Cannonball (Cybertron)

2024-03-14T16:05:42Z

Lynneshade: /* Legacy */

{{disambig3|Cannonball}}
{{factions|decepticon|cybearth|starseeker}}
:''Avast! Cannonball do be a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Unicron Trilogy continuity family]].''

[[Image:Cannonball UT.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Life is pain. Anyone who says otherwise is selling something.]]
Leader of a gang of interstellar pirates and captain of the ''[[Sea Slag]]'', the dread pirate they call '''Cannonball''' is only a Decepticon because [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] lets his crew roam free, provided they leave the Decepticon starships alone and focus their attentions more on the [[Autobot]]s. Cannonball is all too happy to do so. When he and his crew aren't looting and pillaging, they're causing trouble in some seedy port on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], using their ill-gotten gains to purchase black-market [[energon star]]s or dubious-sounding "pleasure programs".

Cannonball's crew can be readily identified by the bright airbrushed graphics that adorn their [[alternate mode]]s. Cannonball himself features bright green {{w|Oingo Boingo}}-style skeletons.

Though "Cannonball" has been terrorizing spacelanes for centuries, it has not been ''this'' Cannonball... he is in fact the tenth space pirate to use that name and legacy. One day he will train a replacement to take his name, and that pirate will take on the legacy with a whole new crew. Until that day, though, Cannonball plans to live it up!

On [[Earth]], Cannonball and his then-landlubber crew prowl the highways, robbing shipments and retreating to the mythical [[Pirate Oasis]].

Arrrr.

==Fiction==
===''Timelines''===
[[File:The-Dark-Heart-of-Sandokan-Decepticons.jpg|thumb|left]]
The latest in the line of pirates known as Cannonball was captain of the ''[[Kalis' Lament (Cybertron)|Kalis' Lament]]'' after the defeat of [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]]. He had recruited several former Decepticons into his crew, including [[Brushguard]], [[Buzzsaw (Cybertron)|Buzzsaw]], [[Runamuck (Cybertron)|Runamuck]] and his first mate, [[Skywarp (Armada)|Skywarp]]. One dark night in space, a probe returned to the ship with information about possible treasure—a [[Force Chip]] aboard an Autobot ship that had been shot down over the planet [[Sandokan]]. Cannonball cautioned his crew about journeying to Sandokan, for it was a cursed planet if the tales were true. He gave Buzzsaw a good thrashing for doubting the stories. Instead of proceeding directly for the planet, Cannonball decided to come at the treasure sideways—he called in an old favor from the mercenary [[Astrotrain (Cybertron)|Astrotrain]], sending him on ahead to test the planet's defenses and seek out the Force Chip. If he were successful, so much the better; if he failed, at least Cannonball would have a better understanding of the planet and what protected it.

True enough, Astrotrain was overpowered by [[Synthos]], the dark creature who controlled the world, empowered by the ancient [[Dark Heart of Sandokan]]. Cannonball and some of his crew arrived in advance of the ''Kalis' Lament'' in a small shuttle, seeking to take advantage of the creature after Astrotrain softened it up. Unfortunately for Cannonball, he lost track of the Autobots in the melee, and they managed to sneak aboard his shuttle and hijack the vessel, making off with the Force Chip and leaving Cannonball and crew stranded waiting for a pick-up. It wasn't a total loss, though—Cannonball managed to recover the Dark Heart itself from Synthos, and left it in the gleeful and capable hands of his science officer, Brushguard, to unlock the crystal's secrets. {{storylink|The Dark Heart of Sandokan}}

===''TransTech''===
The 10th Cannonball of [[Aurex 1107.23 Beta]] was brought up on a trivia bonus on the [[Axiom Nexus Cybernet Infocore]] by [[I-QUEUE]], as part of a lesson on the pirates throughout the [[multiverse]] who have used the "[[Cannonball (disambiguation)|Cannonball]]" persona. {{storylink|Transformers I.Q.|Transformers I.Q. in TCC #55}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
[[File:Cannonball_Kre-O_Character_Image.jpg|75px|thumb]]
Cannonball attacked the city along with [[Smolder (PCC)|Smolder]]. {{storylink|Bad at Fighting? Rescue Team Protectobots, Dispatch!}}

===Spacewarp's Log===
[[Spacewarp]] had engaged in some manner of business with Cannonball. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Spacewarp's Log (1), 2015/10/27}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===''Cybertron''===
[[File:Cyb-toy Cannonball.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Hide the rum.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Cannonball''' (Deluxe class, 2006)}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': Hammer attachment, claw attachment, Earth Cyber Key
:*''Cyber Key Code'': '''d2rz'''
{{toydesigner|[[Marcelo Matere]] (packaging artist)}}

: Part of the seventh wave of ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]'' Deluxes, Cannonball is a [[redeco]] of the ''Cybertron'' Deluxe [[Red Alert (Armada)#Cybertron|Red Alert]] toy, transforming into a {{w|Dodge Magnum}} with roof-mounted lights and giant, vibrant green detailing of a skull and skeletons on his roof and doors, respectively. In both vehicle and robot mode, inserting a [[Cyber Key]] into his rear window releases a pair of flip-out (non-firing) blasters. Hidden in his legs (his car-mode hood) are hammer and claw attachments for the "blaster" stub on his left arm in place of a hand.

: This mold was also used to make the [[Transformers (2007 toyline)|live-action movie]] [[Crankcase (Movie)#Toys|Crankcase]], and [[retool]]ed to make ''[[Transformers Timelines (toyline)|Timelines]]'' [[Kup (G1)/toys#Timelines|Kup]]. The Kup tooling was also the basis of the non-toy [[Kup (SG)|''Shattered Glass'' Kup]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2006/Decepticon/Cannonball/cannonball.htm More information on Cannonball at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===''Universe'' (2003)===
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1d1|'''Downshift vs. Cannonball: Search for the Pirate Moon''' (Multi-pack, 2007)}}</ul>
:*''Accessories:'' Hammer attachment, claw attachment, Earth Cyber Key
:*''Cyber Key Code'': '''d2rz'''

: As a 2007 [[Black Friday (event)|Black Friday]] special, [[Walmart]] got two ''[[Transformers: Universe (2003 toyline)|Universe]]''-branded two-packs of ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]'' Deluxes. Cannonball was repackaged with [[Downshift (Energon)#Cybertron|the ''Cybertron'' version of Downshift]], with a cardback story about Downshift hunting Cannonball's gang of pirates... in a setting that had nothing to do with a [[Barbarossa|moon]]. Oh well. Both toys were identical to their individual releases.
{{-}}

===''Legacy''===
[[File:Legacy_United_Cannonball.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|You wear fine redecoes well.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{bp-ss|'''Star Raider Cannonball''' (Deluxe Class, 2024)}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': Cyber Key, claw attachment, hammer attachment

:''[[Transformers: Legacy|Legacy United]]'' "Star Raider Cannonball" is a heavy retool of [[Skids (G1)#Legacy|''Legacy'' Skids]], transforming into a SUV with a lightbar.

: He comes with a [[Cyber Key]] which can be inserted into a slot on the roof of his vehicle mode. This homages the original concept, but does not activate any features. He also has sculpted [[Kibble#"Faux-parts"|faux-door kibble]] on his shoulders and a faux-head between his lightbars to further resemble the original toy. The green skeleton on his doors has been replaced with a flaming skull.

:Cannonball was revealed in the [[Walmart]] Collector Con online event on [[March 7]], [[2024]], as part of the Walmart-[[exclusive]] "Star Raider" collection.
{{LegacySkidsMold}}
{{comingsoontoy}}

==Notes==
* The idea that the "Cannonball" persona is passed from pirate to pirate over the years is an obvious nod to the Dread Pirate Roberts from ''{{w|The Princess Bride (film)|The Princess Bride}}''.
* Cannonball's online bio note has a discrepancy from the version on the package back. The online note refers to Cannonball's crew spending their loot on (in addition to black-market [[energon star]]s) something referred to as "[[Holo-chip|pleasure programs]]"; on the package, the line is the same, but "pleasure programs" has been replaced by the more family-friendly "hot, airbrushed graphics for their vehicle modes".
*''Kre-O'' Cannonball uses existing ''Kre-O'' pieces as part of his build, as he uses the [[Ironhide (Kre-O)|Ironhide]] helmet and the [[Shockwave (Kre-O)|Shockwave]] gun-hand, although his door pieces appear to be unique (to better represent the original character).

[[Category:Cybertron Decepticons]]
[[Category:Kre-O Decepticons]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Legacy Star Raiders]]
[[Category:Pirates]]
[[Category:Universe Decepticons]]
[[Category:Wal-Mart exclusives]]

MediaWiki - User contributions [en]

Cannonball (Cybertron)