry.

==Favorite Toys/Characters/Anything else==
===Autobot/Maximal Characters===
[[Optimus Prime (G1)]]
[[Bluestreak]]
[[Sideswipe (G1)]]
[[Optimus Primal]]
[[Rhinox (BW)]]
===Decepticon/Predacon Characters===
[[Megatron (G1)]]
[[Soundwave (G1)]]
[[Laserbeak (G1)]]
[[Dinobot (BW)]]

==Personal Canon==
-Unicron is not a multiversal singularity. Niether is anyone else. Armada [[Unicron]] was on crack.
-The Fallen's name is NOT [[Megatronus Prime]].
-Any BotCon fiction does not exist.
''G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' is the same world as ''The Transformers''.
The [[Constructicons (G1)]] came from Cybertron, made Megatron to be good but turned out evil, then got turned into Decepticons, got destroyed and Megatron rebuilt them on Earth.
Skids is really Spongebob Squarepants in an Exo-suit doing a racistly stereotypical impression of a Black Man.
==Fuck Yes!==
[[Skywarp (G1)]]<-- He was my first Transformer ever. Got him for my birthday from a friend way back in the day. (Which, by the way, was a Wednesday.)

[[Wreck-Gar (G1)]] <-- Personally my favorite character. Even I talk T.V. sometimes. Wouldn't it be cool if Wreck-Gar's entire article was done entirely in Movie/T.V. quotes?

User:Lord Starscream

2010-06-22T01:55:26Z

Lord Starscream:

''Lord Starscream is a [[Human]] From various Continuities, but first appeared in the [[Wikipedia:Real life (reality)|real-life]] Continuity.''

Lord Starscream is a Transformers Fanatic. He can tell you any facts no one needs to know about Transformers on the spot, and could probably beat Rewind at a Transformers
Edition Jeopardy. He lives in Canada, eh?

He is weird. Really weird. Eh?

==Rant==
===Beast Wars===
This is a rant. guess what? This is my opinion on Transformers, it's fans, and everything else.
Beast Wars was phenomenal. It had one of the greatest cartoons I've ever seen! It was interesting, story-wise, the Animation looked great, and it was almost free of animation and continuity errors. The toys revolutionized Transformers,and gave us most of the innovations that we didn't have in 1984.
First off, Optimus Prime is not a Monkey, and neither is Optimus Primal. Optimus Primal was a gorilla, and Optimus Prime was still a good old Freightliner FL86 COE (<-- Off of memory.Check his article. It's true!)Beast Wars revived the Brand. It did not kill it. Check your facts, if it wasn't for Beast Wars, Generation 2 would have sent transformers down the drain almost twenty years ago. Beast Machines, in turn, killed Beast Wars, ultimately getting it replaced by RiD.

===Gimmicks===
Gimmicks. They are everywhere. They make toys move. From articulation to Cyber Planet keys, they cannot be avoided.
Gimmicks are what runs Transformers, what keeps it from the toilet. If it weren't for the Transformation Gimmick, Transformers would not have been a success. If it weren't for the Cyber Planet keys, Transformers: Cybertron may have died.
It all runs on gimmicks, people. If you don't like it... well, too fucking bad.

===Change===
It is 1996. You are a typical fanboy (Or girl). You love Transformers. You walk into a store, and what do you find?: Beast Wars. It's everywhere. you hate it. You hate everything about it. Why? Because Optimus Prime is a Truck, not a monkey. You immediately attack it with your keyboard on every Transformers online fan club you can find. Beast Wars will kill Transformers. Nothing is good about it. It has a cartoon? Well, that sucks too. But here we are, fourteen years later, and Transformers is still alive and running.
You see, fans, change is why Transformers exists. Change is why children have enjoyed Transformers so much. It is not all about you. If you hate change, go play with your fucking Generation One toys, instead of complaining to everyone and his dog about why Transformers sucks.
It IS NOT ALL ABOUT YOU. I know you would like to think so, but get this- Transformers is targeted kids. You were a little kid when Transformers came out. You loved it. But now, when little kids try to love Transformers, they can't, because it sucks? Hasbro makes Transformers to get money from people via Children. Children need to be interested, so it needs to fit their standards. Get used to it, Shitheads.

Sorry.

User:Lord Starscream

2010-05-28T20:27:16Z

Lord Starscream: New page: ''Lord Starscream is a Human From various Continuities, but first appeared in the real-life Continuity.'' Lord Starscream is a Transformers Fanatic. ...