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Fortress Maximus (G1)

2017-07-05T22:12:34Z

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:''Fortress Maximus is an [[Autobot]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] and occasional [[cityformer]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:FortMax1.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|[[Nobuyuki Hiyama|Link]] called. He wants the [[Master Sword]] back.]]

Despite his great power, size, and rank, '''Fortress Maximus''' is a weary and reluctant warrior. Fighting is against his pacifist nature, even for the most noble of causes. Over time, the endless conflict on Cybertron has worn him down, to the point that he's willing to walk away from the war entirely to preserve himself and his ideals.

Fortress Maximus is big. ''How'' big generally depends on the universe, but often as not he's binary-bonded to a smaller robot named [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] who forms his head; Cerebros's own head is formed by [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]], or in some universes: [[Emissary (Generations)|Emissary]].

{{note|Fortress Maximus is one of those fun characters whose incarnations are very different. See individual fiction entries below for continuity specific profiles.}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
[[File:Fortmaxgiveshead.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|]]
{{main|Fortress Maximus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity}}
{{-}}

===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Stephen Keener]] (English), [[Kunihiko Yasui]] (Japanese)}}

[[File:Fortressmaximusg1rebirth.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb]]
When a battle for possession of the [[Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber]] led a group of Autobots and Decepticons to be stranded on the planet [[Nebulos]], partnership between the Transformers and the native Nebulans led to the development of Headmaster and Targetmaster technology. The planet's evil ruling council, the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]], took the technology to its most powerful extreme when its leader [[Zarak (G1)|Zarak]] created the massive city-sized Scorponok to serve as his Headmaster partner and used his power to steal back the chamber key. The Decepticons departed for Cybertron, and the Autobots were poised to give chase when Spike Witwicky announced that he and the pacifistic Cerebros would be staying behind. While the other Autobots left in pursuit, Spike had Cerebros lead him to the ruins of the Hive's original city, which they had lived in before moving underground. Taking control of the various abandoned machines there, Spike rebuilt the city, Cerebros and even himself into a Headmaster robot that could stand up to Scorponok's power: Fortress Maximus!

[[File:Rebirth3 fortmax battlestation.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb]]
The completed Fortress Maximus quickly flew to Cybertron and made a dramatic entrance, setting down in city mode and then transforming to battle station mode to bombard Scorponok and the Decepticons with a hail of weaponsfire. When Zarak transformed Scorponok to [[robot mode]], Spike did likewise with Fortress Maximus, and the two titans battled, with Maximus on the losing end until Zarak threatened the life of Spike's son, Daniel. With a burst of strength, Fortress Maximus took Scorponok down, causing him to collapse with such force that he transformed back to city mode. Spike and Cerebros then disconnected from Maximus and headed inside Scorponok to recover the captive Daniel and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], leaving Maximus to keep the other Decepticons at bay with his many weapons. The Decepticons were able to get through Maximus's firestorm and got Scorponok airborne, but not before Spike succeeded in his rescue.

Subsequently, with the Plasma Energy Chamber back under Autobot control, Fortress Maximus flew the Autobot Headmasters and Targetmasters back to Nebulos. There, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] announced that after they had eradicated the Hive's evil from the planet, Cerebros would live on the planet as its guardian, presumably meaning that Fortress Maximus would be staying there too. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

{{note|It is unclear if Fortress Maximus had any sentience of his own; he did speak once in his own voice, but for the most part, even Cerebros's will seemed to be pushed aside so Spike could run the whole thing himself.}}

===Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
{{note|In Japan, Fortress Maximus's mental functions are housed in a small robot who transforms into a head and connects to a larger, lifeless transtector body. This larger body in turn becomes the head of a ''giant'' transtector, forming the robot known as Fortress Maximus. The ''Headmasters'' toyline referred to the smallest robot as '''Cerebros''', who formed the head of the intermediate robot '''Fortress''', but this distinction was never actually made in fiction, and the character was always referred to as "Fortress" regardless of whether he was in small or intermediate form.}}

====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Ikuya Sawaki]] (Japanese)|[[Simon Broad]] (English)}}

[[File:Hm7 fortress small bot.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Drang nach Master!]]
Four million years ago, Fortress was a [[Cyberdroid|diminutive Cybertronian]] who had not yet mastered the art of transformation, and was a friend of [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]]'s. He was among the many Transformers that fled Cybertron in an attempt to escape the corrosion of war without end, and led a group of his fellow small Cybertronians in search of a new peaceful world they could call home. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Alas, engine trouble caused their ship to crash on the inhospitable world of planet Master, whose hazardous environmental conditions began threatening the lives of Fortress and his men almost as soon as they departed the wreckage of their ship and began trekking through a desert of shifting sands. The need for survival fostered many technological and mental advancements, however, and Fortress and his people endured.

[[File:Hm1 battleship maximus.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Fortress was responsible for many of the technological quantum leaps, the most significant of which was the invention of "[[transtector]]s": larger, lifeless Transformer bodies to which the small Cybertronians could connect as heads. After a rigorous physical and mental training program that allowed them to finally master transformation and even instilled powerful telepathic and telekinetic powers in them, Fortress and nine other warriors bonded with these transtectors to become "Headmasters". {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}} Fortress even took the process one step further, and with the aid of other Master scientists like [[Jack (Headmasters)|Jack]], created a ''huge'' transtector that could transform into the battleship, Maximus. Fortress's own transtector was engineered to also transform into a head, which could control the many functions of the Maximus from a special docking bay on the battleship's bridge, {{storylink|Rebellion on Planet Beast}} and which could form the head for the battleship's own colossal robot mode, known as "Fortress Maximus". Fortress also created the powerful [[Master Sword]] for himself, and tied the Maximus's transformation into it; in order to convert the battleship to robot mode, Fortress had to draw a small version of the blade from a sheath beneath his command console, but this feat could only be accomplished when his physical and mental energies were in perfect synchronization. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}}

Unfortunately, half of the Headmasters eventually rebelled against Fortress's leadership, siding with a traitor named Scorponok against him. The traitors were defeated by Fortress and his comrades and exiled from Master, but eventually, they came to ally themselves with the Decepticons under the command of [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

[[File:Hm2 kup and fortress.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
In the year 2011, when Galvatron launched his latest attack on Cybertron with the added power of his new Decepticon Headmasters, Fortress Maximus brought the Autobot Headmasters back to their homeworld aboard the Maximus. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} Even the mightiest of the Decepticons' [[combiner]]s could not stand against Battleship Maximus's firepower, and the evil robots were forced into retreat. This task complete, Fortress set the Maximus down at the Autobots' secondary headquarters on the planet [[Athenia]], where he introduced himself and his comrades and explained their origins, and was reunited with Kup. After being filled in by the Autobots on the current crisis—[[Vector Sigma]] had become destabilized, putting the planet at risk—Fortress deduced that the [[Matrix of Leadership]] was necessary to bring the computer back under control. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Unfortunately, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] had already ventured into the depths of Cybertron without the Matrix, willing to sacrifice his own life to stabilize Vector Sigma, so Fortress headed into the planet's catacombs after him while the other Headmasters helped [[Hot Rod/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] search for the Matrix, hidden somewhere on [[Earth]]. Though Fortress was not able to catch up to Prime before he reached Vector Sigma's chamber, he was able to use his telepathic powers to contact Prime's companion, the spirit of [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], helping to guide him safely through the maze of tunnels. It turned out that [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] had made it to the chamber ahead of Prime, however, and Fortress raced through the remainder of the tunnels to aid Prime against the two Decepticons. Hot Rod soon arrived with the Matrix, which he used to become Rodimus Prime again, but before he could use it to bring Vector Sigma back under control, Optimus Prime merged with the computer to stabilize it, giving up his life in the process. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}} Prime was not the only casualty of the crisis: [[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]] also lost his life in the search for the Matrix. Luckily, Fortress was able to use the advanced technology of Master to rebuild and resurrect him, as Twincast. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}}

[[File:Hm5 fortmax headmode.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
While patrolling space for Decepticon activity aboard the Maximus, the Autobot Headmasters discovered [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] stowed away on board. After explaining the function of his Head Mode to the shocked youngsters, Fortress agreed to let the pair join them on the patrol. Soon after, the Autobots came upon two stranded [[Beastformer]]s from the planet [[Beast (planet)|Beast]], and learned that the Decepticons had invaded their planet; the infuriated Fortress made for the planet with all due speed, after sending a report to Rodimus Prime on Athenia. The Autobot Headmasters helped the native Beastformers liberate their planet from Decepticon control, but Fortress was concerned with a blueprint recovered from an underground factory that indicated the Decepticons were building something. {{storylink|Rebellion on Planet Beast}}

[[File:Hm6 fortmax funnyfaces.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|:D]]
When the Decepticons launched a [[Metamorphose|metal-warping meteor]] at Athenia, Fortress and his battleship were powerless to do anything, for fear of being destroyed by the meteor's gravity sensors. It fell to Daniel Witwicky to destroy the meteor, so Fortress transported him as close to it as he was able. Daniel lost his nerve at the last minute, so Fortress calmed him down by making some silly faces. Dignified! {{storylink|Approach of the Demon Meteorite}} Later, a phoney distress call lured Fortress and the Autobot Headmasters into a trap on the planet [[Praum]] set by their old foe, Scorponok. Despite being trapped in a subterranean chamber with the endless desert sands pouring in on top of him, Fortress kept his head and reminded his young allies of the similar hardships they had suffered on Master and the training they had undergone to overcome them. With the skills they had learned back then, they were able to escape. {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}}

[[File:Hm10 fortress appointed commander.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
When Galvatron launched an attack on Cybertron in an attempt to steal a new alloy developed by Vector Sigma named [[cybertonuron]], Fortress advised Rodimus Prime against striking back in full force, preferring to find another way to stop the Decepticons than putting all their warriors in danger. Rodimus refused, and Fortress quietly acquiesced to his commander's wishes, ferrying him to Cybertron on Battleship Maximus. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} The battle ended catastrophically, however, when treachery on the part of Scorponok led to the detonation of a collection of bombs in Vector Sigma's chamber, devastating Cybertron and rendering it uninhabitable, and apparently killing Galvatron in the process. Realizing with deep regret that Fortress's caution had been warranted, Rodimus Prime decided that the era of his generation of Transformers was over, and vowed to search the universe for a new planet the Transformers could call home. He passed the title of [[Supreme Commander]] of the Autobots (though not the Matrix of Leadership) to Fortress, who was visibly uncomfortable with the appointment, but accepted it graciously, telling himself not to contest it because it was his destiny. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}}

[[File:G1FortressMaximus HMstockfootage.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|"...But it's the pelvic thruuuuuust / that really drives you in-sa-a-a-ane..."]]
Fortress's tenure as leader got off to a strong start with the successful completion of the [[Sol 1]] satellite, a joint venture between the Autobots and humanity to gather solar energy. Unfortunately, the satellite was stolen by the Decepticons, forcing the Autobot Headmasters to destroy it to keep it out of their hands. Before being destroyed, however, the satellite's energy was beamed by the villains to the planet [[Zarak (planet)|Zarak]]. {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} Fortress attempted to study Zarak from afar in hopes of deducing what the Decepticons were up to, but the planet's gaseous shroud prevented remote observation of its surface, and the Decepticons began staging concentrated attacks on Earth to keep the Autobots' attentions divided. {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}} One such attack saw the Decepticons unleash a carnivorous, ambulatory plant upon [[San Francisco]], which Fortress identified as a [[buridanka]] from the planet [[Darhos]]. When the Autobot Headmasters responded, Battleship Maximus was caught in the plant-monster's vines, and Fortress's lack of focus left him unable to draw the Master Sword and transform. Galvanized by the cries of the other Headmasters, however, his energies soon came into alignment, and for what was apparently the first time (given everyone else's surprise when it happened) Fortress transformed the Maximus and combined with it to form Fortress Maximus. With the power of the Master Sword, he easily dispatched the giant plant. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}}

[[File:Hm14 fortress draws mastersword.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Weakened by the great energy demands of his transformation, Fortress sent the Autobot Headmasters to [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] without him when news of Decepticon movement on the planet reached the Autobots. When the Headmasters discovered that the Decepticons were planning to blow up Mars, however, Fortress went into action, only to be struck with a [[plasma energy]] bomb by the Decepticons Headmasters just as he was in the middle of transforming into Fortress Maximus. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}} Although Fortress survived the blast, his energies were severely drained, and the powerless Maximus was unable to depart Mars as the countdown to the Decepticons' planet-destroying explosion continued. Even worse, into the middle of this crisis stepped Scorponok, now outfitted with a gigantic transtector of his own: the end result of the mysterious construction operations on planets Beast and Zarak. Scorponok pummelled the paralyzed Maximus, then pulled out just before the chain of explosion began. Fortress told the Headmasters to leave him and the Maximus to their fate, but luckily, at the last minute, the battleship began absorbing the energy released by the early stages of the explosion. Fortress was able to use this energy to transform into Fortress Maximus, and escaped the destruction of Mars, slashing Scorponok with the Master Sword as he came bursting from the conflagration. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears}}

[[File:Hm17 maximus vs scorponok.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|That's how the scorpions breed!]]
While Fortress and the Headmasters were patrolling the edges of Decepticon space to keep an eye on their enemies' activities, Scorponok attacked the Maximus, only for the fight to be broken up by a strange UFO. Back on Athenia, Fortress met with the Autobots' deep cover spy, [[Punch (G1)|Punch]], and learned that Scorponok was holding a coronation ceremony for himself on Earth's [[moon (moon)|moon]]. The Autobots attacked the ceremony, during which Fortress again pitted his battleship against Scorponok, but the fighting was brought to an end when the UFO returned, and was revealed to belong to Galvatron, who had survived Cybertron's destruction. {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}} Fortress fought Scorponok again soon after, when the Autobots tried to provide energy relief to the other-dimensional planet [[Sandra (planet)|Sandra]]. {{storylink|SOS from Planet Sandra}}

[[File:Hm23 fortmax sword slash.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
When the Decepticons embarked on an interplanetary energy quest, the Autobots determined to follow them aboard Fortress's battleship; Fortress had to be convinced to allow Daniel to come with them. {{storylink|Daniel Faces His Biggest Crisis Ever!!}} Their first port of call was the planet [[Hive (planet)|Hive]], but before the Maximus could set down, they were attacked by the planet's force. Fortress was intent on a show of non-resistance and would not fire back, while [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] went down to the planet's surface and proved the Autobots' good intentions to Hive's [[Queen Bee]]. The Autobots joined forces with the natives to fend off the Decepticons; Fortress disconnected the Maximus's "Master Shot" cannon so the Headmasters could wield it, then transformed into Fortress Maximus to send Scorponok packing with the Master Sword. {{storylink|Fight to the Death on Planet Hive!!}} Fortress then used the Maximus to fly the Autobots to [[Twin Star]], where he dealt with Scorponok by hauling him into the air and dropping him, {{storylink|Battle for Defense of the False Planet}} and [[Daros]], where he used the Maximus's internal defense systems to stop [[Curl|a gang of prisoners]] from taking control of the battleship. {{storylink|Find MegaZarak's Weak Spot!!}} The battleship needed some repairs before it could take the Autobots to [[Paradise]], which Fortress had Chromedome and [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] perform. {{storylink|Head Formation of Friendship}} Fortress again transformed to Fortress Maximus on the final planet of their journey, [[Pirate Planet]], taking Scorponok out with a Master Sword-slash to the chest. {{storylink|Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship}}

[[File:Hm25 fortress cradles magnus.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
After returning to Athenia, Fortress and the Headmasters received news of a Decepticon attack on Earth and headed there with all due haste, but they were not in time to stop [[Sixshot]] from mortally wounding [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]]. Fortress held Magnus as he died, then carried his body aboard the Maximus for burial along an Earth coastline. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}} Soon after, with Decepticon attacks intensifying, Fortress had to talk [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] out of risking his own life in the pursuit of revenge against Sixshot. When word came through from Punch that Galvatron intended to use the gathered energy to fuse himself with the Earth itself, Fortress and the Headmasters immediately departed to confront the Decepticon leader in [[Alaska]]. The Headmasters were able to use Punch's information to finally end the threat of Galvatron with their [[Head Formation]], burying him in the Arctic ice. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}}

[[File:Hm26 weak spot.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|From USSR with "love"!]]
Galvatron's demise left a power vacuum that Scorponok immediately filled, and once appointed leader again, he immediately put into motion a plan to destroy the Earth by simultaneously erupting every volcano on the [[Pacific Ring of Fire]]. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] deduced his plan, but a Decepticon attack on [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] left Spike fatally wounded, with a chunk of shrapnel embedded in one of his arteries. Medical science could do nothing for Spike, so Fortress used his telekinetic powers to dissolve the shrapnel, saving Spike, but draining all of Fortress's energy. Even in his weakened state, unable to transform, Fortress still attempted to stop Scorponok from initiating his plan on the Kamchatka Peninsula, but Scorponok simply hurled the Maximus into a volcano. As it turned out, this allowed Fortress to absorb the geothermal energy of the volcano's magma, restoring his power and ability to transform. Following information decoded by Chromedome, Fortress Maximus was able to puncture Scorponok's weak spot, the Decepticon symbol on his chest, forcing the villain and his followers to flee the planet. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}}

[[File:Hm28 fortress examines targetmaster.jpg|left|thumb]]
With Earth finally free of the Decepticons, the Autobots set about removing every trace of their evil from the planet. Fortress co-ordinated the effort, but just as he was meeting with three new Autobot arrivals—[[Pointblank]], [[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] and [[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]]—a report came through from Chromedome that one of the plasma energy bombs he had been tasked with gathering up had become active. Fortress quickly picked up the bombs in Battleship Maximus, intending to transport them into space so they could detonate harmlessly, but as the ship departed the atmosphere, it crossed paths with another vessel containing refugees from Master. While the Autobots held off the Decepticons pursuing the Master vessel, Fortress and Twincast welcomed the refugees on board, and learned from them that Scorponok's Decepticons had attacked Master. The refugees then helped get the plasma bombs off Battleship Maximus, but they proceeded to detonate before everyone could get clear, and the explosion fused the refugees to the arms of the Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)}} Fortress used his scientific know-how to remove the refugees from the Autobots' arms, but a strange link remained between the warriors. With these "[[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmasters]]" added to their ranks, Fortress piloted Battleship Maximus to Master to stop Scorponok's evildoings there. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 2)}}

[[File:MasterSwordDanger Floppydisk.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Insert 80s computer joke here.]]
Seeking to forge a weapon to counter Fortress's Master Sword, Scorponok arranged for the kidnap of Wheelie so that he could be ransom for information on the sword. Fortress agonized over what to do, but the decision was made for him when Chromedome and Daniel snuck away to rescue Wheelie themselves. Learning of their insubordination, Fortress played along, keeping the Decepticons' attentions on his battleship and preparing a data disk to "hand over". Unfortunately, when the Decepticons learned that Wheelie had been rescued, a fight broke out over the disk and it was snatched from Fortress's grasp. {{storylink|The Master Sword Is in Danger!!}} The Decepticons retreated underground, but Fortress was able to track them down by equipping the Master Sword with sensors that would allow the Maximus to track any surges of the energy needed to create it, which Scorponok was sure to require to forge his own weapon. Unfortunately, [[Weirdwolf (G1)|Weirdwolf]] was able to sneak aboard the Maximus, and although Fortress repelled him, he had secretly planted bombs on the battleship that covered the Decepticons' escape when they went off. {{storylink|The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide}}

[[File:Hm31 fortmax defeated.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
As Battleship Maximus was repaired, Fortress debated strategy with the Autobots, eventually agreeing with the Targetmasters' plan to lure the Decepticons into space to avoid collateral damage to Master. Unfortunately, the hot-headed Chromedome disagreed, and staged his own attack on the Decepticons with the aid of the young warriors of Master. Chromedome's strategy went sour, forcing Fortress Maximus to go into action, but when the Master Sword clashed with Scorponok's newly forged "[[Zarak Shield]]", it was the Zarak Shield that emerged triumphant! Defeated, Fortress Maximus could only watch as Scorponok departed for Earth, intending to destroy it once and for all. {{storylink|Operation: Destroy the Decepticons}}

The Autobots gave chase in the Maximus, but during the space battle that resulted, Daniel was set adrift when the Maximus's Laser Block unit was damaged and jettisoned. Fortress was forced to divert to rescue the boy, allowing the Decepticons a substantial lead in the race back to Earth. {{storylink|My Friend Sixshot!}} Their lead was lost when they were forced to set down on the asteroid [[Pallas]] for repairs, and the Maximus set down on [[Ceres]] in order to attack. During the fight, Sixshot challenged Chromedome to a one-on-one duel, and Fortress's pleas that he not accept the challenge fell on deaf ears. Even as Scorponok took off for Earth again, Fortress concluded that he and the other Autobots would have to leave Chromedome to his duel and carry on the chase. As it happened, the duel was interrupted by an explosion courtesy of bombs Scorponok had planted on the battlefield, so Chromedome was able to rejoin Maximus not long after. {{storylink|Duel on the Asteroid}}

[[File:Hm35 master sword zappped.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|By the power of Grayskull!]]
As the Maximus entered the final stretch back to Earth, reports began coming in from the Autobots down on the planet of Decepticon attacks, accompanied by the emergence of strange towers at specific points around the globe. Once back on Earth, Fortress met with Punch, who unfortunately had to report that Scorponok had disappeared into the Mediterranean Ocean. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}} The Autobots soon realized that the "Death Towers" were composed of energy-amplifying [[crysmagnetal]], and were creating a field of energy that was surrounding the Earth. Following Punch's lead, Fortress led the Autobots to Egypt, where Scorponok was outfitting a Death Tower with an induction booster to magnify the amount of energy it was projecting. The Master Sword played the unfortunate role of lightning rod in the presence of the Death Tower, attracting bolts of the tower's energy and stunning Fortress, preventing him from stopping Scorponok. As Scorponok fled, he told Fortress to meet him at the North Pole, where even he would have a role to play in his scheme.

[[File:Hm35 final battle.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
With no other choices, Fortress followed his enemy's instructions, and the entire Autobot and Decepticon armies clashed in battle in the frozen north. There, Scorponok lured Fortress Maximus onto a crysmagnetal dais, at which point, an orbiting Decepticon satellite that had been gathering the energies projected by the Death Towers activated, beaming the collected energy down to the dais. Scorponok disconnected from his transtector, and left the paralyzed Fortress Maximus trapped in the satellite's beam, part of a deadly circuit of energy that threatened to tear the Earth apart. The four Headmasters joined in Head Formation and tried to channel their energy into Fortress Maximus in hopes of giving him the strength to break free, but their own power was not enough. At Daniel's suggestion, all the other Autobots linked up as part of the chain, and together combined in "Final Formation", they infused Maximus with enough energy to deflect the satellite's beam with the Master Sword, destroying it. With one mighty slash, Fortress Maximus bisected Scorponok's transtector, finally ending the Decepticon threat.

The Decepticons subsequently fled Earth, and the Autobots gathered to pursue them. Fortress told the tearful Daniel that it was necessary in order to continue defend peace throughout the universe, but promised the boy that they would meet again. Together, the Autobots all boarded Fortress's battleship, and took off into the setting sun. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

====''Kiss Players/15 Go! Go!''====
[[File:KPBraveMax.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7]]

Slumped miserably on the barren surface of Master in their smallest robot forms, Fortress, Chromedome and Highbrow's attention was caught when a [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|time-travelling spaceship]] materialized over their heads and crashed nearby. {{storylink|Sparkbots Volume 1}} By studying and reverse-engineering the technology found in this spaceship, Fortress and the scientists of Master invented transtectors and the Headmaster process. {{storylink|Transformers: Kiss Players (radio drama)|Kiss Players radio drama #48}} {{storylink|Sparkbots Volume 3}}

====''The Great Transformer War''====
[[File:Hmmanga battered headmasters.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66]]
In the year 2010, while significant Transformer battles were being waged throughout space and on Earth, Fortress was active on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]]. After the younger Headmaster warriors under his command were defeated in battle by [[Sixshot]] and the Decepticon Headmasters, Fortress quickly roused his fallen comrades and ordered them to board his battleship, the Maximus, so that they could pursue the villains. Their destination: Cybertron! {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 3|The Great Transformer War #3}}
{{-}}

====''The Headmasters'' manga====

[[File:Manga fort max.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]
Soon after Optimus Prime died stabilizing Vector Sigma, the Decepticons staged an attack on Athenia, and Fortress and the Autobot Headmasters quickly took off in Battleship Maximus to intercept them as they approached the planet. Daniel opined that the Decepticons were "a lot like parasites", to which Fortress murmured an agreement. At that point, the Decepticons appeared in front of them, and the Autobots realized that they had played into the villains' hands: they intended to destroy Fortress's battleship with a bomb. Luckily, Chromedome moved quickly enough to snatch the bomb away and save the Maximus. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 1|The Headmasters #1}}

Responding to an SOS from their Beastformer comrades, Fortress escorted the Autobot Headmasters to planet Beast to investigate. No sooner had the young warriors left Battleship Maximus to search, Rodimus Prime radioed Fortress for an update. Fortress didn't have anything to tell him, but assured Rodimus that the Headmasters would get to the bottom of the mystery. {{storylink|Great Decisive Battle of Planet Beast!}} Later, once they were back on Earth, Fortress sent the Headmasters on their next mission, to respond to a Decepticon attack on an Alaskan energy plant. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 2|The Headmasters #2}}

When a fire tore through [[Shinjuku]], Chromedome, [[Ricochet (Headmasters)|Ricochet]], and [[Artfire (Headmasters)|Artfire]] responded, but their rescue effort was impeded by the Decepticon Targetmaters. Luckily, Fortress soon arrived to extinguish the fire by dumping a massive amount of water on it from above using Battleship Maximus, freeing up the others to deal with the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 7|The Headmasters #7}}
{{-}}

====''Super-God Masterforce Master File''====
Following the expulsion of the Decepticons from Earth after the battle at the North Pole, the Transformers' war shifted into a series of space-based exchanges between Athenia and Chaar known as the [[Master Wars]]. With the space bridge destroyed, interstellar transportation was severely limited, and it fell to Fortress and the Maximus to patrol space for the Decepticons. While on one such patrol, Fortress received a transmission from Sixshot alerting him to the existence of a [[Devil Z|new shadowy puppet master]] who had taken control of the Decepticons. This news came at the same time as a report from the Trainbots which indicated that Scorponok had constructed a new transtector for himself, and so Fortress had no choice but to focus on dealing with this mystery. With access to the ever-important Earth now greatly reduced and his attentions now focused elsewhere, Fortress left guardianship of the planet in the hands of [[Metalhawk (Masterforce)|Metalhawk]] and his [[Pretender]]s. {{storylink|Master File No, 1}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon continuity====
=====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon=====
Archive footage of Fortress Maximus destroying the MegaZarak transtector was used to educate the future [[Headmaster Junior]]s about the [[Master Wars]]. {{storylink|Birth! Headmaster Jrs}}

Fortress's younger brother, [[Grand Maximus|Grand]], travelled to Earth to aid the Autobots there against the approaching threat of [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]]. Grand was physically identical to his big bro, save for his coloration, and even piloted a smaller Maximus-style battleship of his own. {{storylink|Life? Death? The Desperate Lightfoot}}

=====''Transformers Legends'' comic=====
In [[Legends Universe|Legends]] Rattrap's dream, [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] told [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] the story about how he and other diminutive Autobots, including Fortress, left Cybertron and settled on Master. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 9|Bonus Edition Vol. 9}} Fortress later showed up when [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] was complaining about Brainstorm's recent upgrade and [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] was getting angry at Rattrap for not caring about ''The Headmasters'', and commented that everyone was getting worked up as usual. {{storylink|Transformers 2015 Brainstorm Chapter|Brainstorm Chapter}}

[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] harbored regrets over the fact that [[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]] had parted ways with him and moved onto spending her time with Fortress. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 19|Bonus Edition Vol. 19}}

By 2021, Scorponok had returned and Fortress continued to fight him in space, culminating in a battle to stop the Decepticon from detonating a black hole. The Autobots failed and were infected with [[blackball|miniature black holes]] that shrunk their bodies, threatening to eventually make them disappear entirely. After having all non-Headmasters on his crew converted into Headmasters to save their lives, Fortress told his forces they could find new transtectors in the Legends Universe, then set a course there before the battleship Maximus itself could disappear. {{storylink|Headmasters Chapter Prologue}} On arrival, Fortress requested help from the local [[Axalon Trading Company]], but was told by [[Optimus Primal]] that they didn't work for free. In lieu of money, Fortress offered them access to Headmaster technology and negotiated a partnership between the Autobots and Axalon, leading to him and his soldiers becoming office workers. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 21|Bonus Edition Vol. 21}}

Fortress was later called up by Grand, who asked him to open a portal and receive some humans he was sending to the Legends world. He was resistant to taking them in, being busy with managerial duties, but backed down when an angry Grand told him people's lives were at stake and accused him of getting too cozy in the peaceful dimension. {{storylink|LG24 Shockwave & Cancer Prologue}} When the Autobot Axalon Trading Company finished building a new battleship Maximus, Chromedome urged Fortress to use it to crush the Decepticons, only for Fortress to collapse while trying to argue for a peaceful solution. In sickbed, he let Chromedome in on a big secret: the process of controlling Maximus had been eating away at his life force all along, weakening him every time he combined. He then broke into tears, despairing that he was nothing but a coward who avoided having to use the transtector for his own safety, but Chromedome reassured him that he was a great commander who had only kept this secret from his troops to keep morale up. Despite his condition, Fortress didn't hesitate to become Fortress Maximus once more to defend his friends from [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], who was being mind-controlled by [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] into attacking the Maximus. After defeating Tarantulas by piercing his control device with the Master Sword, he told his comrades he was happy as long as he could keep defending the world. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 31|Bonus Edition Vol. 31}}

Highbrow began researching a cure to Fortress's condition and eventually found that it could be reversed by feeding him [[Zodiac]] energy, which was related to the Headmasters' telepathic energy. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 33|Bonus Edition Vol. 33}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' manga====
[[File:Mfmanga fortress meets ginrai.jpg|left|thumb]]
When a new and powerful Autobot warrior named [[Ginrai (human)|Ginrai]] rose to prominence on Earth, he distinguished himself to the point that Fortress decided to step down as Supreme Commander and appoint Ginrai in his place. The Trainbots brought Ginrai and his [[Headmaster Junior]] allies to Athenia, where Fortress formally handed over leadership, then departed to take care of some business on Master. In his absence, the united forces of the Earth- and space-based Decepticons attacked Athenia, but Ginrai was able to repel them. Fortress arrived back just as the Decepticons were pulling out, and announced that the Autobots must pool their resources as their enemies had, uniting their forces on Earth and space to commence the [[Godbomber|Bomber Project]]. {{storylink|The Battle Begins! The United Earth-Space Troops}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers in 3-D''===
Fortress Maximus served as transport when Ultra Magnus lead a mission to a small asteroid in search of a new source of [[Energon]]. The Autobots discovered a [[Observer|small alien]], and [[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] utilized Maximus's laboratory to determine that the creature turned its food into Energon. A later fracas with the Decepticons resulted in Fortress Maximus getting involved, leading to a fight with Scorponok. {{storylink|The Test (issue)|The Test}}

===''Transformers PD Type''===
[[File:Pdtype fortmax manga.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]
While casually minding his own business one day, Fortress Maximus was suddenly shocked to see a wave of Decepticons led by Galvatron bearing down on him. He immediately transformed into robot mode... but he had completely forgotten that he had been in city mode, leaving all the poor Autobots who had been inside him squished and thinking there had been an earthquake. {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##12 "Bigger than Life! Fortress Maximus!"|Bigger Than Life! Fortress Maximus!}}

Fortress Maximus later met Scorponok in battle, vowing to never surrender. All the other Transformers would probably have preferred that he ''did'' surrender, though, since the battle put them ''all'' in danger when the two towering titans toppled over, threatening to accidentally crush them all! {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##14 "Watch Out! Mega Zarak!"|Watch Out! MegaZarak!}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
A normal-sized Fortress Maximus was a co-leader of the Autobot forces on Cybertron, along with [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]. As Cybertron's resources ran low, they struggled to hold the Autobot army together; several of the newly created Micromasters grew increasingly dissatisfied with their lot in life within the Autobot army, and came to question if their larger counterparts were leading them in the right direction. {{storylink|Destined for Nothing}} The war continued despite their best efforts, and after a fruitless and disastrous skirmish with the Micromaster [[Skystalker (G1)|Skystalker]] and the Decepticons, Fortress Maximus gave up on the war. He left the Autobot army in order to seek a new path. {{Storylink|Victims of the Revolution}}

A gargantuan Fortress Maximus was also seen in a [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]-induced vision of future [[Nebulos]] by Optimus Prime and Megatron. {{storylink|The War Within issue 5|The War Within #5}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
[[File:Ironclaw artofwar.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb]]
While imbued with the wisdom of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], General [[Hawk (G.I. Joe)|Hawk]] had a vision of Fortress Maximus and [[Sgt. Savage]] fighting against [[Iron Klaw]] and [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5|The Art of War #5}}

====''TransTech''====
Binary bonded to [[Emissary (RID)|Brave]] and Sgt. Savage as [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]]s, Fortress Maximus was part of the alliance between the Autobots and [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] [[Screaming Eagle]]s against the Decepticons and [[S.K.A.R.]] A clash between Maximus and Trypticon nearly destroyed Earth's magnetosphere, but ultimately, the Autobots and their human allies won the day. {{storylink|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News Reporter|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News, 2016/05/01}}
{{-}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
[[File:SpotlightArcee FortressMaximus.jpg|left|upright=1.66|thumb|]]
{{main|Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity}}
{{-}}

===''United''===
When the [[Autobot]]s fell down with a [[nano-virus]], Fortress Maximus was in city mode as part of [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]]. {{storylink|The Fierce Fighting on Planet Nebulos}}

===''Transformers GT: Mission GT-R''===
[[File:GT-R Maximus.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|What's worse? This pose? Or the fact that it's called the "master '''Jack''' Sword"?]]
In a world where the Transformers' war settled into a series of friendly competitive races known as the [[Transformers GT]], Fortress Maximus took on a race car form and became the [[GT Transformer]] known as '''GT-R Maximus'''. He was a fair and sportsmanlike racer who boasted the highest strength of all GT Transformers, and though normally averse to combat, he was willing to punish cheaters with his [[Master Jack Sword]]. Like other contestants, GT-R Maximus put a limit on his own strength by separating his Matrix into a [[GT Sister]], creating his partner [[Hiiro]].

====Comic====
GT-R Maximus was racing against [[Optimus Prime (G1)|GT-R Prime]] and [[Star Saber (Victory)|GT-R Saber]], cheered on by Hiiro on the sidelines, when the race was interrupted by the arrival of [[Megatron (G1)|GT-R Megatron]]. The intruder announced his intent to crush all racers inferior to him, causing a scuffle, but GT-R Prime talked him down and convinced him to join the race instead. {{storylink|Transformers GT: Mission GT-R (comic)|Transformers GT: Mission GT-R}}

====Story pages====
Like other racers, GT-R Maximus attended photo shoots alongside Hiiro in order to promote coexistence between humans and Transformers. {{storylink|Transformers GT: Mission GT-R (story page)|The Work of the GT Sister Race Queens?}} When a reincarnated [[Unicron]] attacked the Transformers GT finals and absorbed the huge [[energon]] pool saved up for the final prize, Maximus threw aside his usual dislike for battle and attacked the villain with his mighty sword. {{storylink|Transformers GT: Mission GT-R (story page)|Bringing Down the Sword}} But Maximus alone wasn't enough to defeat Unicron, so he used the "Matrix In" process to recombine with Hiiro and restore his true strength. Together with the other powered up racers and their GT Sisters, he fought and defeated Unicron, saving Earth. {{storylink|Transformers GT: Mission GT-R (story page)|The True TFGT}}

====''Story of Transformers GT''====
GT-R Maximus raced in the 19th Transformers GT in his usual pacifistic manner, refusing Hiiro's requests to prepare the Master Jack Sword and instead relying on his fists when he was forced into combat. His resolve was tested when he heard that GT-R Megatron was using unnecessarily violent methods to get ahead, however, and he ultimately relented and had Hiiro transfer the sword to him so he could teach the brute a lesson. {{storylink|A Biggest Sword! –The Last Resort–}}

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

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]]'s corruption of his brain reduced Fortress Maximus to a mindless, energy-starved zombie who wandered Cybertron in a daze. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}} When [[U.S.7]] and the [[Oktober Guard]] passed by on a ship, Maximus grabbed it out of the sky and swallowed the occupants whole. {{storylink|Form Follows Function}} A group of [[G.I. Joe (team)|Joes]] and Autobots infiltrated the giant on a mission to save U.S.7, leading to their discovery and defeat of Blackarachnia and the restoration of Maximus's mind. He subsequently joined the battle against the Decepticons and [[Cobra]], going up against [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] who bit his head off only to for the head to transform into Cerebros in his mouth. In spite of the surprise attack this allowed for, the Autobots were defeated and the decapitated body of Fortress Maximus was left where it lay. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}}

Through circumstances unknown, [[Snake-Eyes]] bonded with Fortress Maximus through the [[Master Sword]], replacing his original head partner, [[Galen Kord|Galen]]. He teamed up with [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], in turn controlled by Snake-Eyes's compatriot [[Scarlett]], and together they coerced [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] to fight again before marching on the Decepticon position as part of a joint Autobot-Joe army. {{storylink|Transformers vs. G.I. Joe issue 12|Transformers vs. G.I. Joe #12}} During the battle, even Maximus and Scorponok were dwarfed by Megatron's "Mega-Megatron" form, but fortunately they didn't have to fight the giant long before he was broken apart by [[Shipwreck]]. {{storylink|The War Never Ends}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
[[File:KreO-webcomic-10-Fortress.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.5]]
Fortress was at the newly constructed Autobot base, [[Metroplex (Kre-O)|Metroplex]]. {{storylink|Two Giant Bases! Everybody Getting Along, Come On, Fight!}}

{{-}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
[[File:HeadGames-ResistanceScaleFortMaxFace.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Cerebros and Spike Witwicky were turned into Fortress Maximus when the war spread to Nebulos to counter the rise of [[Scorponok (G1)|MegaZarak]]. But the destructive power of the city-bot brought only more devastation to the planet, and the existence of Maximus and weapons like him was a major reason why the [[Human Confederacy]] confined the Transformers and their war to the [[Allowed Zone]]. {{storylink|Head Games}}

When Galvatron threatened the planet [[Master|Rebirth]], Fortress Maximus—now bonded to Daniel Witwicky—returned to duty after the Decepticons deployed the newest incarnation of MegaZarak. When the two clashed for the second time, it was Fortress Maximus who fell. {{storylink|A Brush With Infamy–Prologue}}

As energy became scarce, Fortress Maximus could no longer move and ground to a halt in robot mode in [[Tarn (polity)|Tarn]], where his frozen, towering form was repurposed as a prison by the [[Builder of Cybertron|Builders of Cybertron]]. Cerebros himself died at some point, but his consciousness remained active within Maximus through three [[Cyberdroid]]s, [[Grand Maximus|Gran]], [[Galen Kord|Kord]], and [[Cerebros (RID)|Plasma]].

[[Lio Convoy#Beast Wars: Uprising|Lio Convoy]]'s [[Resistance]] against the Builders sought to infiltrate Fortress Maximus and free the prisoners within, but their initial attempts were foiled by Cerebros's ability to get into the heads of the intruders and turn them against each other. The third strike team was able to turn the tide by willingly sacrificing [[Buzzclaw (BW)#Beast Wars: Uprising|Buzzclaw]] to Cerebros's control and using the mental link to paralyze him, allowing them to kill Kord and Plasma and kidnap Gran, effectively shutting down Maximus. {{storylink|Head Games}}
{{-}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
In [[Primax 1086.0 Kappa]], Fortress Maximus and Scorponok were killed by the Nebulans during the Transformers' battle on Nebulos, and their remains were fused together by [[Zarak (G1)|Mortilus Zarak]] into a giant robot body. After he binary bonded with the body, however, the faint traces of Maximus's and Scorponok's sparks began affecting his mind and eventually drove him mad, turning him into "[[Zarak Maximus]]". {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/11}}

In some other realities, Fortress Maximus survived the Great War and went on to found the [[Maximal]]s. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/08}}

===''TransTech''===
During the destructive conflict between the [[Screaming Eagle]]s and [[S.K.A.R.]] in [[Primax 806.30 Gamma]], both sides found themselves binary-bonded to Cybertronian partners. Fortress Maximus formed a partnership with [[Sgt. Savage]] through [[Emissary (RID)|Brave]]. After a globe-spanning confrontation which almost destroyed Earth, the Autobots and G.I. Joes emerged victorious. {{storylink|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News Reporter|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News, 2016/05/01}}

===IDW ''Beast Wars'' comics===
Fortress Maximus was one of the many casualties of the Great War before the signing of the [[Pax Cybertronia]]. {{storylink|Dawn of the Predacus}}

===''Titans Return'' marketing material===
[[File:HasbroPulse FortressMaximus.jpg|right|thumb|300px|]]
One of the last [[Titan (IDW)|Titans]] in the universe, {{storylink|#Generations|''Titans Return'' Fortress Maximus online bio}} the legendary Fortress Maximus had slumbered underneath [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], until the battle for the [[Titan Master]]s roused him from his slumber. He awoke just in time to witness [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'s attack on Cybertron, frightening the Decepticon communications officer something fierce. {{storylink|Titans Return: The Power of the Titan Masters}} With a city alt-mode, Fortress Maximus served as the ultimate Autobot weapon and base. {{storylink|#Generations|''Titans Return'' Fortress Maximus online bio}}
{{-}}

===''Combiner Wars cartoon''===
[[File:TF-CW-Cartoon-Fort-Max-close-up.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]

After the conclusion of the [[Combiner Wars (event)|Combiner Wars]], [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] experienced a vision of Fortress Maximus, indicating that the Titans had indeed returned. {{storylink|Destruction's Dawn}}
{{-}}

==Commercial appearances==
*Fortress Maximus grappled with [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] on [[Nebulos|Nebulon]] while other [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] and [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmasters]] scuffled at their feet. With a show of prodigious strength, Fortress Maximus picked up Scorponok by his tail and tossed his opponent about like a ragdoll. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Headmaster comic book|Headmaster comic book commercial}}
*When the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] threatened to attack Fortress Maximus, the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]] sprung up to oppose them. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Technobots and Terrorcons|Technobots and Terrorcons commercial}}
*The Terrorcons attacked Fortress Maximus once more; this time, the massive Autobot warded off their attack on his own by blasting them with his battle station mode. The Terrorcons regrouped and combined into [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]] to tare away at Fortress Maximus's armament. Little did they know that Fortress Maximus could still transform into a robot that dwarfed even the mighty combiner! {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Fortress Maximus|Fortress Maximus commercial}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: The Headmasters''===
When the Decepticons struck out at four planets, including Cybertron and Earth, Fortress Maximus was joined by [[Hot Rod|Rodimus Prime]] and the Headmasters of Justice to save the final planet from [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. {{storylink|Transformers: The Headmasters (video game)|Transformers: The Headmasters}}

===''Transformers Legends''===
{{Note|Although Fortress Maximus was not included in a storyline for the ''Transformers Legends'' game, he was featured as a playable character.}} {{storylink|Signature Series featuring Marcelo Matere|Signature Series}}

==Toys==
{{Main|Fortress Maximus (G1)/toys}}

==Merchandise==
{{main|Fortress Maximus (G1)/toys#Merchandise}}

==Notes==
[[File:Fortmaxsize1.jpg|thumb|upright=1]][[File:FortMaxsize2.jpg|thumb|upright=1]]
*"Fortress Maximus" was an early name for the characters that eventually became [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] and [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. The [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] [[Transformers: The Movie (Marvel comic)|comic adaptation]] of the [[The Transformers: The Movie|1986 movie]] even refers to [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] as "Fortress Maximus" in a caption.
*Fortress Maximus was the first toy to be released with a bona-fide Earthling figure. All of the other Headmasters' companions were from Nebulos. (Although Maximus's on-package [[bio]] refers to "the Nebulan leader, Spike", the general consensus is that it was supposed to be the popular figure from TV and other media, who is almost certainly an Earthling.)
*Both Scorponok and Fortress Maximus suffer from the writers struggling to reconcile the characters' high rank with their size. In their comic appearances, they are portrayed as commanders in some capacity but are shrunk down to interact with other Transformers, and their city modes pretty much don't exist. Conversely, the cartoons have opted to portray them as giant city Transformers, though they seem to be merely extensions of the smaller beings that bond with them, with no real life or will of their own.
**According to Japanese media, Fortress Maximus is much larger than Metroplex. According to the Headmaster scale infographic to the right and assuming the standard 16 meter (~53') height of combiners in the animated continuities, Metroplex would stand about 50 meters (~164') compared to Fortress Maximus standing roughly '''150 meters''' ('''~492'''') tall. According to the 1997 issue of "''The Super Robots Chronicles''" Fortress Maximus is a ''gigantic'' '''3 kilometers''' or '''3,000 meters''' ('''~9,843'''') tall, compared with the 800 meter (~2,625') height of Metroplex according to Comic Bom Bom and Hobby Japan.
[[File:FortMaxReds.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Once you rip it off, it can never stay on again.]]
*Fortress Maximus appeared in an unusual red-accented color scheme on the cover of Marvel's [[Ring of Hate!|''Headmasters'' #1]]. This color scheme was repeated in the corner box for [[Love and Steel!|''Headmasters'' #3]] and on the cover of [[The Man in the Machine!|''The Transformers'' #51]]. Its origin is unknown, though it may be related to the [http://www.allspark.com/images/Transformers_Generations/2011/Vol2/07.jpg tan with red accents hard copy Takara possessed].
*The Battleship ''Maximus'' bears a slight resemblance to the [[Wikipedia:White Base|White Base]], a battleship from the [[Wikipedia:Gundam|''Gundam'' franchise]].
*When Spike transforms to join Fortress Maximus for the last time in the ''Generation 2'' book, Cerebros is not shown, and Spike transforms directly into Fortress Maximus's head. Maximus is shown to be no larger than Megatron. In real-life terms, it's an obvious series of art errors; in the context of the story, one might wonder if Maximus was reduced back to his original, smaller, size. It seems improbable, considering that Spike had been retired for years by that point.
*Fortress Maximus has the distinction of having one of the most well known Transformers [[knockoff]]s in existence. While Cerebros has been omitted, the Spike figure is the same, and the body has been scaled down to match, effectively making the body compatible with any other Headmaster head. It also fetches absurd prices for a knockoff.
*Like most comic-only Kreons, Fortress is made up of existing Kre-O parts, namely the [[Hound (Kre-O)|Hound]] helmet and the sword first used by [[Torox]] and [[Headlock (Kre-O)|Headlock]] (in reference to the [[Master Sword]] used by the original Fortress).
*An [http://news.tfw2005.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2011/09/Fortress-Maximus-Prototypes-1_1315944004.jpg early prototype] for Fortress Maximus's toy featured, among other things, waist-guns that pushed straight out on levers instead of swinging out on an axis. This appears to have formed the basis for his character model's waist-guns, which feature red circles rather than hinges.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Cerebros''' (セレブロス ''Sereburosu''), '''Fortress''' (フォートレス ''Fōtoresu''), '''Fortress Maximus''' (フォートレスマキシマス ''Fōtoresu Makishimasu'')
*''English:'' '''Spaceship Bruce''' (spaceship mode, [[Omni Productions]] dub), '''Cerebros''' (Fortress, [[Shout! Factory]] sub)
*''French:'' '''Forteresse Maximus''' (Canada)
*''Mandarin:'' '''Fúthè Chǜ-jén''' (Taiwan, 福特巨人, "Fort Giant"), '''Chǜ-wú-pà Fúthè''' (Taiwan, 巨无霸福特, "Extremely Gigantic Fort"), '''Furmon''' (Taiwan, 福蒙 ''Fú Móng''), '''Fortry''' (Taiwan [[Omni Productions]] dub, 福崔 ''Fú Tsuēi'')
*''Russian:'' '''Krepysh Maximus''' (Крепыш Максимус ''Krepysh Maksimus'', "Sturdy Fellow Maximus")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Fortetsya Maxima''' (Фортеця Максима ''Fortetsya Maksyma'', "Fortress Maxima")

[[Category:Autobot bases]]
[[Category:Autobot leaders]]
[[Category:Autobot starships]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Autobots]]
[[Category:City Transformers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 locations]]
[[Category:Generation 1 starships]]
[[Category:GT characters]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:Kre-O Autobots]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
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[[Category:Multi-component Transformers]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce Autobots]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Autobots]]
[[Category:Titans]]
[[Category:Titans Return]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]
[[Category:United Autobots]]

Fortress Maximus (G1)

2017-07-05T22:11:09Z

PCNTRP:

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:''Fortress Maximus is an [[Autobot]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] and occasional [[cityformer]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:FortMax1.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|[[Nobuyuki Hiyama|Link]] called. He wants the [[Master Sword]] back.]]

Despite his great power, size, and rank, '''Fortress Maximus''' is a weary and reluctant warrior. Fighting is against his pacifist nature, even for the most noble of causes. Over time, the endless conflict on Cybertron has worn him down, to the point that he's willing to walk away from the war entirely to preserve himself and his ideals.

Fortress Maximus is big. ''How'' big generally depends on the universe, but often as not he's binary-bonded to a smaller robot named [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] who forms his head; Cerebros's own head is formed by [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]], or in some universes: [[Emissary (Generations)|Emissary]].

{{note|Fortress Maximus is one of those fun characters whose incarnations are very different. See individual fiction entries below for continuity specific profiles.}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
[[File:Fortmaxgiveshead.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|]]
{{main|Fortress Maximus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity}}
{{-}}

===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Stephen Keener]] (English), [[Kunihiko Yasui]] (Japanese)}}

[[File:Fortressmaximusg1rebirth.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb]]
When a battle for possession of the [[Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber]] led a group of Autobots and Decepticons to be stranded on the planet [[Nebulos]], partnership between the Transformers and the native Nebulans led to the development of Headmaster and Targetmaster technology. The planet's evil ruling council, the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]], took the technology to its most powerful extreme when its leader [[Zarak (G1)|Zarak]] created the massive city-sized Scorponok to serve as his Headmaster partner and used his power to steal back the chamber key. The Decepticons departed for Cybertron, and the Autobots were poised to give chase when Spike Witwicky announced that he and the pacifistic Cerebros would be staying behind. While the other Autobots left in pursuit, Spike had Cerebros lead him to the ruins of the Hive's original city, which they had lived in before moving underground. Taking control of the various abandoned machines there, Spike rebuilt the city, Cerebros and even himself into a Headmaster robot that could stand up to Scorponok's power: Fortress Maximus!

[[File:Rebirth3 fortmax battlestation.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb]]
The completed Fortress Maximus quickly flew to Cybertron and made a dramatic entrance, setting down in city mode and then transforming to battle station mode to bombard Scorponok and the Decepticons with a hail of weaponsfire. When Zarak transformed Scorponok to [[robot mode]], Spike did likewise with Fortress Maximus, and the two titans battled, with Maximus on the losing end until Zarak threatened the life of Spike's son, Daniel. With a burst of strength, Fortress Maximus took Scorponok down, causing him to collapse with such force that he transformed back to city mode. Spike and Cerebros then disconnected from Maximus and headed inside Scorponok to recover the captive Daniel and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], leaving Maximus to keep the other Decepticons at bay with his many weapons. The Decepticons were able to get through Maximus's firestorm and got Scorponok airborne, but not before Spike succeeded in his rescue.

Subsequently, with the Plasma Energy Chamber back under Autobot control, Fortress Maximus flew the Autobot Headmasters and Targetmasters back to Nebulos. There, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] announced that after they had eradicated the Hive's evil from the planet, Cerebros would live on the planet as its guardian, presumably meaning that Fortress Maximus would be staying there too. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

{{note|It is unclear if Fortress Maximus had any sentience of his own; he did speak once in his own voice, but for the most part, even Cerebros's will seemed to be pushed aside so Spike could run the whole thing himself.}}

===Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
{{note|In Japan, Fortress Maximus's mental functions are housed in a small robot who transforms into a head and connects to a larger, lifeless transtector body. This larger body in turn becomes the head of a ''giant'' transtector, forming the robot known as Fortress Maximus. The ''Headmasters'' toyline referred to the smallest robot as '''Cerebros''', who formed the head of the intermediate robot '''Fortress''', but this distinction was never actually made in fiction, and the character was always referred to as "Fortress" regardless of whether he was in small or intermediate form.}}

====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Ikuya Sawaki]] (Japanese)|[[Simon Broad]] (English)}}

[[File:Hm7 fortress small bot.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Drang nach Master!]]
Four million years ago, Fortress was a [[Cyberdroid|diminutive Cybertronian]] who had not yet mastered the art of transformation, and was a friend of [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]]'s. He was among the many Transformers that fled Cybertron in an attempt to escape the corrosion of war without end, and led a group of his fellow small Cybertronians in search of a new peaceful world they could call home. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Alas, engine trouble caused their ship to crash on the inhospitable world of planet Master, whose hazardous environmental conditions began threatening the lives of Fortress and his men almost as soon as they departed the wreckage of their ship and began trekking through a desert of shifting sands. The need for survival fostered many technological and mental advancements, however, and Fortress and his people endured.

[[File:Hm1 battleship maximus.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Fortress was responsible for many of the technological quantum leaps, the most significant of which was the invention of "[[transtector]]s": larger, lifeless Transformer bodies to which the small Cybertronians could connect as heads. After a rigorous physical and mental training program that allowed them to finally master transformation and even instilled powerful telepathic and telekinetic powers in them, Fortress and nine other warriors bonded with these transtectors to become "Headmasters". {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}} Fortress even took the process one step further, and with the aid of other Master scientists like [[Jack (Headmasters)|Jack]], created a ''huge'' transtector that could transform into the battleship, Maximus. Fortress's own transtector was engineered to also transform into a head, which could control the many functions of the Maximus from a special docking bay on the battleship's bridge, {{storylink|Rebellion on Planet Beast}} and which could form the head for the battleship's own colossal robot mode, known as "Fortress Maximus". Fortress also created the powerful [[Master Sword]] for himself, and tied the Maximus's transformation into it; in order to convert the battleship to robot mode, Fortress had to draw a small version of the blade from a sheath beneath his command console, but this feat could only be accomplished when his physical and mental energies were in perfect synchronization. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}}

Unfortunately, half of the Headmasters eventually rebelled against Fortress's leadership, siding with a traitor named Scorponok against him. The traitors were defeated by Fortress and his comrades and exiled from Master, but eventually, they came to ally themselves with the Decepticons under the command of [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

[[File:Hm2 kup and fortress.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
In the year 2011, when Galvatron launched his latest attack on Cybertron with the added power of his new Decepticon Headmasters, Fortress Maximus brought the Autobot Headmasters back to their homeworld aboard the Maximus. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} Even the mightiest of the Decepticons' [[combiner]]s could not stand against Battleship Maximus's firepower, and the evil robots were forced into retreat. This task complete, Fortress set the Maximus down at the Autobots' secondary headquarters on the planet [[Athenia]], where he introduced himself and his comrades and explained their origins, and was reunited with Kup. After being filled in by the Autobots on the current crisis—[[Vector Sigma]] had become destabilized, putting the planet at risk—Fortress deduced that the [[Matrix of Leadership]] was necessary to bring the computer back under control. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Unfortunately, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] had already ventured into the depths of Cybertron without the Matrix, willing to sacrifice his own life to stabilize Vector Sigma, so Fortress headed into the planet's catacombs after him while the other Headmasters helped [[Hot Rod/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] search for the Matrix, hidden somewhere on [[Earth]]. Though Fortress was not able to catch up to Prime before he reached Vector Sigma's chamber, he was able to use his telepathic powers to contact Prime's companion, the spirit of [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], helping to guide him safely through the maze of tunnels. It turned out that [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] had made it to the chamber ahead of Prime, however, and Fortress raced through the remainder of the tunnels to aid Prime against the two Decepticons. Hot Rod soon arrived with the Matrix, which he used to become Rodimus Prime again, but before he could use it to bring Vector Sigma back under control, Optimus Prime merged with the computer to stabilize it, giving up his life in the process. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}} Prime was not the only casualty of the crisis: [[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]] also lost his life in the search for the Matrix. Luckily, Fortress was able to use the advanced technology of Master to rebuild and resurrect him, as Twincast. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}}

[[File:Hm5 fortmax headmode.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
While patrolling space for Decepticon activity aboard the Maximus, the Autobot Headmasters discovered [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] stowed away on board. After explaining the function of his Head Mode to the shocked youngsters, Fortress agreed to let the pair join them on the patrol. Soon after, the Autobots came upon two stranded [[Beastformer]]s from the planet [[Beast (planet)|Beast]], and learned that the Decepticons had invaded their planet; the infuriated Fortress made for the planet with all due speed, after sending a report to Rodimus Prime on Athenia. The Autobot Headmasters helped the native Beastformers liberate their planet from Decepticon control, but Fortress was concerned with a blueprint recovered from an underground factory that indicated the Decepticons were building something. {{storylink|Rebellion on Planet Beast}}

[[File:Hm6 fortmax funnyfaces.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|:D]]
When the Decepticons launched a [[Metamorphose|metal-warping meteor]] at Athenia, Fortress and his battleship were powerless to do anything, for fear of being destroyed by the meteor's gravity sensors. It fell to Daniel Witwicky to destroy the meteor, so Fortress transported him as close to it as he was able. Daniel lost his nerve at the last minute, so Fortress calmed him down by making some silly faces. Dignified! {{storylink|Approach of the Demon Meteorite}} Later, a phoney distress call lured Fortress and the Autobot Headmasters into a trap on the planet [[Praum]] set by their old foe, Scorponok. Despite being trapped in a subterranean chamber with the endless desert sands pouring in on top of him, Fortress kept his head and reminded his young allies of the similar hardships they had suffered on Master and the training they had undergone to overcome them. With the skills they had learned back then, they were able to escape. {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}}

[[File:Hm10 fortress appointed commander.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
When Galvatron launched an attack on Cybertron in an attempt to steal a new alloy developed by Vector Sigma named [[cybertonuron]], Fortress advised Rodimus Prime against striking back in full force, preferring to find another way to stop the Decepticons than putting all their warriors in danger. Rodimus refused, and Fortress quietly acquiesced to his commander's wishes, ferrying him to Cybertron on Battleship Maximus. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} The battle ended catastrophically, however, when treachery on the part of Scorponok led to the detonation of a collection of bombs in Vector Sigma's chamber, devastating Cybertron and rendering it uninhabitable, and apparently killing Galvatron in the process. Realizing with deep regret that Fortress's caution had been warranted, Rodimus Prime decided that the era of his generation of Transformers was over, and vowed to search the universe for a new planet the Transformers could call home. He passed the title of [[Supreme Commander]] of the Autobots (though not the Matrix of Leadership) to Fortress, who was visibly uncomfortable with the appointment, but accepted it graciously, telling himself not to contest it because it was his destiny. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}}

[[File:G1FortressMaximus HMstockfootage.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|"...But it's the pelvic thruuuuuust / that really drives you in-sa-a-a-ane..."]]
Fortress's tenure as leader got off to a strong start with the successful completion of the [[Sol 1]] satellite, a joint venture between the Autobots and humanity to gather solar energy. Unfortunately, the satellite was stolen by the Decepticons, forcing the Autobot Headmasters to destroy it to keep it out of their hands. Before being destroyed, however, the satellite's energy was beamed by the villains to the planet [[Zarak (planet)|Zarak]]. {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} Fortress attempted to study Zarak from afar in hopes of deducing what the Decepticons were up to, but the planet's gaseous shroud prevented remote observation of its surface, and the Decepticons began staging concentrated attacks on Earth to keep the Autobots' attentions divided. {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}} One such attack saw the Decepticons unleash a carnivorous, ambulatory plant upon [[San Francisco]], which Fortress identified as a [[buridanka]] from the planet [[Darhos]]. When the Autobot Headmasters responded, Battleship Maximus was caught in the plant-monster's vines, and Fortress's lack of focus left him unable to draw the Master Sword and transform. Galvanized by the cries of the other Headmasters, however, his energies soon came into alignment, and for what was apparently the first time (given everyone else's surprise when it happened) Fortress transformed the Maximus and combined with it to form Fortress Maximus. With the power of the Master Sword, he easily dispatched the giant plant. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}}

[[File:Hm14 fortress draws mastersword.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Weakened by the great energy demands of his transformation, Fortress sent the Autobot Headmasters to [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] without him when news of Decepticon movement on the planet reached the Autobots. When the Headmasters discovered that the Decepticons were planning to blow up Mars, however, Fortress went into action, only to be struck with a [[plasma energy]] bomb by the Decepticons Headmasters just as he was in the middle of transforming into Fortress Maximus. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}} Although Fortress survived the blast, his energies were severely drained, and the powerless Maximus was unable to depart Mars as the countdown to the Decepticons' planet-destroying explosion continued. Even worse, into the middle of this crisis stepped Scorponok, now outfitted with a gigantic transtector of his own: the end result of the mysterious construction operations on planets Beast and Zarak. Scorponok pummelled the paralyzed Maximus, then pulled out just before the chain of explosion began. Fortress told the Headmasters to leave him and the Maximus to their fate, but luckily, at the last minute, the battleship began absorbing the energy released by the early stages of the explosion. Fortress was able to use this energy to transform into Fortress Maximus, and escaped the destruction of Mars, slashing Scorponok with the Master Sword as he came bursting from the conflagration. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears}}

[[File:Hm17 maximus vs scorponok.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|That's how the scorpions breed!]]
While Fortress and the Headmasters were patrolling the edges of Decepticon space to keep an eye on their enemies' activities, Scorponok attacked the Maximus, only for the fight to be broken up by a strange UFO. Back on Athenia, Fortress met with the Autobots' deep cover spy, [[Punch (G1)|Punch]], and learned that Scorponok was holding a coronation ceremony for himself on Earth's [[moon (moon)|moon]]. The Autobots attacked the ceremony, during which Fortress again pitted his battleship against Scorponok, but the fighting was brought to an end when the UFO returned, and was revealed to belong to Galvatron, who had survived Cybertron's destruction. {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}} Fortress fought Scorponok again soon after, when the Autobots tried to provide energy relief to the other-dimensional planet [[Sandra (planet)|Sandra]]. {{storylink|SOS from Planet Sandra}}

[[File:Hm23 fortmax sword slash.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
When the Decepticons embarked on an interplanetary energy quest, the Autobots determined to follow them aboard Fortress's battleship; Fortress had to be convinced to allow Daniel to come with them. {{storylink|Daniel Faces His Biggest Crisis Ever!!}} Their first port of call was the planet [[Hive (planet)|Hive]], but before the Maximus could set down, they were attacked by the planet's force. Fortress was intent on a show of non-resistance and would not fire back, while [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] went down to the planet's surface and proved the Autobots' good intentions to Hive's [[Queen Bee]]. The Autobots joined forces with the natives to fend off the Decepticons; Fortress disconnected the Maximus's "Master Shot" cannon so the Headmasters could wield it, then transformed into Fortress Maximus to send Scorponok packing with the Master Sword. {{storylink|Fight to the Death on Planet Hive!!}} Fortress then used the Maximus to fly the Autobots to [[Twin Star]], where he dealt with Scorponok by hauling him into the air and dropping him, {{storylink|Battle for Defense of the False Planet}} and [[Daros]], where he used the Maximus's internal defense systems to stop [[Curl|a gang of prisoners]] from taking control of the battleship. {{storylink|Find MegaZarak's Weak Spot!!}} The battleship needed some repairs before it could take the Autobots to [[Paradise]], which Fortress had Chromedome and [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] perform. {{storylink|Head Formation of Friendship}} Fortress again transformed to Fortress Maximus on the final planet of their journey, [[Pirate Planet]], taking Scorponok out with a Master Sword-slash to the chest. {{storylink|Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship}}

[[File:Hm25 fortress cradles magnus.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
After returning to Athenia, Fortress and the Headmasters received news of a Decepticon attack on Earth and headed there with all due haste, but they were not in time to stop [[Sixshot]] from mortally wounding [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]]. Fortress held Magnus as he died, then carried his body aboard the Maximus for burial along an Earth coastline. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}} Soon after, with Decepticon attacks intensifying, Fortress had to talk [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] out of risking his own life in the pursuit of revenge against Sixshot. When word came through from Punch that Galvatron intended to use the gathered energy to fuse himself with the Earth itself, Fortress and the Headmasters immediately departed to confront the Decepticon leader in [[Alaska]]. The Headmasters were able to use Punch's information to finally end the threat of Galvatron with their [[Head Formation]], burying him in the Arctic ice. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}}

[[File:Hm26 weak spot.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|From USSR with "love"!]]
Galvatron's demise left a power vacuum that Scorponok immediately filled, and once appointed leader again, he immediately put into motion a plan to destroy the Earth by simultaneously erupting every volcano on the [[Pacific Ring of Fire]]. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] deduced his plan, but a Decepticon attack on [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] left Spike fatally wounded, with a chunk of shrapnel embedded in one of his arteries. Medical science could do nothing for Spike, so Fortress used his telekinetic powers to dissolve the shrapnel, saving Spike, but draining all of Fortress's energy. Even in his weakened state, unable to transform, Fortress still attempted to stop Scorponok from initiating his plan on the Kamchatka Peninsula, but Scorponok simply hurled the Maximus into a volcano. As it turned out, this allowed Fortress to absorb the geothermal energy of the volcano's magma, restoring his power and ability to transform. Following information decoded by Chromedome, Fortress Maximus was able to puncture Scorponok's weak spot, the Decepticon symbol on his chest, forcing the villain and his followers to flee the planet. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}}

[[File:Hm28 fortress examines targetmaster.jpg|left|thumb]]
With Earth finally free of the Decepticons, the Autobots set about removing every trace of their evil from the planet. Fortress co-ordinated the effort, but just as he was meeting with three new Autobot arrivals—[[Pointblank]], [[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] and [[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]]—a report came through from Chromedome that one of the plasma energy bombs he had been tasked with gathering up had become active. Fortress quickly picked up the bombs in Battleship Maximus, intending to transport them into space so they could detonate harmlessly, but as the ship departed the atmosphere, it crossed paths with another vessel containing refugees from Master. While the Autobots held off the Decepticons pursuing the Master vessel, Fortress and Twincast welcomed the refugees on board, and learned from them that Scorponok's Decepticons had attacked Master. The refugees then helped get the plasma bombs off Battleship Maximus, but they proceeded to detonate before everyone could get clear, and the explosion fused the refugees to the arms of the Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)}} Fortress used his scientific know-how to remove the refugees from the Autobots' arms, but a strange link remained between the warriors. With these "[[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmasters]]" added to their ranks, Fortress piloted Battleship Maximus to Master to stop Scorponok's evildoings there. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 2)}}

[[File:MasterSwordDanger Floppydisk.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Insert 80s computer joke here.]]
Seeking to forge a weapon to counter Fortress's Master Sword, Scorponok arranged for the kidnap of Wheelie so that he could be ransom for information on the sword. Fortress agonized over what to do, but the decision was made for him when Chromedome and Daniel snuck away to rescue Wheelie themselves. Learning of their insubordination, Fortress played along, keeping the Decepticons' attentions on his battleship and preparing a data disk to "hand over". Unfortunately, when the Decepticons learned that Wheelie had been rescued, a fight broke out over the disk and it was snatched from Fortress's grasp. {{storylink|The Master Sword Is in Danger!!}} The Decepticons retreated underground, but Fortress was able to track them down by equipping the Master Sword with sensors that would allow the Maximus to track any surges of the energy needed to create it, which Scorponok was sure to require to forge his own weapon. Unfortunately, [[Weirdwolf (G1)|Weirdwolf]] was able to sneak aboard the Maximus, and although Fortress repelled him, he had secretly planted bombs on the battleship that covered the Decepticons' escape when they went off. {{storylink|The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide}}

[[File:Hm31 fortmax defeated.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
As Battleship Maximus was repaired, Fortress debated strategy with the Autobots, eventually agreeing with the Targetmasters' plan to lure the Decepticons into space to avoid collateral damage to Master. Unfortunately, the hot-headed Chromedome disagreed, and staged his own attack on the Decepticons with the aid of the young warriors of Master. Chromedome's strategy went sour, forcing Fortress Maximus to go into action, but when the Master Sword clashed with Scorponok's newly forged "[[Zarak Shield]]", it was the Zarak Shield that emerged triumphant! Defeated, Fortress Maximus could only watch as Scorponok departed for Earth, intending to destroy it once and for all. {{storylink|Operation: Destroy the Decepticons}}

The Autobots gave chase in the Maximus, but during the space battle that resulted, Daniel was set adrift when the Maximus's Laser Block unit was damaged and jettisoned. Fortress was forced to divert to rescue the boy, allowing the Decepticons a substantial lead in the race back to Earth. {{storylink|My Friend Sixshot!}} Their lead was lost when they were forced to set down on the asteroid [[Pallas]] for repairs, and the Maximus set down on [[Ceres]] in order to attack. During the fight, Sixshot challenged Chromedome to a one-on-one duel, and Fortress's pleas that he not accept the challenge fell on deaf ears. Even as Scorponok took off for Earth again, Fortress concluded that he and the other Autobots would have to leave Chromedome to his duel and carry on the chase. As it happened, the duel was interrupted by an explosion courtesy of bombs Scorponok had planted on the battlefield, so Chromedome was able to rejoin Maximus not long after. {{storylink|Duel on the Asteroid}}

[[File:Hm35 master sword zappped.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|By the power of Grayskull!]]
As the Maximus entered the final stretch back to Earth, reports began coming in from the Autobots down on the planet of Decepticon attacks, accompanied by the emergence of strange towers at specific points around the globe. Once back on Earth, Fortress met with Punch, who unfortunately had to report that Scorponok had disappeared into the Mediterranean Ocean. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}} The Autobots soon realized that the "Death Towers" were composed of energy-amplifying [[crysmagnetal]], and were creating a field of energy that was surrounding the Earth. Following Punch's lead, Fortress led the Autobots to Egypt, where Scorponok was outfitting a Death Tower with an induction booster to magnify the amount of energy it was projecting. The Master Sword played the unfortunate role of lightning rod in the presence of the Death Tower, attracting bolts of the tower's energy and stunning Fortress, preventing him from stopping Scorponok. As Scorponok fled, he told Fortress to meet him at the North Pole, where even he would have a role to play in his scheme.

[[File:Hm35 final battle.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
With no other choices, Fortress followed his enemy's instructions, and the entire Autobot and Decepticon armies clashed in battle in the frozen north. There, Scorponok lured Fortress Maximus onto a crysmagnetal dais, at which point, an orbiting Decepticon satellite that had been gathering the energies projected by the Death Towers activated, beaming the collected energy down to the dais. Scorponok disconnected from his transtector, and left the paralyzed Fortress Maximus trapped in the satellite's beam, part of a deadly circuit of energy that threatened to tear the Earth apart. The four Headmasters joined in Head Formation and tried to channel their energy into Fortress Maximus in hopes of giving him the strength to break free, but their own power was not enough. At Daniel's suggestion, all the other Autobots linked up as part of the chain, and together combined in "Final Formation", they infused Maximus with enough energy to deflect the satellite's beam with the Master Sword, destroying it. With one mighty slash, Fortress Maximus bisected Scorponok's transtector, finally ending the Decepticon threat.

The Decepticons subsequently fled Earth, and the Autobots gathered to pursue them. Fortress told the tearful Daniel that it was necessary in order to continue defend peace throughout the universe, but promised the boy that they would meet again. Together, the Autobots all boarded Fortress's battleship, and took off into the setting sun. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

====''Kiss Players/15 Go! Go!''====
[[File:KPBraveMax.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7]]

Slumped miserably on the barren surface of Master in their smallest robot forms, Fortress, Chromedome and Highbrow's attention was caught when a [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|time-travelling spaceship]] materialized over their heads and crashed nearby. {{storylink|Sparkbots Volume 1}} By studying and reverse-engineering the technology found in this spaceship, Fortress and the scientists of Master invented transtectors and the Headmaster process. {{storylink|Transformers: Kiss Players (radio drama)|Kiss Players radio drama #48}} {{storylink|Sparkbots Volume 3}}

====''The Great Transformer War''====
[[File:Hmmanga battered headmasters.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66]]
In the year 2010, while significant Transformer battles were being waged throughout space and on Earth, Fortress was active on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]]. After the younger Headmaster warriors under his command were defeated in battle by [[Sixshot]] and the Decepticon Headmasters, Fortress quickly roused his fallen comrades and ordered them to board his battleship, the Maximus, so that they could pursue the villains. Their destination: Cybertron! {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 3|The Great Transformer War #3}}
{{-}}

====''The Headmasters'' manga====

[[File:Manga fort max.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]
Soon after Optimus Prime died stabilizing Vector Sigma, the Decepticons staged an attack on Athenia, and Fortress and the Autobot Headmasters quickly took off in Battleship Maximus to intercept them as they approached the planet. Daniel opined that the Decepticons were "a lot like parasites", to which Fortress murmured an agreement. At that point, the Decepticons appeared in front of them, and the Autobots realized that they had played into the villains' hands: they intended to destroy Fortress's battleship with a bomb. Luckily, Chromedome moved quickly enough to snatch the bomb away and save the Maximus. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 1|The Headmasters #1}}

Responding to an SOS from their Beastformer comrades, Fortress escorted the Autobot Headmasters to planet Beast to investigate. No sooner had the young warriors left Battleship Maximus to search, Rodimus Prime radioed Fortress for an update. Fortress didn't have anything to tell him, but assured Rodimus that the Headmasters would get to the bottom of the mystery. {{storylink|Great Decisive Battle of Planet Beast!}} Later, once they were back on Earth, Fortress sent the Headmasters on their next mission, to respond to a Decepticon attack on an Alaskan energy plant. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 2|The Headmasters #2}}

When a fire tore through [[Shinjuku]], Chromedome, [[Ricochet (Headmasters)|Ricochet]], and [[Artfire (Headmasters)|Artfire]] responded, but their rescue effort was impeded by the Decepticon Targetmaters. Luckily, Fortress soon arrived to extinguish the fire by dumping a massive amount of water on it from above using Battleship Maximus, freeing up the others to deal with the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 7|The Headmasters #7}}
{{-}}

====''Super-God Masterforce Master File''====
Following the expulsion of the Decepticons from Earth after the battle at the North Pole, the Transformers' war shifted into a series of space-based exchanges between Athenia and Chaar known as the [[Master Wars]]. With the space bridge destroyed, interstellar transportation was severely limited, and it fell to Fortress and the Maximus to patrol space for the Decepticons. While on one such patrol, Fortress received a transmission from Sixshot alerting him to the existence of a [[Devil Z|new shadowy puppet master]] who had taken control of the Decepticons. This news came at the same time as a report from the Trainbots which indicated that Scorponok had constructed a new transtector for himself, and so Fortress had no choice but to focus on dealing with this mystery. With access to the ever-important Earth now greatly reduced and his attentions now focused elsewhere, Fortress left guardianship of the planet in the hands of [[Metalhawk (Masterforce)|Metalhawk]] and his [[Pretender]]s. {{storylink|Master File No, 1}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon continuity====
=====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon=====
Archive footage of Fortress Maximus destroying the MegaZarak transtector was used to educate the future [[Headmaster Junior]]s about the [[Master Wars]]. {{storylink|Birth! Headmaster Jrs}}

Fortress's younger brother, [[Grand Maximus|Grand]], travelled to Earth to aid the Autobots there against the approaching threat of [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]]. Grand was physically identical to his big bro, save for his coloration, and even piloted a smaller Maximus-style battleship of his own. {{storylink|Life? Death? The Desperate Lightfoot}}

=====''Transformers Legends'' comic=====
In [[Legends Universe|Legends]] Rattrap's dream, [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] told [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] the story about how he and other diminutive Autobots, including Fortress, left Cybertron and settled on Master. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 9|Bonus Edition Vol. 9}} Fortress later showed up when [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] was complaining about Brainstorm's recent upgrade and [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] was getting angry at Rattrap for not caring about ''The Headmasters'', and commented that everyone was getting worked up as usual. {{storylink|Transformers 2015 Brainstorm Chapter|Brainstorm Chapter}}

[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] harbored regrets over the fact that [[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]] had parted ways with him and moved onto spending her time with Fortress. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 19|Bonus Edition Vol. 19}}

By 2021, Scorponok had returned and Fortress continued to fight him in space, culminating in a battle to stop the Decepticon from detonating a black hole. The Autobots failed and were infected with [[blackball|miniature black holes]] that shrunk their bodies, threatening to eventually make them disappear entirely. After having all non-Headmasters on his crew converted into Headmasters to save their lives, Fortress told his forces they could find new transtectors in the Legends Universe, then set a course there before the battleship Maximus itself could disappear. {{storylink|Headmasters Chapter Prologue}} On arrival, Fortress requested help from the local [[Axalon Trading Company]], but was told by [[Optimus Primal]] that they didn't work for free. In lieu of money, Fortress offered them access to Headmaster technology and negotiated a partnership between the Autobots and Axalon, leading to him and his soldiers becoming office workers. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 21|Bonus Edition Vol. 21}}

Fortress was later called up by Grand, who asked him to open a portal and receive some humans he was sending to the Legends world. He was resistant to taking them in, being busy with managerial duties, but backed down when an angry Grand told him people's lives were at stake and accused him of getting too cozy in the peaceful dimension. {{storylink|LG24 Shockwave & Cancer Prologue}} When the Autobot Axalon Trading Company finished building a new battleship Maximus, Chromedome urged Fortress to use it to crush the Decepticons, only for Fortress to collapse while trying to argue for a peaceful solution. In sickbed, he let Chromedome in on a big secret: the process of controlling Maximus had been eating away at his life force all along, weakening him every time he combined. He then broke into tears, despairing that he was nothing but a coward who avoided having to use the transtector for his own safety, but Chromedome reassured him that he was a great commander who had only kept this secret from his troops to keep morale up. Despite his condition, Fortress didn't hesitate to become Fortress Maximus once more to defend his friends from [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], who was being mind-controlled by [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] into attacking the Maximus. After defeating Tarantulas by piercing his control device with the Master Sword, he told his comrades he was happy as long as he could keep defending the world. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 31|Bonus Edition Vol. 31}}

Highbrow began researching a cure to Fortress's condition and eventually found that it could be reversed by feeding him [[Zodiac]] energy, which was related to the Headmasters' telepathic energy. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 33|Bonus Edition Vol. 33}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' manga====
[[File:Mfmanga fortress meets ginrai.jpg|left|thumb]]
When a new and powerful Autobot warrior named [[Ginrai (human)|Ginrai]] rose to prominence on Earth, he distinguished himself to the point that Fortress decided to step down as Supreme Commander and appoint Ginrai in his place. The Trainbots brought Ginrai and his [[Headmaster Junior]] allies to Athenia, where Fortress formally handed over leadership, then departed to take care of some business on Master. In his absence, the united forces of the Earth- and space-based Decepticons attacked Athenia, but Ginrai was able to repel them. Fortress arrived back just as the Decepticons were pulling out, and announced that the Autobots must pool their resources as their enemies had, uniting their forces on Earth and space to commence the [[Godbomber|Bomber Project]]. {{storylink|The Battle Begins! The United Earth-Space Troops}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers in 3-D''===
Fortress Maximus served as transport when Ultra Magnus lead a mission to a small asteroid in search of a new source of [[Energon]]. The Autobots discovered a [[Observer|small alien]], and [[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] utilized Maximus's laboratory to determine that the creature turned its food into Energon. A later fracas with the Decepticons resulted in Fortress Maximus getting involved, leading to a fight with Scorponok. {{storylink|The Test (issue)|The Test}}

===''Transformers PD Type''===
[[File:Pdtype fortmax manga.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]
While casually minding his own business one day, Fortress Maximus was suddenly shocked to see a wave of Decepticons led by Galvatron bearing down on him. He immediately transformed into robot mode... but he had completely forgotten that he had been in city mode, leaving all the poor Autobots who had been inside him squished and thinking there had been an earthquake. {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##12 "Bigger than Life! Fortress Maximus!"|Bigger Than Life! Fortress Maximus!}}

Fortress Maximus later met Scorponok in battle, vowing to never surrender. All the other Transformers would probably have preferred that he ''did'' surrender, though, since the battle put them ''all'' in danger when the two towering titans toppled over, threatening to accidentally crush them all! {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##14 "Watch Out! Mega Zarak!"|Watch Out! MegaZarak!}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
A normal-sized Fortress Maximus was a co-leader of the Autobot forces on Cybertron, along with [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]. As Cybertron's resources ran low, they struggled to hold the Autobot army together; several of the newly created Micromasters grew increasingly dissatisfied with their lot in life within the Autobot army, and came to question if their larger counterparts were leading them in the right direction. {{storylink|Destined for Nothing}} The war continued despite their best efforts, and after a fruitless and disastrous skirmish with the Micromaster [[Skystalker (G1)|Skystalker]] and the Decepticons, Fortress Maximus gave up on the war. He left the Autobot army in order to seek a new path. {{Storylink|Victims of the Revolution}}

A gargantuan Fortress Maximus was also seen in a [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]-induced vision of future [[Nebulos]] by Optimus Prime and Megatron. {{storylink|The War Within issue 5|The War Within #5}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
[[File:Ironclaw artofwar.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb]]
While imbued with the wisdom of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], General [[Hawk (G.I. Joe)|Hawk]] had a vision of Fortress Maximus and [[Sgt. Savage]] fighting against [[Iron Klaw]] and [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5|The Art of War #5}}

====''TransTech''====
Binary bonded to [[Emissary (RID)|Brave]] and Sgt. Savage as [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]]s, Fortress Maximus was part of the alliance between the Autobots and [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] [[Screaming Eagle]]s against the Decepticons and [[S.K.A.R.]] A clash between Maximus and Trypticon nearly destroyed Earth's magnetosphere, but ultimately, the Autobots and their human allies won the day. {{storylink|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News Reporter|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News, 2016/05/01}}
{{-}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
[[File:SpotlightArcee FortressMaximus.jpg|left|upright=1.66|thumb|]]
{{main|Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity}}
{{-}}

===''United''===
When the [[Autobot]]s fell down with a [[nano-virus]], Fortress Maximus was in city mode as part of [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]]. {{storylink|The Fierce Fighting on Planet Nebulos}}

===''Transformers GT: Mission GT-R''===
[[File:GT-R Maximus.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|What's worse? This pose? Or the fact that it's called the "master '''Jack''' Sword"?]]
In a world where the Transformers' war settled into a series of friendly competitive races known as the [[Transformers GT]], Fortress Maximus took on a race car form and became the [[GT Transformer]] known as '''GT-R Maximus'''. He was a fair and sportsmanlike racer who boasted the highest strength of all GT Transformers, and though normally averse to combat, he was willing to punish cheaters with his [[Master Jack Sword]]. Like other contestants, GT-R Maximus put a limit on his own strength by separating his Matrix into a [[GT Sister]], creating his partner [[Hiiro]].

====Comic====
GT-R Maximus was racing against [[Optimus Prime (G1)|GT-R Prime]] and [[Star Saber (Victory)|GT-R Saber]], cheered on by Hiiro on the sidelines, when the race was interrupted by the arrival of [[Megatron (G1)|GT-R Megatron]]. The intruder announced his intent to crush all racers inferior to him, causing a scuffle, but GT-R Prime talked him down and convinced him to join the race instead. {{storylink|Transformers GT: Mission GT-R (comic)|Transformers GT: Mission GT-R}}

====Story pages====
Like other racers, GT-R Maximus attended photo shoots alongside Hiiro in order to promote coexistence between humans and Transformers. {{storylink|Transformers GT: Mission GT-R (story page)|The Work of the GT Sister Race Queens?}} When a reincarnated [[Unicron]] attacked the Transformers GT finals and absorbed the huge [[energon]] pool saved up for the final prize, Maximus threw aside his usual dislike for battle and attacked the villain with his mighty sword. {{storylink|Transformers GT: Mission GT-R (story page)|Bringing Down the Sword}} But Maximus alone wasn't enough to defeat Unicron, so he used the "Matrix In" process to recombine with Hiiro and restore his true strength. Together with the other powered up racers and their GT Sisters, he fought and defeated Unicron, saving Earth. {{storylink|Transformers GT: Mission GT-R (story page)|The True TFGT}}

====''Story of Transformers GT''====
GT-R Maximus raced in the 19th Transformers GT in his usual pacifistic manner, refusing Hiiro's requests to prepare the Master Jack Sword and instead relying on his fists when he was forced into combat. His resolve was tested when he heard that GT-R Megatron was using unnecessarily violent methods to get ahead, however, and he ultimately relented and had Hiiro transfer the sword to him so he could teach the brute a lesson. {{storylink|A Biggest Sword! –The Last Resort–}}

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

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]]'s corruption of his brain reduced Fortress Maximus to a mindless, energy-starved zombie who wandered Cybertron in a daze. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}} When [[U.S.7]] and the [[Oktober Guard]] passed by on a ship, Maximus grabbed it out of the sky and swallowed the occupants whole. {{storylink|Form Follows Function}} A group of [[G.I. Joe (team)|Joes]] and Autobots infiltrated the giant on a mission to save U.S.7, leading to their discovery and defeat of Blackarachnia and the restoration of Maximus's mind. He subsequently joined the battle against the Decepticons and [[Cobra]], going up against [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] who bit his head off only to for the head to transform into Cerebros in his mouth. In spite of the surprise attack this allowed for, the Autobots were defeated and the decapitated body of Fortress Maximus was left where it lay. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}}

Through circumstances unknown, [[Snake-Eyes]] bonded with Fortress Maximus through the [[Master Sword]], replacing his original head partner, [[Galen Kord|Galen]]. He teamed up with [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], in turn controlled by Snake-Eyes's compatriot [[Scarlett]], and together they coerced [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] to fight again before marching on the Decepticon position as part of a joint Autobot-Joe army. {{storylink|Transformers vs. G.I. Joe issue 12|Transformers vs. G.I. Joe #12}} During the battle, even Maximus and Scorponok were dwarfed by Megatron's "Mega-Megatron" form, but fortunately they didn't have to fight the giant long before he was broken apart by [[Shipwreck]]. {{storylink|The War Never Ends}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
[[File:KreO-webcomic-10-Fortress.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.5]]
Fortress was at the newly constructed Autobot base, [[Metroplex (Kre-O)|Metroplex]]. {{storylink|Two Giant Bases! Everybody Getting Along, Come On, Fight!}}

{{-}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
[[File:HeadGames-ResistanceScaleFortMaxFace.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Cerebros and Spike Witwicky were turned into Fortress Maximus when the war spread to Nebulos to counter the rise of [[Scorponok (G1)|MegaZarak]]. But the destructive power of the city-bot brought only more devastation to the planet, and the existence of Maximus and weapons like him was a major reason why the [[Human Confederacy]] confined the Transformers and their war to the [[Allowed Zone]]. {{storylink|Head Games}}

When Galvatron threatened the planet [[Master|Rebirth]], Fortress Maximus—now bonded to Daniel Witwicky—returned to duty after the Decepticons deployed the newest incarnation of MegaZarak. When the two clashed for the second time, it was Fortress Maximus who fell. {{storylink|A Brush With Infamy–Prologue}}

As energy became scarce, Fortress Maximus could no longer move and ground to a halt in robot mode in [[Tarn (polity)|Tarn]], where his frozen, towering form was repurposed as a prison by the [[Builder of Cybertron|Builders of Cybertron]]. Cerebros himself died at some point, but his consciousness remained active within Maximus through three [[Cyberdroid]]s, [[Grand Maximus|Gran]], [[Galen Kord|Kord]], and [[Cerebros (RID)|Plasma]].

[[Lio Convoy#Beast Wars: Uprising|Lio Convoy]]'s [[Resistance]] against the Builders sought to infiltrate Fortress Maximus and free the prisoners within, but their initial attempts were foiled by Cerebros's ability to get into the heads of the intruders and turn them against each other. The third strike team was able to turn the tide by willingly sacrificing [[Buzzclaw (BW)#Beast Wars: Uprising|Buzzclaw]] to Cerebros's control and using the mental link to paralyze him, allowing them to kill Kord and Plasma and kidnap Gran, effectively shutting down Maximus. {{storylink|Head Games}}
{{-}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
In [[Primax 1086.0 Kappa]], Fortress Maximus and Scorponok were killed by the Nebulans during the Transformers' battle on Nebulos, and their remains were fused together by [[Zarak (G1)|Mortilus Zarak]] into a giant robot body. After he binary bonded with the body, however, the faint traces of Maximus's and Scorponok's sparks began affecting his mind and eventually drove him mad, turning him into "[[Zarak Maximus]]". {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/11}}

In some other realities, Fortress Maximus survived the Great War and went on to found the [[Maximal]]s. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/08}}

===''TransTech''===
During the destructive conflict between the [[Screaming Eagle]]s and [[S.K.A.R.]] in [[Primax 806.30 Gamma]], both sides found themselves binary-bonded to Cybertronian partners. Fortress Maximus formed a partnership with [[Sgt. Savage]] through [[Emissary (RID)|Brave]]. After a globe-spanning confrontation which almost destroyed Earth, the Autobots and G.I. Joes emerged victorious. {{storylink|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News Reporter|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News, 2016/05/01}}

===IDW ''Beast Wars'' comics===
Fortress Maximus was one of the many casualties of the Great War before the signing of the [[Pax Cybertronia]]. {{storylink|Dawn of the Predacus}}

===''Titans Return'' marketing material===
[[File:HasbroPulse FortressMaximus.jpg|right|thumb|300px|]]
One of the last [[Titan (IDW)|Titans]] in the universe, {{storylink|#Generations|''Titans Return'' Fortress Maximus online bio}} the legendary Fortress Maximus had slumbered underneath [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], until the battle for the [[Titan Master]]s roused him from his slumber. He awoke just in time to witness [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'s attack on Cybertron, frightening the Decepticon communications officer something fierce. {{storylink|Titans Return: The Power of the Titan Masters}} With a city alt-mode, Fortress Maximus served as the ultimate Autobot weapon and base. {{storylink|#Generations|''Titans Return'' Fortress Maximus online bio}}
{{-}}

===''Combiner Wars cartoon''===
[[File:TF-CW-Cartoon-Fort-Max-close-up.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]

After the conclusion of the [[Combiner Wars (event)|Combiner Wars]], [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] experienced a vision of Fortress Maximus, indicating that the Titans had indeed returned. {{storylink|Destruction's Dawn}}
{{-}}

==Commercial appearances==
*Fortress Maximus grappled with [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] on [[Nebulos|Nebulon]] while other [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] and [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmasters]] scuffled at their feet. With a show of prodigious strength, Fortress Maximus picked up Scorponok by his tail and tossed his opponent about like a ragdoll. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Headmaster comic book|Headmaster comic book commercial}}
*When the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] threatened to attack Fortress Maximus, the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]] sprung up to oppose them. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Technobots and Terrorcons|Technobots and Terrorcons commercial}}
*The Terrorcons attacked Fortress Maximus once more; this time, the massive Autobot warded off their attack on his own by blasting them with his battle station mode. The Terrorcons regrouped and combined into [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]] to tare away at Fortress Maximus's armament. Little did they know that Fortress Maximus could still transform into a robot that dwarfed even the mighty combiner! {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Fortress Maximus|Fortress Maximus commercial}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: The Headmasters''===
When the Decepticons struck out at four planets, including Cybertron and Earth, Fortress Maximus was joined by [[Hot Rod|Rodimus Prime]] and the Headmasters of Justice to save the final planet from [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. {{storylink|Transformers: The Headmasters (video game)|Transformers: The Headmasters}}

===''Transformers Legends''===
{{Note|Although Fortress Maximus was not included in a storyline for the ''Transformers Legends'' game, he was featured as a playable character.}} {{storylink|Signature Series featuring Marcelo Matere|Signature Series}}

==Toys==
{{Main|Fortress Maximus (G1)/toys}}

==Merchandise==
{{main|Fortress Maximus (G1)/toys#Merchandise}}

==Notes==
[[File:Fortmaxsize1.jpg|thumb|upright=1]][[File:FortMaxsize2.jpg|thumb|upright=1]]
*"Fortress Maximus" was an early name for the characters that eventually became [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] and [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. The [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] [[Transformers: The Movie (Marvel comic)|comic adaptation]] of the [[The Transformers: The Movie|1986 movie]] even refers to [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] as "Fortress Maximus" in a caption.
*Fortress Maximus was the first toy to be released with a bona-fide Earthling figure. All of the other Headmasters' companions were from Nebulos. (Although Maximus's on-package [[bio]] refers to "the Nebulan leader, Spike", the general consensus is that it was supposed to be the popular figure from TV and other media, who is almost certainly an Earthling.)
*Both Scorponok and Fortress Maximus suffer from the writers struggling to reconcile the characters' high rank with their size. In their comic appearances, they are portrayed as commanders in some capacity but are shrunk down to interact with other Transformers, and their city modes pretty much don't exist. Conversely, the cartoons have opted to portray them as giant city Transformers, though they seem to be merely extensions of the smaller beings that bond with them, with no real life or will of their own.
**According to Japanese media, Fortress Maximus is much larger than Metroplex. According to the Headmaster scale infographic to the right and assuming the standard 16 meter (~53') height of combiners in the animated continuities, Metroplex would stand about 50 meters (~164') compared to Fortress Maximus standing roughly '''150 meters''' ('''~492'''') tall. According to the 1997 issue of "''The Super Robots Chronicles''" Fortress Maximus is a ''gigantic'' '''3 kilometers''' or '''3,000 meters''' ('''~9,843'''') tall, compared with the 800 meter (~2,625') height of Metroplex according to Comic Bom Bom and Hobby Japan.
[[File:FortMaxReds.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Once you rip it off, it can never stay on again.]]
*Fortress Maximus appeared in an unusual red-accented color scheme on the cover of Marvel's [[Ring of Hate!|''Headmasters'' #1]]. This color scheme was repeated in the corner box for [[Love and Steel!|''Headmasters'' #3]] and on the cover of [[The Man in the Machine!|''The Transformers'' #51]]. Its origin is unknown, though it may be related to the [http://www.allspark.com/images/Transformers_Generations/2011/Vol2/07.jpg tan with red accents hard copy Takara possessed].
*The Battleship ''Maximus'' bears a slight resemblance to the [[Wikipedia:White Base|White Base]], a battleship from the [[Wikipedia:Gundam|''Gundam'' franchise]].
*When Spike transforms to join Fortress Maximus for the last time in the ''Generation 2'' book, Cerebros is not shown, and Spike transforms directly into Fortress Maximus's head. Maximus is shown to be no larger than Megatron. In real-life terms, it's an obvious series of art errors; in the context of the story, one might wonder if Maximus was reduced back to his original, smaller, size. It seems improbable, considering that Spike had been retired for years by that point.
*Fortress Maximus has the distinction of having one of the most well known Transformers [[knockoff]]s in existence. While Cerebros has been omitted, the Spike figure is the same, and the body has been scaled down to match, effectively making the body compatible with any other Headmaster head. It also fetches absurd prices for a knockoff.
*Like most comic-only Kreons, Fortress is made up of existing Kre-O parts, namely the [[Hound (Kre-O)|Hound]] helmet and the sword first used by [[Torox]] and [[Headlock (Kre-O)|Headlock]] (in reference to the [[Master Sword]] used by the original Fortress).
*A [http://news.tfw2005.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2011/09/Fortress-Maximus-Prototypes-1_1315944004.jpg|early prototype] for Fortress Maximus's toy featured, among other things, waist-guns that pushed straight out on levers instead of swinging out on an axis. This appears to have formed the basis for his character model's waist-guns, which feature red circles rather than hinges.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Cerebros''' (セレブロス ''Sereburosu''), '''Fortress''' (フォートレス ''Fōtoresu''), '''Fortress Maximus''' (フォートレスマキシマス ''Fōtoresu Makishimasu'')
*''English:'' '''Spaceship Bruce''' (spaceship mode, [[Omni Productions]] dub), '''Cerebros''' (Fortress, [[Shout! Factory]] sub)
*''French:'' '''Forteresse Maximus''' (Canada)
*''Mandarin:'' '''Fúthè Chǜ-jén''' (Taiwan, 福特巨人, "Fort Giant"), '''Chǜ-wú-pà Fúthè''' (Taiwan, 巨无霸福特, "Extremely Gigantic Fort"), '''Furmon''' (Taiwan, 福蒙 ''Fú Móng''), '''Fortry''' (Taiwan [[Omni Productions]] dub, 福崔 ''Fú Tsuēi'')
*''Russian:'' '''Krepysh Maximus''' (Крепыш Максимус ''Krepysh Maksimus'', "Sturdy Fellow Maximus")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Fortetsya Maxima''' (Фортеця Максима ''Fortetsya Maksyma'', "Fortress Maxima")

[[Category:Autobot bases]]
[[Category:Autobot leaders]]
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[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Autobots]]
[[Category:City Transformers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
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[[Category:Multi-component Transformers]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce Autobots]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Autobots]]
[[Category:Titans]]
[[Category:Titans Return]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]
[[Category:United Autobots]]

Fortress Maximus (G1)

2017-07-05T22:10:38Z

PCNTRP:

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:''Fortress Maximus is an [[Autobot]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] and occasional [[cityformer]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:FortMax1.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|[[Nobuyuki Hiyama|Link]] called. He wants the [[Master Sword]] back.]]

Despite his great power, size, and rank, '''Fortress Maximus''' is a weary and reluctant warrior. Fighting is against his pacifist nature, even for the most noble of causes. Over time, the endless conflict on Cybertron has worn him down, to the point that he's willing to walk away from the war entirely to preserve himself and his ideals.

Fortress Maximus is big. ''How'' big generally depends on the universe, but often as not he's binary-bonded to a smaller robot named [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] who forms his head; Cerebros's own head is formed by [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]], or in some universes: [[Emissary (Generations)|Emissary]].

{{note|Fortress Maximus is one of those fun characters whose incarnations are very different. See individual fiction entries below for continuity specific profiles.}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
[[File:Fortmaxgiveshead.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|]]
{{main|Fortress Maximus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity}}
{{-}}

===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Stephen Keener]] (English), [[Kunihiko Yasui]] (Japanese)}}

[[File:Fortressmaximusg1rebirth.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb]]
When a battle for possession of the [[Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber]] led a group of Autobots and Decepticons to be stranded on the planet [[Nebulos]], partnership between the Transformers and the native Nebulans led to the development of Headmaster and Targetmaster technology. The planet's evil ruling council, the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]], took the technology to its most powerful extreme when its leader [[Zarak (G1)|Zarak]] created the massive city-sized Scorponok to serve as his Headmaster partner and used his power to steal back the chamber key. The Decepticons departed for Cybertron, and the Autobots were poised to give chase when Spike Witwicky announced that he and the pacifistic Cerebros would be staying behind. While the other Autobots left in pursuit, Spike had Cerebros lead him to the ruins of the Hive's original city, which they had lived in before moving underground. Taking control of the various abandoned machines there, Spike rebuilt the city, Cerebros and even himself into a Headmaster robot that could stand up to Scorponok's power: Fortress Maximus!

[[File:Rebirth3 fortmax battlestation.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb]]
The completed Fortress Maximus quickly flew to Cybertron and made a dramatic entrance, setting down in city mode and then transforming to battle station mode to bombard Scorponok and the Decepticons with a hail of weaponsfire. When Zarak transformed Scorponok to [[robot mode]], Spike did likewise with Fortress Maximus, and the two titans battled, with Maximus on the losing end until Zarak threatened the life of Spike's son, Daniel. With a burst of strength, Fortress Maximus took Scorponok down, causing him to collapse with such force that he transformed back to city mode. Spike and Cerebros then disconnected from Maximus and headed inside Scorponok to recover the captive Daniel and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], leaving Maximus to keep the other Decepticons at bay with his many weapons. The Decepticons were able to get through Maximus's firestorm and got Scorponok airborne, but not before Spike succeeded in his rescue.

Subsequently, with the Plasma Energy Chamber back under Autobot control, Fortress Maximus flew the Autobot Headmasters and Targetmasters back to Nebulos. There, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] announced that after they had eradicated the Hive's evil from the planet, Cerebros would live on the planet as its guardian, presumably meaning that Fortress Maximus would be staying there too. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

{{note|It is unclear if Fortress Maximus had any sentience of his own; he did speak once in his own voice, but for the most part, even Cerebros's will seemed to be pushed aside so Spike could run the whole thing himself.}}

===Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
{{note|In Japan, Fortress Maximus's mental functions are housed in a small robot who transforms into a head and connects to a larger, lifeless transtector body. This larger body in turn becomes the head of a ''giant'' transtector, forming the robot known as Fortress Maximus. The ''Headmasters'' toyline referred to the smallest robot as '''Cerebros''', who formed the head of the intermediate robot '''Fortress''', but this distinction was never actually made in fiction, and the character was always referred to as "Fortress" regardless of whether he was in small or intermediate form.}}

====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Ikuya Sawaki]] (Japanese)|[[Simon Broad]] (English)}}

[[File:Hm7 fortress small bot.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Drang nach Master!]]
Four million years ago, Fortress was a [[Cyberdroid|diminutive Cybertronian]] who had not yet mastered the art of transformation, and was a friend of [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]]'s. He was among the many Transformers that fled Cybertron in an attempt to escape the corrosion of war without end, and led a group of his fellow small Cybertronians in search of a new peaceful world they could call home. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Alas, engine trouble caused their ship to crash on the inhospitable world of planet Master, whose hazardous environmental conditions began threatening the lives of Fortress and his men almost as soon as they departed the wreckage of their ship and began trekking through a desert of shifting sands. The need for survival fostered many technological and mental advancements, however, and Fortress and his people endured.

[[File:Hm1 battleship maximus.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Fortress was responsible for many of the technological quantum leaps, the most significant of which was the invention of "[[transtector]]s": larger, lifeless Transformer bodies to which the small Cybertronians could connect as heads. After a rigorous physical and mental training program that allowed them to finally master transformation and even instilled powerful telepathic and telekinetic powers in them, Fortress and nine other warriors bonded with these transtectors to become "Headmasters". {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}} Fortress even took the process one step further, and with the aid of other Master scientists like [[Jack (Headmasters)|Jack]], created a ''huge'' transtector that could transform into the battleship, Maximus. Fortress's own transtector was engineered to also transform into a head, which could control the many functions of the Maximus from a special docking bay on the battleship's bridge, {{storylink|Rebellion on Planet Beast}} and which could form the head for the battleship's own colossal robot mode, known as "Fortress Maximus". Fortress also created the powerful [[Master Sword]] for himself, and tied the Maximus's transformation into it; in order to convert the battleship to robot mode, Fortress had to draw a small version of the blade from a sheath beneath his command console, but this feat could only be accomplished when his physical and mental energies were in perfect synchronization. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}}

Unfortunately, half of the Headmasters eventually rebelled against Fortress's leadership, siding with a traitor named Scorponok against him. The traitors were defeated by Fortress and his comrades and exiled from Master, but eventually, they came to ally themselves with the Decepticons under the command of [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

[[File:Hm2 kup and fortress.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
In the year 2011, when Galvatron launched his latest attack on Cybertron with the added power of his new Decepticon Headmasters, Fortress Maximus brought the Autobot Headmasters back to their homeworld aboard the Maximus. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} Even the mightiest of the Decepticons' [[combiner]]s could not stand against Battleship Maximus's firepower, and the evil robots were forced into retreat. This task complete, Fortress set the Maximus down at the Autobots' secondary headquarters on the planet [[Athenia]], where he introduced himself and his comrades and explained their origins, and was reunited with Kup. After being filled in by the Autobots on the current crisis—[[Vector Sigma]] had become destabilized, putting the planet at risk—Fortress deduced that the [[Matrix of Leadership]] was necessary to bring the computer back under control. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Unfortunately, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] had already ventured into the depths of Cybertron without the Matrix, willing to sacrifice his own life to stabilize Vector Sigma, so Fortress headed into the planet's catacombs after him while the other Headmasters helped [[Hot Rod/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] search for the Matrix, hidden somewhere on [[Earth]]. Though Fortress was not able to catch up to Prime before he reached Vector Sigma's chamber, he was able to use his telepathic powers to contact Prime's companion, the spirit of [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], helping to guide him safely through the maze of tunnels. It turned out that [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] had made it to the chamber ahead of Prime, however, and Fortress raced through the remainder of the tunnels to aid Prime against the two Decepticons. Hot Rod soon arrived with the Matrix, which he used to become Rodimus Prime again, but before he could use it to bring Vector Sigma back under control, Optimus Prime merged with the computer to stabilize it, giving up his life in the process. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}} Prime was not the only casualty of the crisis: [[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]] also lost his life in the search for the Matrix. Luckily, Fortress was able to use the advanced technology of Master to rebuild and resurrect him, as Twincast. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}}

[[File:Hm5 fortmax headmode.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
While patrolling space for Decepticon activity aboard the Maximus, the Autobot Headmasters discovered [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] stowed away on board. After explaining the function of his Head Mode to the shocked youngsters, Fortress agreed to let the pair join them on the patrol. Soon after, the Autobots came upon two stranded [[Beastformer]]s from the planet [[Beast (planet)|Beast]], and learned that the Decepticons had invaded their planet; the infuriated Fortress made for the planet with all due speed, after sending a report to Rodimus Prime on Athenia. The Autobot Headmasters helped the native Beastformers liberate their planet from Decepticon control, but Fortress was concerned with a blueprint recovered from an underground factory that indicated the Decepticons were building something. {{storylink|Rebellion on Planet Beast}}

[[File:Hm6 fortmax funnyfaces.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|:D]]
When the Decepticons launched a [[Metamorphose|metal-warping meteor]] at Athenia, Fortress and his battleship were powerless to do anything, for fear of being destroyed by the meteor's gravity sensors. It fell to Daniel Witwicky to destroy the meteor, so Fortress transported him as close to it as he was able. Daniel lost his nerve at the last minute, so Fortress calmed him down by making some silly faces. Dignified! {{storylink|Approach of the Demon Meteorite}} Later, a phoney distress call lured Fortress and the Autobot Headmasters into a trap on the planet [[Praum]] set by their old foe, Scorponok. Despite being trapped in a subterranean chamber with the endless desert sands pouring in on top of him, Fortress kept his head and reminded his young allies of the similar hardships they had suffered on Master and the training they had undergone to overcome them. With the skills they had learned back then, they were able to escape. {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}}

[[File:Hm10 fortress appointed commander.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
When Galvatron launched an attack on Cybertron in an attempt to steal a new alloy developed by Vector Sigma named [[cybertonuron]], Fortress advised Rodimus Prime against striking back in full force, preferring to find another way to stop the Decepticons than putting all their warriors in danger. Rodimus refused, and Fortress quietly acquiesced to his commander's wishes, ferrying him to Cybertron on Battleship Maximus. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} The battle ended catastrophically, however, when treachery on the part of Scorponok led to the detonation of a collection of bombs in Vector Sigma's chamber, devastating Cybertron and rendering it uninhabitable, and apparently killing Galvatron in the process. Realizing with deep regret that Fortress's caution had been warranted, Rodimus Prime decided that the era of his generation of Transformers was over, and vowed to search the universe for a new planet the Transformers could call home. He passed the title of [[Supreme Commander]] of the Autobots (though not the Matrix of Leadership) to Fortress, who was visibly uncomfortable with the appointment, but accepted it graciously, telling himself not to contest it because it was his destiny. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}}

[[File:G1FortressMaximus HMstockfootage.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|"...But it's the pelvic thruuuuuust / that really drives you in-sa-a-a-ane..."]]
Fortress's tenure as leader got off to a strong start with the successful completion of the [[Sol 1]] satellite, a joint venture between the Autobots and humanity to gather solar energy. Unfortunately, the satellite was stolen by the Decepticons, forcing the Autobot Headmasters to destroy it to keep it out of their hands. Before being destroyed, however, the satellite's energy was beamed by the villains to the planet [[Zarak (planet)|Zarak]]. {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} Fortress attempted to study Zarak from afar in hopes of deducing what the Decepticons were up to, but the planet's gaseous shroud prevented remote observation of its surface, and the Decepticons began staging concentrated attacks on Earth to keep the Autobots' attentions divided. {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}} One such attack saw the Decepticons unleash a carnivorous, ambulatory plant upon [[San Francisco]], which Fortress identified as a [[buridanka]] from the planet [[Darhos]]. When the Autobot Headmasters responded, Battleship Maximus was caught in the plant-monster's vines, and Fortress's lack of focus left him unable to draw the Master Sword and transform. Galvanized by the cries of the other Headmasters, however, his energies soon came into alignment, and for what was apparently the first time (given everyone else's surprise when it happened) Fortress transformed the Maximus and combined with it to form Fortress Maximus. With the power of the Master Sword, he easily dispatched the giant plant. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}}

[[File:Hm14 fortress draws mastersword.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Weakened by the great energy demands of his transformation, Fortress sent the Autobot Headmasters to [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] without him when news of Decepticon movement on the planet reached the Autobots. When the Headmasters discovered that the Decepticons were planning to blow up Mars, however, Fortress went into action, only to be struck with a [[plasma energy]] bomb by the Decepticons Headmasters just as he was in the middle of transforming into Fortress Maximus. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}} Although Fortress survived the blast, his energies were severely drained, and the powerless Maximus was unable to depart Mars as the countdown to the Decepticons' planet-destroying explosion continued. Even worse, into the middle of this crisis stepped Scorponok, now outfitted with a gigantic transtector of his own: the end result of the mysterious construction operations on planets Beast and Zarak. Scorponok pummelled the paralyzed Maximus, then pulled out just before the chain of explosion began. Fortress told the Headmasters to leave him and the Maximus to their fate, but luckily, at the last minute, the battleship began absorbing the energy released by the early stages of the explosion. Fortress was able to use this energy to transform into Fortress Maximus, and escaped the destruction of Mars, slashing Scorponok with the Master Sword as he came bursting from the conflagration. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears}}

[[File:Hm17 maximus vs scorponok.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|That's how the scorpions breed!]]
While Fortress and the Headmasters were patrolling the edges of Decepticon space to keep an eye on their enemies' activities, Scorponok attacked the Maximus, only for the fight to be broken up by a strange UFO. Back on Athenia, Fortress met with the Autobots' deep cover spy, [[Punch (G1)|Punch]], and learned that Scorponok was holding a coronation ceremony for himself on Earth's [[moon (moon)|moon]]. The Autobots attacked the ceremony, during which Fortress again pitted his battleship against Scorponok, but the fighting was brought to an end when the UFO returned, and was revealed to belong to Galvatron, who had survived Cybertron's destruction. {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}} Fortress fought Scorponok again soon after, when the Autobots tried to provide energy relief to the other-dimensional planet [[Sandra (planet)|Sandra]]. {{storylink|SOS from Planet Sandra}}

[[File:Hm23 fortmax sword slash.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
When the Decepticons embarked on an interplanetary energy quest, the Autobots determined to follow them aboard Fortress's battleship; Fortress had to be convinced to allow Daniel to come with them. {{storylink|Daniel Faces His Biggest Crisis Ever!!}} Their first port of call was the planet [[Hive (planet)|Hive]], but before the Maximus could set down, they were attacked by the planet's force. Fortress was intent on a show of non-resistance and would not fire back, while [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] went down to the planet's surface and proved the Autobots' good intentions to Hive's [[Queen Bee]]. The Autobots joined forces with the natives to fend off the Decepticons; Fortress disconnected the Maximus's "Master Shot" cannon so the Headmasters could wield it, then transformed into Fortress Maximus to send Scorponok packing with the Master Sword. {{storylink|Fight to the Death on Planet Hive!!}} Fortress then used the Maximus to fly the Autobots to [[Twin Star]], where he dealt with Scorponok by hauling him into the air and dropping him, {{storylink|Battle for Defense of the False Planet}} and [[Daros]], where he used the Maximus's internal defense systems to stop [[Curl|a gang of prisoners]] from taking control of the battleship. {{storylink|Find MegaZarak's Weak Spot!!}} The battleship needed some repairs before it could take the Autobots to [[Paradise]], which Fortress had Chromedome and [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] perform. {{storylink|Head Formation of Friendship}} Fortress again transformed to Fortress Maximus on the final planet of their journey, [[Pirate Planet]], taking Scorponok out with a Master Sword-slash to the chest. {{storylink|Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship}}

[[File:Hm25 fortress cradles magnus.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
After returning to Athenia, Fortress and the Headmasters received news of a Decepticon attack on Earth and headed there with all due haste, but they were not in time to stop [[Sixshot]] from mortally wounding [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]]. Fortress held Magnus as he died, then carried his body aboard the Maximus for burial along an Earth coastline. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}} Soon after, with Decepticon attacks intensifying, Fortress had to talk [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] out of risking his own life in the pursuit of revenge against Sixshot. When word came through from Punch that Galvatron intended to use the gathered energy to fuse himself with the Earth itself, Fortress and the Headmasters immediately departed to confront the Decepticon leader in [[Alaska]]. The Headmasters were able to use Punch's information to finally end the threat of Galvatron with their [[Head Formation]], burying him in the Arctic ice. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}}

[[File:Hm26 weak spot.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|From USSR with "love"!]]
Galvatron's demise left a power vacuum that Scorponok immediately filled, and once appointed leader again, he immediately put into motion a plan to destroy the Earth by simultaneously erupting every volcano on the [[Pacific Ring of Fire]]. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] deduced his plan, but a Decepticon attack on [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] left Spike fatally wounded, with a chunk of shrapnel embedded in one of his arteries. Medical science could do nothing for Spike, so Fortress used his telekinetic powers to dissolve the shrapnel, saving Spike, but draining all of Fortress's energy. Even in his weakened state, unable to transform, Fortress still attempted to stop Scorponok from initiating his plan on the Kamchatka Peninsula, but Scorponok simply hurled the Maximus into a volcano. As it turned out, this allowed Fortress to absorb the geothermal energy of the volcano's magma, restoring his power and ability to transform. Following information decoded by Chromedome, Fortress Maximus was able to puncture Scorponok's weak spot, the Decepticon symbol on his chest, forcing the villain and his followers to flee the planet. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}}

[[File:Hm28 fortress examines targetmaster.jpg|left|thumb]]
With Earth finally free of the Decepticons, the Autobots set about removing every trace of their evil from the planet. Fortress co-ordinated the effort, but just as he was meeting with three new Autobot arrivals—[[Pointblank]], [[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] and [[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]]—a report came through from Chromedome that one of the plasma energy bombs he had been tasked with gathering up had become active. Fortress quickly picked up the bombs in Battleship Maximus, intending to transport them into space so they could detonate harmlessly, but as the ship departed the atmosphere, it crossed paths with another vessel containing refugees from Master. While the Autobots held off the Decepticons pursuing the Master vessel, Fortress and Twincast welcomed the refugees on board, and learned from them that Scorponok's Decepticons had attacked Master. The refugees then helped get the plasma bombs off Battleship Maximus, but they proceeded to detonate before everyone could get clear, and the explosion fused the refugees to the arms of the Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)}} Fortress used his scientific know-how to remove the refugees from the Autobots' arms, but a strange link remained between the warriors. With these "[[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmasters]]" added to their ranks, Fortress piloted Battleship Maximus to Master to stop Scorponok's evildoings there. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 2)}}

[[File:MasterSwordDanger Floppydisk.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Insert 80s computer joke here.]]
Seeking to forge a weapon to counter Fortress's Master Sword, Scorponok arranged for the kidnap of Wheelie so that he could be ransom for information on the sword. Fortress agonized over what to do, but the decision was made for him when Chromedome and Daniel snuck away to rescue Wheelie themselves. Learning of their insubordination, Fortress played along, keeping the Decepticons' attentions on his battleship and preparing a data disk to "hand over". Unfortunately, when the Decepticons learned that Wheelie had been rescued, a fight broke out over the disk and it was snatched from Fortress's grasp. {{storylink|The Master Sword Is in Danger!!}} The Decepticons retreated underground, but Fortress was able to track them down by equipping the Master Sword with sensors that would allow the Maximus to track any surges of the energy needed to create it, which Scorponok was sure to require to forge his own weapon. Unfortunately, [[Weirdwolf (G1)|Weirdwolf]] was able to sneak aboard the Maximus, and although Fortress repelled him, he had secretly planted bombs on the battleship that covered the Decepticons' escape when they went off. {{storylink|The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide}}

[[File:Hm31 fortmax defeated.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
As Battleship Maximus was repaired, Fortress debated strategy with the Autobots, eventually agreeing with the Targetmasters' plan to lure the Decepticons into space to avoid collateral damage to Master. Unfortunately, the hot-headed Chromedome disagreed, and staged his own attack on the Decepticons with the aid of the young warriors of Master. Chromedome's strategy went sour, forcing Fortress Maximus to go into action, but when the Master Sword clashed with Scorponok's newly forged "[[Zarak Shield]]", it was the Zarak Shield that emerged triumphant! Defeated, Fortress Maximus could only watch as Scorponok departed for Earth, intending to destroy it once and for all. {{storylink|Operation: Destroy the Decepticons}}

The Autobots gave chase in the Maximus, but during the space battle that resulted, Daniel was set adrift when the Maximus's Laser Block unit was damaged and jettisoned. Fortress was forced to divert to rescue the boy, allowing the Decepticons a substantial lead in the race back to Earth. {{storylink|My Friend Sixshot!}} Their lead was lost when they were forced to set down on the asteroid [[Pallas]] for repairs, and the Maximus set down on [[Ceres]] in order to attack. During the fight, Sixshot challenged Chromedome to a one-on-one duel, and Fortress's pleas that he not accept the challenge fell on deaf ears. Even as Scorponok took off for Earth again, Fortress concluded that he and the other Autobots would have to leave Chromedome to his duel and carry on the chase. As it happened, the duel was interrupted by an explosion courtesy of bombs Scorponok had planted on the battlefield, so Chromedome was able to rejoin Maximus not long after. {{storylink|Duel on the Asteroid}}

[[File:Hm35 master sword zappped.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|By the power of Grayskull!]]
As the Maximus entered the final stretch back to Earth, reports began coming in from the Autobots down on the planet of Decepticon attacks, accompanied by the emergence of strange towers at specific points around the globe. Once back on Earth, Fortress met with Punch, who unfortunately had to report that Scorponok had disappeared into the Mediterranean Ocean. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}} The Autobots soon realized that the "Death Towers" were composed of energy-amplifying [[crysmagnetal]], and were creating a field of energy that was surrounding the Earth. Following Punch's lead, Fortress led the Autobots to Egypt, where Scorponok was outfitting a Death Tower with an induction booster to magnify the amount of energy it was projecting. The Master Sword played the unfortunate role of lightning rod in the presence of the Death Tower, attracting bolts of the tower's energy and stunning Fortress, preventing him from stopping Scorponok. As Scorponok fled, he told Fortress to meet him at the North Pole, where even he would have a role to play in his scheme.

[[File:Hm35 final battle.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
With no other choices, Fortress followed his enemy's instructions, and the entire Autobot and Decepticon armies clashed in battle in the frozen north. There, Scorponok lured Fortress Maximus onto a crysmagnetal dais, at which point, an orbiting Decepticon satellite that had been gathering the energies projected by the Death Towers activated, beaming the collected energy down to the dais. Scorponok disconnected from his transtector, and left the paralyzed Fortress Maximus trapped in the satellite's beam, part of a deadly circuit of energy that threatened to tear the Earth apart. The four Headmasters joined in Head Formation and tried to channel their energy into Fortress Maximus in hopes of giving him the strength to break free, but their own power was not enough. At Daniel's suggestion, all the other Autobots linked up as part of the chain, and together combined in "Final Formation", they infused Maximus with enough energy to deflect the satellite's beam with the Master Sword, destroying it. With one mighty slash, Fortress Maximus bisected Scorponok's transtector, finally ending the Decepticon threat.

The Decepticons subsequently fled Earth, and the Autobots gathered to pursue them. Fortress told the tearful Daniel that it was necessary in order to continue defend peace throughout the universe, but promised the boy that they would meet again. Together, the Autobots all boarded Fortress's battleship, and took off into the setting sun. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

====''Kiss Players/15 Go! Go!''====
[[File:KPBraveMax.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7]]

Slumped miserably on the barren surface of Master in their smallest robot forms, Fortress, Chromedome and Highbrow's attention was caught when a [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|time-travelling spaceship]] materialized over their heads and crashed nearby. {{storylink|Sparkbots Volume 1}} By studying and reverse-engineering the technology found in this spaceship, Fortress and the scientists of Master invented transtectors and the Headmaster process. {{storylink|Transformers: Kiss Players (radio drama)|Kiss Players radio drama #48}} {{storylink|Sparkbots Volume 3}}

====''The Great Transformer War''====
[[File:Hmmanga battered headmasters.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66]]
In the year 2010, while significant Transformer battles were being waged throughout space and on Earth, Fortress was active on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]]. After the younger Headmaster warriors under his command were defeated in battle by [[Sixshot]] and the Decepticon Headmasters, Fortress quickly roused his fallen comrades and ordered them to board his battleship, the Maximus, so that they could pursue the villains. Their destination: Cybertron! {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 3|The Great Transformer War #3}}
{{-}}

====''The Headmasters'' manga====

[[File:Manga fort max.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]
Soon after Optimus Prime died stabilizing Vector Sigma, the Decepticons staged an attack on Athenia, and Fortress and the Autobot Headmasters quickly took off in Battleship Maximus to intercept them as they approached the planet. Daniel opined that the Decepticons were "a lot like parasites", to which Fortress murmured an agreement. At that point, the Decepticons appeared in front of them, and the Autobots realized that they had played into the villains' hands: they intended to destroy Fortress's battleship with a bomb. Luckily, Chromedome moved quickly enough to snatch the bomb away and save the Maximus. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 1|The Headmasters #1}}

Responding to an SOS from their Beastformer comrades, Fortress escorted the Autobot Headmasters to planet Beast to investigate. No sooner had the young warriors left Battleship Maximus to search, Rodimus Prime radioed Fortress for an update. Fortress didn't have anything to tell him, but assured Rodimus that the Headmasters would get to the bottom of the mystery. {{storylink|Great Decisive Battle of Planet Beast!}} Later, once they were back on Earth, Fortress sent the Headmasters on their next mission, to respond to a Decepticon attack on an Alaskan energy plant. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 2|The Headmasters #2}}

When a fire tore through [[Shinjuku]], Chromedome, [[Ricochet (Headmasters)|Ricochet]], and [[Artfire (Headmasters)|Artfire]] responded, but their rescue effort was impeded by the Decepticon Targetmaters. Luckily, Fortress soon arrived to extinguish the fire by dumping a massive amount of water on it from above using Battleship Maximus, freeing up the others to deal with the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 7|The Headmasters #7}}
{{-}}

====''Super-God Masterforce Master File''====
Following the expulsion of the Decepticons from Earth after the battle at the North Pole, the Transformers' war shifted into a series of space-based exchanges between Athenia and Chaar known as the [[Master Wars]]. With the space bridge destroyed, interstellar transportation was severely limited, and it fell to Fortress and the Maximus to patrol space for the Decepticons. While on one such patrol, Fortress received a transmission from Sixshot alerting him to the existence of a [[Devil Z|new shadowy puppet master]] who had taken control of the Decepticons. This news came at the same time as a report from the Trainbots which indicated that Scorponok had constructed a new transtector for himself, and so Fortress had no choice but to focus on dealing with this mystery. With access to the ever-important Earth now greatly reduced and his attentions now focused elsewhere, Fortress left guardianship of the planet in the hands of [[Metalhawk (Masterforce)|Metalhawk]] and his [[Pretender]]s. {{storylink|Master File No, 1}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon continuity====
=====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon=====
Archive footage of Fortress Maximus destroying the MegaZarak transtector was used to educate the future [[Headmaster Junior]]s about the [[Master Wars]]. {{storylink|Birth! Headmaster Jrs}}

Fortress's younger brother, [[Grand Maximus|Grand]], travelled to Earth to aid the Autobots there against the approaching threat of [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]]. Grand was physically identical to his big bro, save for his coloration, and even piloted a smaller Maximus-style battleship of his own. {{storylink|Life? Death? The Desperate Lightfoot}}

=====''Transformers Legends'' comic=====
In [[Legends Universe|Legends]] Rattrap's dream, [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] told [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] the story about how he and other diminutive Autobots, including Fortress, left Cybertron and settled on Master. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 9|Bonus Edition Vol. 9}} Fortress later showed up when [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] was complaining about Brainstorm's recent upgrade and [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] was getting angry at Rattrap for not caring about ''The Headmasters'', and commented that everyone was getting worked up as usual. {{storylink|Transformers 2015 Brainstorm Chapter|Brainstorm Chapter}}

[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] harbored regrets over the fact that [[Arcee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Arcee]] had parted ways with him and moved onto spending her time with Fortress. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 19|Bonus Edition Vol. 19}}

By 2021, Scorponok had returned and Fortress continued to fight him in space, culminating in a battle to stop the Decepticon from detonating a black hole. The Autobots failed and were infected with [[blackball|miniature black holes]] that shrunk their bodies, threatening to eventually make them disappear entirely. After having all non-Headmasters on his crew converted into Headmasters to save their lives, Fortress told his forces they could find new transtectors in the Legends Universe, then set a course there before the battleship Maximus itself could disappear. {{storylink|Headmasters Chapter Prologue}} On arrival, Fortress requested help from the local [[Axalon Trading Company]], but was told by [[Optimus Primal]] that they didn't work for free. In lieu of money, Fortress offered them access to Headmaster technology and negotiated a partnership between the Autobots and Axalon, leading to him and his soldiers becoming office workers. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 21|Bonus Edition Vol. 21}}

Fortress was later called up by Grand, who asked him to open a portal and receive some humans he was sending to the Legends world. He was resistant to taking them in, being busy with managerial duties, but backed down when an angry Grand told him people's lives were at stake and accused him of getting too cozy in the peaceful dimension. {{storylink|LG24 Shockwave & Cancer Prologue}} When the Autobot Axalon Trading Company finished building a new battleship Maximus, Chromedome urged Fortress to use it to crush the Decepticons, only for Fortress to collapse while trying to argue for a peaceful solution. In sickbed, he let Chromedome in on a big secret: the process of controlling Maximus had been eating away at his life force all along, weakening him every time he combined. He then broke into tears, despairing that he was nothing but a coward who avoided having to use the transtector for his own safety, but Chromedome reassured him that he was a great commander who had only kept this secret from his troops to keep morale up. Despite his condition, Fortress didn't hesitate to become Fortress Maximus once more to defend his friends from [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], who was being mind-controlled by [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] into attacking the Maximus. After defeating Tarantulas by piercing his control device with the Master Sword, he told his comrades he was happy as long as he could keep defending the world. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 31|Bonus Edition Vol. 31}}

Highbrow began researching a cure to Fortress's condition and eventually found that it could be reversed by feeding him [[Zodiac]] energy, which was related to the Headmasters' telepathic energy. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 33|Bonus Edition Vol. 33}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' manga====
[[File:Mfmanga fortress meets ginrai.jpg|left|thumb]]
When a new and powerful Autobot warrior named [[Ginrai (human)|Ginrai]] rose to prominence on Earth, he distinguished himself to the point that Fortress decided to step down as Supreme Commander and appoint Ginrai in his place. The Trainbots brought Ginrai and his [[Headmaster Junior]] allies to Athenia, where Fortress formally handed over leadership, then departed to take care of some business on Master. In his absence, the united forces of the Earth- and space-based Decepticons attacked Athenia, but Ginrai was able to repel them. Fortress arrived back just as the Decepticons were pulling out, and announced that the Autobots must pool their resources as their enemies had, uniting their forces on Earth and space to commence the [[Godbomber|Bomber Project]]. {{storylink|The Battle Begins! The United Earth-Space Troops}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers in 3-D''===
Fortress Maximus served as transport when Ultra Magnus lead a mission to a small asteroid in search of a new source of [[Energon]]. The Autobots discovered a [[Observer|small alien]], and [[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] utilized Maximus's laboratory to determine that the creature turned its food into Energon. A later fracas with the Decepticons resulted in Fortress Maximus getting involved, leading to a fight with Scorponok. {{storylink|The Test (issue)|The Test}}

===''Transformers PD Type''===
[[File:Pdtype fortmax manga.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]
While casually minding his own business one day, Fortress Maximus was suddenly shocked to see a wave of Decepticons led by Galvatron bearing down on him. He immediately transformed into robot mode... but he had completely forgotten that he had been in city mode, leaving all the poor Autobots who had been inside him squished and thinking there had been an earthquake. {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##12 "Bigger than Life! Fortress Maximus!"|Bigger Than Life! Fortress Maximus!}}

Fortress Maximus later met Scorponok in battle, vowing to never surrender. All the other Transformers would probably have preferred that he ''did'' surrender, though, since the battle put them ''all'' in danger when the two towering titans toppled over, threatening to accidentally crush them all! {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##14 "Watch Out! Mega Zarak!"|Watch Out! MegaZarak!}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
A normal-sized Fortress Maximus was a co-leader of the Autobot forces on Cybertron, along with [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]. As Cybertron's resources ran low, they struggled to hold the Autobot army together; several of the newly created Micromasters grew increasingly dissatisfied with their lot in life within the Autobot army, and came to question if their larger counterparts were leading them in the right direction. {{storylink|Destined for Nothing}} The war continued despite their best efforts, and after a fruitless and disastrous skirmish with the Micromaster [[Skystalker (G1)|Skystalker]] and the Decepticons, Fortress Maximus gave up on the war. He left the Autobot army in order to seek a new path. {{Storylink|Victims of the Revolution}}

A gargantuan Fortress Maximus was also seen in a [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]-induced vision of future [[Nebulos]] by Optimus Prime and Megatron. {{storylink|The War Within issue 5|The War Within #5}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
[[File:Ironclaw artofwar.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb]]
While imbued with the wisdom of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], General [[Hawk (G.I. Joe)|Hawk]] had a vision of Fortress Maximus and [[Sgt. Savage]] fighting against [[Iron Klaw]] and [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5|The Art of War #5}}

====''TransTech''====
Binary bonded to [[Emissary (RID)|Brave]] and Sgt. Savage as [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]]s, Fortress Maximus was part of the alliance between the Autobots and [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] [[Screaming Eagle]]s against the Decepticons and [[S.K.A.R.]] A clash between Maximus and Trypticon nearly destroyed Earth's magnetosphere, but ultimately, the Autobots and their human allies won the day. {{storylink|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News Reporter|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News, 2016/05/01}}
{{-}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
[[File:SpotlightArcee FortressMaximus.jpg|left|upright=1.66|thumb|]]
{{main|Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity}}
{{-}}

===''United''===
When the [[Autobot]]s fell down with a [[nano-virus]], Fortress Maximus was in city mode as part of [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]]. {{storylink|The Fierce Fighting on Planet Nebulos}}

===''Transformers GT: Mission GT-R''===
[[File:GT-R Maximus.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|What's worse? This pose? Or the fact that it's called the "master '''Jack''' Sword"?]]
In a world where the Transformers' war settled into a series of friendly competitive races known as the [[Transformers GT]], Fortress Maximus took on a race car form and became the [[GT Transformer]] known as '''GT-R Maximus'''. He was a fair and sportsmanlike racer who boasted the highest strength of all GT Transformers, and though normally averse to combat, he was willing to punish cheaters with his [[Master Jack Sword]]. Like other contestants, GT-R Maximus put a limit on his own strength by separating his Matrix into a [[GT Sister]], creating his partner [[Hiiro]].

====Comic====
GT-R Maximus was racing against [[Optimus Prime (G1)|GT-R Prime]] and [[Star Saber (Victory)|GT-R Saber]], cheered on by Hiiro on the sidelines, when the race was interrupted by the arrival of [[Megatron (G1)|GT-R Megatron]]. The intruder announced his intent to crush all racers inferior to him, causing a scuffle, but GT-R Prime talked him down and convinced him to join the race instead. {{storylink|Transformers GT: Mission GT-R (comic)|Transformers GT: Mission GT-R}}

====Story pages====
Like other racers, GT-R Maximus attended photo shoots alongside Hiiro in order to promote coexistence between humans and Transformers. {{storylink|Transformers GT: Mission GT-R (story page)|The Work of the GT Sister Race Queens?}} When a reincarnated [[Unicron]] attacked the Transformers GT finals and absorbed the huge [[energon]] pool saved up for the final prize, Maximus threw aside his usual dislike for battle and attacked the villain with his mighty sword. {{storylink|Transformers GT: Mission GT-R (story page)|Bringing Down the Sword}} But Maximus alone wasn't enough to defeat Unicron, so he used the "Matrix In" process to recombine with Hiiro and restore his true strength. Together with the other powered up racers and their GT Sisters, he fought and defeated Unicron, saving Earth. {{storylink|Transformers GT: Mission GT-R (story page)|The True TFGT}}

====''Story of Transformers GT''====
GT-R Maximus raced in the 19th Transformers GT in his usual pacifistic manner, refusing Hiiro's requests to prepare the Master Jack Sword and instead relying on his fists when he was forced into combat. His resolve was tested when he heard that GT-R Megatron was using unnecessarily violent methods to get ahead, however, and he ultimately relented and had Hiiro transfer the sword to him so he could teach the brute a lesson. {{storylink|A Biggest Sword! –The Last Resort–}}

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

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]]'s corruption of his brain reduced Fortress Maximus to a mindless, energy-starved zombie who wandered Cybertron in a daze. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}} When [[U.S.7]] and the [[Oktober Guard]] passed by on a ship, Maximus grabbed it out of the sky and swallowed the occupants whole. {{storylink|Form Follows Function}} A group of [[G.I. Joe (team)|Joes]] and Autobots infiltrated the giant on a mission to save U.S.7, leading to their discovery and defeat of Blackarachnia and the restoration of Maximus's mind. He subsequently joined the battle against the Decepticons and [[Cobra]], going up against [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] who bit his head off only to for the head to transform into Cerebros in his mouth. In spite of the surprise attack this allowed for, the Autobots were defeated and the decapitated body of Fortress Maximus was left where it lay. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}}

Through circumstances unknown, [[Snake-Eyes]] bonded with Fortress Maximus through the [[Master Sword]], replacing his original head partner, [[Galen Kord|Galen]]. He teamed up with [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], in turn controlled by Snake-Eyes's compatriot [[Scarlett]], and together they coerced [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] to fight again before marching on the Decepticon position as part of a joint Autobot-Joe army. {{storylink|Transformers vs. G.I. Joe issue 12|Transformers vs. G.I. Joe #12}} During the battle, even Maximus and Scorponok were dwarfed by Megatron's "Mega-Megatron" form, but fortunately they didn't have to fight the giant long before he was broken apart by [[Shipwreck]]. {{storylink|The War Never Ends}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
[[File:KreO-webcomic-10-Fortress.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.5]]
Fortress was at the newly constructed Autobot base, [[Metroplex (Kre-O)|Metroplex]]. {{storylink|Two Giant Bases! Everybody Getting Along, Come On, Fight!}}

{{-}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
[[File:HeadGames-ResistanceScaleFortMaxFace.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Cerebros and Spike Witwicky were turned into Fortress Maximus when the war spread to Nebulos to counter the rise of [[Scorponok (G1)|MegaZarak]]. But the destructive power of the city-bot brought only more devastation to the planet, and the existence of Maximus and weapons like him was a major reason why the [[Human Confederacy]] confined the Transformers and their war to the [[Allowed Zone]]. {{storylink|Head Games}}

When Galvatron threatened the planet [[Master|Rebirth]], Fortress Maximus—now bonded to Daniel Witwicky—returned to duty after the Decepticons deployed the newest incarnation of MegaZarak. When the two clashed for the second time, it was Fortress Maximus who fell. {{storylink|A Brush With Infamy–Prologue}}

As energy became scarce, Fortress Maximus could no longer move and ground to a halt in robot mode in [[Tarn (polity)|Tarn]], where his frozen, towering form was repurposed as a prison by the [[Builder of Cybertron|Builders of Cybertron]]. Cerebros himself died at some point, but his consciousness remained active within Maximus through three [[Cyberdroid]]s, [[Grand Maximus|Gran]], [[Galen Kord|Kord]], and [[Cerebros (RID)|Plasma]].

[[Lio Convoy#Beast Wars: Uprising|Lio Convoy]]'s [[Resistance]] against the Builders sought to infiltrate Fortress Maximus and free the prisoners within, but their initial attempts were foiled by Cerebros's ability to get into the heads of the intruders and turn them against each other. The third strike team was able to turn the tide by willingly sacrificing [[Buzzclaw (BW)#Beast Wars: Uprising|Buzzclaw]] to Cerebros's control and using the mental link to paralyze him, allowing them to kill Kord and Plasma and kidnap Gran, effectively shutting down Maximus. {{storylink|Head Games}}
{{-}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
In [[Primax 1086.0 Kappa]], Fortress Maximus and Scorponok were killed by the Nebulans during the Transformers' battle on Nebulos, and their remains were fused together by [[Zarak (G1)|Mortilus Zarak]] into a giant robot body. After he binary bonded with the body, however, the faint traces of Maximus's and Scorponok's sparks began affecting his mind and eventually drove him mad, turning him into "[[Zarak Maximus]]". {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/11}}

In some other realities, Fortress Maximus survived the Great War and went on to found the [[Maximal]]s. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/08}}

===''TransTech''===
During the destructive conflict between the [[Screaming Eagle]]s and [[S.K.A.R.]] in [[Primax 806.30 Gamma]], both sides found themselves binary-bonded to Cybertronian partners. Fortress Maximus formed a partnership with [[Sgt. Savage]] through [[Emissary (RID)|Brave]]. After a globe-spanning confrontation which almost destroyed Earth, the Autobots and G.I. Joes emerged victorious. {{storylink|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News Reporter|Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News, 2016/05/01}}

===IDW ''Beast Wars'' comics===
Fortress Maximus was one of the many casualties of the Great War before the signing of the [[Pax Cybertronia]]. {{storylink|Dawn of the Predacus}}

===''Titans Return'' marketing material===
[[File:HasbroPulse FortressMaximus.jpg|right|thumb|300px|]]
One of the last [[Titan (IDW)|Titans]] in the universe, {{storylink|#Generations|''Titans Return'' Fortress Maximus online bio}} the legendary Fortress Maximus had slumbered underneath [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], until the battle for the [[Titan Master]]s roused him from his slumber. He awoke just in time to witness [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'s attack on Cybertron, frightening the Decepticon communications officer something fierce. {{storylink|Titans Return: The Power of the Titan Masters}} With a city alt-mode, Fortress Maximus served as the ultimate Autobot weapon and base. {{storylink|#Generations|''Titans Return'' Fortress Maximus online bio}}
{{-}}

===''Combiner Wars cartoon''===
[[File:TF-CW-Cartoon-Fort-Max-close-up.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]

After the conclusion of the [[Combiner Wars (event)|Combiner Wars]], [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] experienced a vision of Fortress Maximus, indicating that the Titans had indeed returned. {{storylink|Destruction's Dawn}}
{{-}}

==Commercial appearances==
*Fortress Maximus grappled with [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] on [[Nebulos|Nebulon]] while other [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] and [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmasters]] scuffled at their feet. With a show of prodigious strength, Fortress Maximus picked up Scorponok by his tail and tossed his opponent about like a ragdoll. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Headmaster comic book|Headmaster comic book commercial}}
*When the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] threatened to attack Fortress Maximus, the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]] sprung up to oppose them. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Technobots and Terrorcons|Technobots and Terrorcons commercial}}
*The Terrorcons attacked Fortress Maximus once more; this time, the massive Autobot warded off their attack on his own by blasting them with his battle station mode. The Terrorcons regrouped and combined into [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]] to tare away at Fortress Maximus's armament. Little did they know that Fortress Maximus could still transform into a robot that dwarfed even the mighty combiner! {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Fortress Maximus|Fortress Maximus commercial}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: The Headmasters''===
When the Decepticons struck out at four planets, including Cybertron and Earth, Fortress Maximus was joined by [[Hot Rod|Rodimus Prime]] and the Headmasters of Justice to save the final planet from [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. {{storylink|Transformers: The Headmasters (video game)|Transformers: The Headmasters}}

===''Transformers Legends''===
{{Note|Although Fortress Maximus was not included in a storyline for the ''Transformers Legends'' game, he was featured as a playable character.}} {{storylink|Signature Series featuring Marcelo Matere|Signature Series}}

==Toys==
{{Main|Fortress Maximus (G1)/toys}}

==Merchandise==
{{main|Fortress Maximus (G1)/toys#Merchandise}}

==Notes==
[[File:Fortmaxsize1.jpg|thumb|upright=1]][[File:FortMaxsize2.jpg|thumb|upright=1]]
*"Fortress Maximus" was an early name for the characters that eventually became [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] and [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. The [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] [[Transformers: The Movie (Marvel comic)|comic adaptation]] of the [[The Transformers: The Movie|1986 movie]] even refers to [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] as "Fortress Maximus" in a caption.
*Fortress Maximus was the first toy to be released with a bona-fide Earthling figure. All of the other Headmasters' companions were from Nebulos. (Although Maximus's on-package [[bio]] refers to "the Nebulan leader, Spike", the general consensus is that it was supposed to be the popular figure from TV and other media, who is almost certainly an Earthling.)
*Both Scorponok and Fortress Maximus suffer from the writers struggling to reconcile the characters' high rank with their size. In their comic appearances, they are portrayed as commanders in some capacity but are shrunk down to interact with other Transformers, and their city modes pretty much don't exist. Conversely, the cartoons have opted to portray them as giant city Transformers, though they seem to be merely extensions of the smaller beings that bond with them, with no real life or will of their own.
**According to Japanese media, Fortress Maximus is much larger than Metroplex. According to the Headmaster scale infographic to the right and assuming the standard 16 meter (~53') height of combiners in the animated continuities, Metroplex would stand about 50 meters (~164') compared to Fortress Maximus standing roughly '''150 meters''' ('''~492'''') tall. According to the 1997 issue of "''The Super Robots Chronicles''" Fortress Maximus is a ''gigantic'' '''3 kilometers''' or '''3,000 meters''' ('''~9,843'''') tall, compared with the 800 meter (~2,625') height of Metroplex according to Comic Bom Bom and Hobby Japan.
[[File:FortMaxReds.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Once you rip it off, it can never stay on again.]]
*Fortress Maximus appeared in an unusual red-accented color scheme on the cover of Marvel's [[Ring of Hate!|''Headmasters'' #1]]. This color scheme was repeated in the corner box for [[Love and Steel!|''Headmasters'' #3]] and on the cover of [[The Man in the Machine!|''The Transformers'' #51]]. Its origin is unknown, though it may be related to the [http://www.allspark.com/images/Transformers_Generations/2011/Vol2/07.jpg tan with red accents hard copy Takara possessed].
*The Battleship ''Maximus'' bears a slight resemblance to the [[Wikipedia:White Base|White Base]], a battleship from the [[Wikipedia:Gundam|''Gundam'' franchise]].
*When Spike transforms to join Fortress Maximus for the last time in the ''Generation 2'' book, Cerebros is not shown, and Spike transforms directly into Fortress Maximus's head. Maximus is shown to be no larger than Megatron. In real-life terms, it's an obvious series of art errors; in the context of the story, one might wonder if Maximus was reduced back to his original, smaller, size. It seems improbable, considering that Spike had been retired for years by that point.
*Fortress Maximus has the distinction of having one of the most well known Transformers [[knockoff]]s in existence. While Cerebros has been omitted, the Spike figure is the same, and the body has been scaled down to match, effectively making the body compatible with any other Headmaster head. It also fetches absurd prices for a knockoff.
*Like most comic-only Kreons, Fortress is made up of existing Kre-O parts, namely the [[Hound (Kre-O)|Hound]] helmet and the sword first used by [[Torox]] and [[Headlock (Kre-O)|Headlock]] (in reference to the [[Master Sword]] used by the original Fortress).
*An [http://news.tfw2005.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2011/09/Fortress-Maximus-Prototypes-1_1315944004.jpg|early prototype] for Fortress Maximus's toy featured, among other things, waist-guns that pushed straight out on levers instead of swinging out on an axis. This appears to have formed the basis for his character model's waist-guns, which feature red circles rather than hinges.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Cerebros''' (セレブロス ''Sereburosu''), '''Fortress''' (フォートレス ''Fōtoresu''), '''Fortress Maximus''' (フォートレスマキシマス ''Fōtoresu Makishimasu'')
*''English:'' '''Spaceship Bruce''' (spaceship mode, [[Omni Productions]] dub), '''Cerebros''' (Fortress, [[Shout! Factory]] sub)
*''French:'' '''Forteresse Maximus''' (Canada)
*''Mandarin:'' '''Fúthè Chǜ-jén''' (Taiwan, 福特巨人, "Fort Giant"), '''Chǜ-wú-pà Fúthè''' (Taiwan, 巨无霸福特, "Extremely Gigantic Fort"), '''Furmon''' (Taiwan, 福蒙 ''Fú Móng''), '''Fortry''' (Taiwan [[Omni Productions]] dub, 福崔 ''Fú Tsuēi'')
*''Russian:'' '''Krepysh Maximus''' (Крепыш Максимус ''Krepysh Maksimus'', "Sturdy Fellow Maximus")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Fortetsya Maxima''' (Фортеця Максима ''Fortetsya Maksyma'', "Fortress Maxima")

[[Category:Autobot bases]]
[[Category:Autobot leaders]]
[[Category:Autobot starships]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Autobots]]
[[Category:City Transformers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 locations]]
[[Category:Generation 1 starships]]
[[Category:GT characters]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:Kre-O Autobots]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Legends Autobots]]
[[Category:Multi-component Transformers]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce Autobots]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Autobots]]
[[Category:Titans]]
[[Category:Titans Return]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]
[[Category:United Autobots]]

Talk:Transformers: The Last Knight (film)

2017-07-01T01:11:32Z

PCNTRP:

==Allspark Pictures==
I tried to find info on whether Allspark Pictures was involved with this, but the press release they put out when Meghan McCarthy joined just says "Paramount" beside Transformers 5, while Jem and the Holograms says "Univeral & Allspark Pictures", so it appears AP isn't going to be involved with Transformers 5? --[[User:Abates|abates]] ([[User talk:Abates|talk]]) 02:29, 21 September 2015 (EDT)

==New Characters==
Does anyone know if these characters are confirmed to be in the movie? Cyclonus, Scourge, Blitzwing, Red Alert, Ultra Magnus and Unicron? [[User:Wavage|I am Wavage! Fear mweee!!! ]] ([[User talk:Wavage|talk]]) 04:46, 4 April 2016 (EDT)
:No, that's all rumor, and more-than-likely made up. If it was confirmed, it would be on the page. --[[User:Riptide|Riptide]] ([[User talk:Riptide|talk]]) 08:18, 4 April 2016 (EDT)
::Yeah, last time they didn't release the robot cast list until pretty close to the movie's release. --[[User:Abates|abates]] ([[User talk:Abates|talk]]) 16:34, 4 April 2016 (EDT)

==Confirmed Characters==
Here is a video of all of the confirmed characters in Transformers: The Last Knight.

[https://m.youtube.com/?reload=7&rdm=2ifxdj133#/watch?v=-REVTNFkFwY| All of the Confirmed Transformers][[User:Lockhqu|Lockhqu]] ([[User talk:Lockhqu|talk]]) 16:37, 3 April 2017 (EDT)
:Believe or not, some guy on YouTube talking about leaked information isn't actually official confirmation that characters are in the film. Unless a YouTube video has been uploaded by the official Transformers or Paramount channels, it's very unlikely to be a valid source for the wiki. [[User:Jalaguy|Jalaguy]] ([[User talk:Jalaguy|talk]]) 17:32, 3 April 2017 (EDT)

==Voice Actors==

Megatron:

Was it not confirmed that Frank Welker is voicing Megatron? From that Reveal Your Shield video. [[User:SeanTF1967|SeanTF1967]]
:Pretty sure it's been confirmed seeing as [http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/04/24/transformers-reveal-shield-day-1-frank-welker-peter-cullen-voice-masks-337752 the Megatron mask will have his voice.]. [[User:Rotary|Rotary]] ([[User talk:Rotary|talk]]) 22:40, 14 May 2017 (EDT)
Then can someone edit the character section and edit that in that Frank Welker is voicing Megatron? [[User:SeanTF1967|SeanTF1967]]
:I'm sure Welker is only doing the voice work for the Mask & the Movie's Merchandice. It's Best you've wait until the movie is out. [[User:Energizer|Energizer]] ([[User talk:Energizer|talk]]) 21:07, 15 May 2017 (EDT)
::I guess it's possible, but it'd be kinda weird when Welker was doing the voice in the previous movie... --[[User:Abates|abates]] ([[User talk:Abates|talk]]) 06:34, 20 May 2017 (EDT)

Cogman:

http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/05/15/new-still-transformers-last-knight-writers-room-interview-338979 This link confirms that Jim Carter voiced Cogman, could someone please edit this in? [[User:SeanTF1967|SeanTF1967]]
:Sorted. Though we already knew this from the fan event, I think? --[[User:Abates|abates]] ([[User talk:Abates|talk]]) 16:25, 15 May 2017 (EDT)
Yes we did, but the confirmation doesn't hurt. Especially since it was posted and removed, so I just thought I would post the official confirmation. [[User:SeanTF1967|SeanTF1967]]

Unrelated to voice acting, this video confirms that Jerrod Carmichael plays the character "Desi". https://youtu.be/pGmcq3FFjt0 [[User:SeanTF1967|SeanTF1967]]

Remaining Characters:

http://m.imdb.com/title/tt3371366/fullcredits/cast?ref_=m_tt_cl_sc This link provides information of the voice actors for the remaining decepticons and autobots in the roster. I'm suprised to see that Erik Aadahl is voicing bumblebee. [[User:JangoPrime365|JangoPrime365]]
:IMDB is Not Accurate at All. Sorry. [[User:Energizer|Energizer]] ([[User talk:Energizer|talk]]) 04:55, 19 June 2017 (EDT)

Merlin:

The full Empire Magazine article reveals Santiago Cabrera plays Merlin. http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/transformers-the-last-knight-editors-crew-with-michael-bay.1109039/#post-14624250 [[User:SeanTF1967|SeanTF1967]]
:Debunked. [[User:Energizer|Energizer]] ([[User talk:Energizer|talk]]) 04:55, 19 June 2017 (EDT)

== Add in one or some of the official posters on the page ==

Well we already have about three posters featuring Optimus, Bee, a shield and a Cybertronian Knight. I think we should add it on the page right now.

==Wheelie?==
Where's the source on this guy being in the movie? [[User:BT383|BT383]] ([[User talk:BT383|talk]]) 06:00, 4 June 2017 (EDT)
:He's visible in at least one of the trailers. He's seen hanging out next to Sqweeks while Bumblebee has his voice worked on (but not fixed) in what looks like Cade's junkyard workshop. --[[User:Sabrblade|Sabrblade]] ([[User talk:Sabrblade|talk]]) 08:12, 4 June 2017 (EDT)

== Viviane Wembly, not Vivian Wembley ==

Read this old article: http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/05/27/transformers-last-knight-viviane-wembly-profile-339676 The site is TFW2005, but the profile description is from the official Facebook page of Transformers films. [[User:CAJH|CAJH]] ([[User talk:CAJH|talk]]) 05:56, 6 June 2017 (EDT)

== Infernocons ==

Didn't the toyline tell that [[Infernocon]]s are servants of [[Quintessa (TLK)|Quintessa]], not Decepticons? [[User:CAJH|CAJH]] ([[User talk:CAJH|talk]]) 03:11, 15 June 2017 (EDT)

== exclusive shirt? (no pics) ==

i don't go to the movie theater very often. Is this rare? Is this licensed? Is this something TFWiki would cover?

:https://www.amctheatres.com/movies/optimus-prime-time-event-transformers-the-last-knight-54009
:It’s OPTIMUS PRIME TIME. Humans and Transformers are at war and the key to the future lies in the hidden history of Transformers on Earth. Watch the war unfold on Tuesday, June 20 at 7:00pm for THE OPTIMUS PRIME TIME Event. Ticket holders will see TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT one hour early in 3D, and will also receive a collector's t-shirt and event lanyard.

[[User:Rhymus|Rhymus]] ([[User talk:Rhymus|talk]]) 18:54, 23 June 2017 (EDT)

== Caption theme ==

When the time comes, what should we do for the caption theme this time? TF1 was the '86 movie, ROTF was ''Empire Strikes Back'' (due to hype the sequel was the ESB of Transformers, yada yada), DOTM was ''Wrath of Khan'' (Sentinel/Leonard), AOE was ''Jurassic Park'' (Dinobots). What could we do for TLK?

Maybe we should do one of Bay's other films since this is (totally) his last one, as a tribute to it? In that case, maybe ''Armageddon'' since it's probably the best known of his non-Transformer films? I see the poster right now has an Indy quote, though, so if we're going with Indy that's cool too. I have some early ideas for image captions.

* Shot of Cybertron approaching the Moon - Quote about the size of the asteroid
* Optimus vs Bumblebee - Presumably some quote between Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck
* Either a group shot of the Decepticons or Megs negotiating with TRF - Quote from Bruce Willis about assembling his crew
* London chase - "COME AND GET POPPA BEAR!!!"
* Final shot with the Autobots and humans as Optimus is about to lead the 'Bots back to Cybertron - "Leaving on a jet plane" lyrics

Just an idea that I typed up as I went along. --[[User:Chopperface|Chopperface]] ([[User talk:Chopperface|talk]]) 04:11, 24 June 2017 (EDT)
: There's no way that it shouldn't be Monty Python and the Holy Grail. --[[User:Riptide|Riptide]] ([[User talk:Riptide|talk]]) 05:44, 24 June 2017 (EDT)
::I'm still in favour of The Last Crusade. I mean, the titles match, you've got Nazis, you've got ancient knights protecting a thing, a university professor, comedy old guy... [[User:Jalaguy|Jalaguy]] ([[User talk:Jalaguy|talk]]) 06:04, 24 June 2017 (EDT)
:::I'd say ''Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'' as well. While Holy Grail ''is'' natural, it's ''expected''. - [[User:TBR|TBR]] ([[User talk:TBR|talk]]) 06:14, 24 June 2017 (EDT)
::::We're also already doing a page of Holy Grail references over on "[[A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court]]," and we're above repeating ourselves! - [[User:Chris McFeely|Chris McFeely]] ([[User talk:Chris McFeely|talk]]) 06:57, 24 June 2017 (EDT)
::::: Ah, Monty Python was a good idea but yeah best avoid repetition. ''Last Crusade'' sounds cool, I thought ''Armageddon'' sounded good as I was falling asleep last night but it's whatever if nobody is down for it. What ideas do you guys have for screencaps and captions? I think I got at least five obvious candidates for screencaps, and even better 4/5 of those were already shown in trailers so we can actually manage to implement them. - [[User:Chopperface|Chopperface]] ([[User talk:Chopperface|talk]]) 22:28, 24 June 2017 (EDT)
::::::Well, "Nazis. I hate these guys." for the WWII flashback, obviously. [[User:Jalaguy|Jalaguy]] ([[User talk:Jalaguy|talk]]) 04:39, 27 June 2017 (EDT)
:::::::I haven't actually seen ''Last Crusade'' ("You uncultured swine!"), so sounds good! Just glad to get a conversation started about the captions. - [[User:Chopperface|Chopperface]] ([[User talk:Chopperface|talk]]) 17:12, 29 June 2017 (EDT)

==Volleybot==
Wouldn't having a new head and (technically) a new name make Volleybot and Topspin different guys? It would also feel strange for an established Autobot to not be with the rest of the crew; I personally took Volleybot to be an unaligned new-arrival like Daytrader. --[[User:Monzo|Monzo]] ([[User talk:Monzo|talk]]) 03:03, 27 June 2017 (EDT)
:There's not really any way to tell for sure. Personally, I kinda suspect that Leadfoot's head was used because it was rigged for full facial animation and Topspin's wasn't... [[User:Jalaguy|Jalaguy]] ([[User talk:Jalaguy|talk]]) 04:39, 27 June 2017 (EDT)
::Good Point. Me? I just consider it as Topspin growing a Beard. [[User:Energizer|Energizer]] ([[User talk:Energizer|talk]]) 15:33, 27 June 2017 (EDT)
::I agree with Jalaguy. Nobody in the general audience would notice. I'd bet a lot of Transformers fans wouldn't notice. I've said before and will say again...if the guy he's playing soccer with in that first shot is Roadbuster, I don't think there can be any case that it's not Topspin. That may need to wait for home video. -[[User:LV|LV]] ([[User talk:LV|talk]]) 18:37, 27 June 2017 (EDT)

==Starscream's head==
Obviously its degree of damage changed, which should be noted in terms of continuity, but why is Starscream's head moving an error? Daytrader transported it. Was he the first one? Things move around. It's not like it's being presented as having not moved since his death. -[[User:LV|LV]] ([[User talk:LV|talk]]) 18:37, 27 June 2017 (EDT)
:Especially when "Age of Extinction" specifically establishes that people were scavenging stuff from the battle sites in Chicago and selling it online. --[[User:Abates|abates]] ([[User talk:Abates|talk]]) 18:43, 27 June 2017 (EDT)

==Hot Rod's "original"/temporary voice actor==
Before Omar Sy was cast, he had a different voice actor (you can hear it in the MTV Movie Awards clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtY-ky9yQEg ). The line "She's very difficult!" was never redubbed by Omar Sy, it seems, as in the final film that single line is still delivered by his "original" voice actor, not Omar Sy. I added this to the technical errors but it was removed, so I felt I should explain myself here.[[User:RazorSlash|RazorSlash]] ([[User talk:RazorSlash|talk]]) 19:52, 29 June 2017 (EDT)

==Box Office==
"Internationally, however, the film did $196.2m in the same first five days and a whopping $123.4m of that came from China alone[8](who love the franchise so much delaying The Last Knight reduced 2016 cinema growth to 3%, down from 48% in 2015!)[9] The Chinese were expected to spend up to $290m on the film's run. [10]"

[https://www.forbes.com/sites/robcain/2017/06/30/transformers-stupendous-82-friday-to-friday-collapse-is-one-for-the-record-books/ Yeah, about that.][[User:PCNTRP|PCNTRP]] ([[User talk:PCNTRP|talk]]) 21:11, 30 June 2017 (EDT)

Silverbolt (G1)

2014-08-03T04:51:05Z

PCNTRP:

{{factions|autobot|autobotg2|maximal}}
{{disambig3|Silverbolt}}
:''Silverbolt is an [[Autobot]] [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbot]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:Silverbolt magnificent six.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|''It's not the car or the bus or the train, it's the plane'' ''When we hit top speed, it's always the same'' ''Sweating red hot but chilled to the bone'' ''Side to side, bouncing round the ozone'' ''Tranquilise me! Hypnotise me!'' ''Techno-fear has paralysed me'' ''All around me, people grinning'' ''Laughing while my head is spinning'' ''Shaking like a leaf from my head to my feet'' ''Strapped to a seat at 20,000 feet'']]
'''Silverbolt's''' character is defined by his extreme [[Wikipedia:acrophobia|fear of heights]] and by his refusal to bow to it. He constantly struggles to project the image of a brave, determined soldier to hide his fear from others. [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] named him leader of the Aerialbots in the hopes that worrying about them would give him something else to focus on besides his own phobia. This has proven true and, not surprisingly, the mature, responsible Silverbolt makes an excellent commander.

He can combine with his fellow Aerialbots to form [[Superion (G1)|Superion]].

{{quote|"Our mission is accomplished. Further risk would be foolish."
"How come they made you Aerialbot leader, Silverbolt? You've got no sense of adventure."
"Exactly."|'''Silverbolt''' and '''[[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]]'''|"[[Forever Is a Long Time Coming]]"|noquote=true}}

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Charlie Adler|Charles Adler]] (English), [[Tomomichi Nishimura]] (Japanese), [[Fumihiko Tachiki]] (Japanese, ''The Rebirth'')|[[Jean Claudio]] (French), [[Roberto Alexander]] (Latin American), [[Reinhard Brock]] (German, ''Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2 - 4'' & ''Fight or Flee''), [[Erhard Hartmann]] (German, ''Forever is a Long Time Coming''), [[Bernd Simon]] (German, ''Starscreams Ghost'' & ''The Burden Hardest to Bear''), [[Wolfgang Mascher]] (German, ''Ghost in the Machine''), [[Imo Heite]] (German, ''The Ultimate Weapon'' & ''The Big Broadcast of 2006''), [[Klaus Kessler]] (German, Generation 2 Dub of ''Ghost in the Machine'')}}

[[File:G1Silverbolt Key1.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|"So long, cruel world!" Actual episode quote. Seriously.]]
Silverbolt was constructed out of a low-flying cargo transport vessel, which was modified to resemble an Earthly Concorde. He was later given life by [[Vector Sigma]], along with the other [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]], then returned to [[Earth]] with the Autobots via [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. It was soon discovered that Silverbolt had a crippling weakness: an intense fear of heights, due to his low-altitude origins. Conversely, he was the only Aerialbot who wasn't a complete jerk. Because of this, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] made him commander of the Aerialbots, reasoning that it would give him something to worry about other than his acrophobia. He proved worthy of this role when he persuaded his mutinous team mates to help the Autobots protect humanity, by showing them how [[Sparkplug Witwicky|Sparkplug]] was able to disregard his fatigue at will due to his concern for Omega Supreme's well-being, something robots cannot do.

[[File:G1 Silverbolt cartoon.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|"Has anyone seen my [[Humanization#Lips|lip balm]]?"]]
As the combined forces of the Autobots and Aerialbots sent the Decepticons into retreat, Silverbolt bravely went after [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] and destroyed the [[Key to Vector Sigma]], despite his great fear of heights. As he fell, he was saved at the last moment by [[Slingshot (G1)|Slingshot]], who was impressed by his courage. {{storylink|The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2}}

Silverbolt led his Aerialbots to the Middle East to discover why aircraft had been mysteriously disappearing from the area. As they flew over a canyon, Silverbolt detected a call from help down below, only to discover it was a Decepticon trick. The Decepticons retreated when Optimus Prime showed up, and Silverbolt pitched in to rescue Slingshot, who had been buried by [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]]. Later on, Silverbolt and [[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] fought the Decepticons and their drones. When the Combaticons merged into [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]], Silverbolt (after expressing disdain for [[Fireflight (G1)|Fireflight]]'s late arrival) ordered his team to become [[Superion (G1)|Superion]]. After a bit of combiner-on-combiner action, the Aerialbots separated and ignited the oil that had spilled all around the Decepticons, scattering them. {{storylink|Aerial Assault}}

[[File:WarDawn-SilverboltAndOP.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.15|"In the future, you'll be a great Autobot leader." "Sweet!" "And I'm the key to your success." "GET OUT."]]

When the Seekers captured half of the Earth's leaders, Silverbolt seemed to be the only one concerned, and he valiantly rescued the humans when [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] dropped them. Back at the base, Ratchet and Silverbolt couldn't believe the other Aerialbots' admiration of the Decepticons, but that was cut short when strange energy readings were detected on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Boarding Omega Supreme, Silverbolt went with the other Autobots to check it out, but when they arrived, the other Aerialbots were more interested in tagging along with Starscream. Rushing in to help his teammates, Silverbolt was placed with the others into the [[Kronosphere]], where they were sent to Cybertron's past, before the Great War. There, he met a worker named Orion Pax, and Silverbolt was again frustrated by his fascination with Decepticons. When Orion Pax was injured by Megatron, Silverbolt and his team brought him to Alpha Trion, and at Silverbolt's insistence, the damaged Orion was rebuilt into Optimus Prime. Following that, the Aerialbots destroyed the Decepticons' fuel, and Wheeljack managed to repair the Kronosphere and return them to their time. Upon their return, Silverbolt ordered the Aerialbots to combine into Superion and take down a [[guardian robot]] Megatron had sicced on the Autobots. {{storylink|War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn}}

The Aerialbots were tasked with applying [[corrostop]] to the [[Statue of Liberty]], but Perceptor was captured by Stunticons, leaving it up to the Aerialbots to locate him. They followed the Stunticons' [[Blitzwing (G1)|escape vehicle]], but Dirge and Ramjet scared Silverbolt's squad off by using their [[Lightning Bug]]. When Megatron offered to let Perceptor free at Fox Creek Canyon, Silverbolt was among the many Autobots to come with Prime to rescue their comrade. Later, Silverbolt commanded the formation of Superion, and in this combined form the Aerialbots defeated Menasor and destroyed the Lightning Bug. {{storylink|Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust}}

After the death of Megatron and the retaking of Cybertron, Silverbolt and the Aerialbots became part of the Autobot Fleet. When [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]], [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] and Spike were kidnapped to [[Quintessa]], the rescue party alerted the Aerialbots to swoop by for covering fire and pick-up. By 2006, Silverbolt was showing far more confidence as a leader, and effectively coordinated the entire rescue operation. Briefly, he even [[scale|grew so large]] that all the Autobots trapped on Quintessa's surface were able to board him. Whattaguy. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2}} When the Quintessons destroyed their own planet to get at the Autobots, the resulting blast wave destroyed the Aerialbots' ship, sending Silverbolt and the rest hurtling through space. They eventually impacted on [[Goo 8739B|Goo #8739B]]. That planetoid was so sticky, Silverbolt couldn't even blast free of its surface in jet mode. They were eventually rescued by [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] and the [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]]. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3}}

{{Note|In the episode "[[Dark Awakening (episode)|Dark Awakening]]", several jets in the Autobot Fleet resembling the Aerialbots' alt modes were destroyed by the Quintessons. Repeatedly. Since the Aerialbots unquestionably survived the attack, it would seem their character models were merely used to build up the size of the fleet, and the casualty figures.}}

[[File:ForeverLongTime Air Raid Silverbolt.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|"Why are you the leader, Silverbolt? I've got a nicer paint job." "[[Inferno (episode)|Yes, but... a Concorde is bigger.]]"]]
As a leader, Silverbolt was something of a killjoy to his fellow Aerialbots, encouraging moderation and self-control over daredevil flying and adventuring. During a battle against the Quintessons, Air Raid was eager to chase after the Quintessons and give them what-for, but Silverbolt insisted they stick with the mission and secure the asteroid base the Quintessons had been operating from instead. When Air Raid gave him some backtalk that basically amounted to "Pussyyyyy!", Silverbolt shrugged it off and reminded his comrades that THIS was why Prime put him in charge. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}}

Once, Air Raid led the Decepticon duo of [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] and [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] into an asteroid field where Silverbolt and his fellow Aerialbots were waiting to spring an ambush. The Aerialbots messed the Decepticons up pretty badly, especially after they transformed into Superion. Eventually, Silverbolt and the others chased the Decepticons through a strange warp in space. This proceeded to have no consequences for [[Sandstorm (G1)|anyone]] [[Paradron|whatsoever]]. {{storylink|Fight or Flee}}

Silverbolt and the Aerialbots were spending a relaxing day watching home movies on [[Teletraan II]] when things suddenly get serious, as the Autobots' computer off-handedly informed them [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] was never destroyed in his last battle with [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. Sure enough, Silverbolt and Skydive were later present at the former site of Fort Knox, investigating Trypticon's handiwork on behalf of the [[Abdul Fakkadi (G1)|King of Kings]] of [[Socialist Democratic Federated Republic of Carbombya|Carbombya]]. When they tracked Trypticon to his new staging grounds, Silverbolt and the Aerialbots launched from [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]], but the Decepticon presence in Carbombya was more than they had anticipated. The Aerialbots made a hasty retreat when confronted with overwhelming firepower, but soon returned with reinforcements and drove the Decepticons from Carbombya. {{storylink|Thief in the Night}}

During a battle in space, Silverbolt and the Aerialbots may or may not have been present. Superion, at least, was surely there on the planet [[Eurythma]]... sometimes. {{storylink|Carnage in C-Minor}} Silverbolt was ''definitely'' stationed at Autobot City, though, when [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] and Starscream stole Metroplex's eyes. The massive Autobot was nearly driven mad with pain when the Decepticons set off a bomb in his brain, and Skydive, Silverbolt and [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] had to keep him contained so that his thrashing didn't destroy anything irreplaceable. Like Portland. {{storylink|Ghost in the Machine (episode)|Ghost in the Machine}}

[[File:BigBroadcast Silverbolt jet mode.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|No one tell him that space is really really high up.]]
After [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] took some hostile fire over the [[Junkion (planet)|planet of Junk]], Rodimus Prime dispatched Silverbolt and the Aerialbots to investigate. They were caught in a crossfire between the brain-addled Junkions and the Quintessons, who were responsible for messing with the Junkions' air waves, and their minds. Even after becoming Superion, the Aerialbots took heavy fire and had to be brought back to [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] on Cybertron for repairs. {{storylink|The Big Broadcast of 2006 (episode)|The Big Broadcast of 2006}}

Normally, Silverbolt is the pinnacle of self-restraint and professionalism. One day, though, he congratulated [[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] on strategically getting himself set on fire by [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], and then personally flew down the monster's throat, throwing out laser bolts and imaginative taunts all the way down his gullet. Someone slipped a little too much caffeine into Silverbolt's oil that day. {{storylink|The Ultimate Weapon}}

During the Decepticon invasion of Japan, the Aerialbots fought against [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] when he tried to derail a bullet train full of passengers. {{storylink|The Burden Hardest to Bear}} Sometime thereafter, Silverbolt and the Aerialbots were recruited by Rodimus Prime to rescue the body of Optimus Prime from [[Gregory Swofford|Swofford]] and [[Mark Morgan|Morgan]]. Unfortunately, this only meant they were among the first Autobots exposed to the [[Hate Plague|hate plague]]. Despite the madness induced by the red dust, the Aerialbots were apparently still willing to form Superion. Superion ran amok, causing serious property damage, infecting [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]], and taking several other Autobots out of action. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1}}

When the Decepticons invaded Cybertron searching for the [[Plasma energy|Plasma Energy Chamber]], the Aerialbots tried to stop them. Unfortunately, they didn't reckon with [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]]. Silverbolt's team was taken down in a matter of seconds, with him being personally eliminated by Cyclonus, wielding Sixshot in gun mode. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}} Silverbolt somehow survived Sixshot's direct hit, and was finally defeated [[The Rebirth, Part 3|two episodes later]] by [[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]]. The [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] then took his [[power pack]] to use as fuel for the giant rocket engine they were constructing for [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

====''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' manga====
When the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] confronted Menasor at a baseball stadium, Silverbolt and the Aerialbots arrived as back-up. They formed Superion to engage Menasor and [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]. After [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]] was injured, Superion targeted the Decepticon combiners' legs, shaking them loose and giving the smaller Protectobots a chance to link up with the Decepticon gestalts and override control of their bodies. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 5|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #5}} After the Autobots discovered a utopia island paradise, it was besieged by Megatron and the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], who wanted to build an impregnable fortress. [[Kenji]] radioed for help, and Optimus Prime sent Silverbolt and the Aerialbots to the rescue. As Superion, they fought off [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] and [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], using their smarts to outthink the evil warriors. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 6|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #6}}

====''Scramble City'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Tomomichi Nishimura]] (Japanese)}}
Silverbolt and the Aerialbots were dispatched from the [[Metroplex (G1)|Scramble City]] project by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] to aid Optimus Prime in battle with the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]] and [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]. Their aerial firepower frankly overwhelmed the marauding Decepticons, and sent them home with their transistors between their struts. On his second attempt, Megatron sent the Stunticons, who were considerably more successful in engaging the Autobots. Damaged in jet modes, Silverbolt the Aerialbots chose instead to merge and form Superion. As Superion, they possessed scramble combining abilities, but so did the Stunticons when they formed Menasor. The Aerialbots were in the midst of reconfiguring their limb formation when Fireflight, being...well, a daydreaming idiot, mixed up whether he was supposed to be the right leg or the left. His indecision gave Menasor time to shoot him down, and [[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]] assumed the place of Superion's right leg instead, corrupting his programming. Silverbolt and the others were trapped as Superion, literally fighting themselves, until Fireflight retook his place as Superion's limb. {{storylink|Scramble City: Mobilization}}

====''The Great Transformer War'' comic====
In 2010, Galvatron kidnapped Doctor [[Dalton (G1)|Dalton]] of [[Eran]] to utilize his skills and improve the Decepticons' combiner technology. Silverbolt and the Aerialbots joined the Protectobots in assaulting Trypticon, in hopes of rescuing the hostage scientist. Silverbolt and his team formed Superion for a first strike, but the Decepticon combiners countered with their deployment modes, launching the Stunticon and [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticon]] troops with enough force to tear Superion apart. The Protectobots stood guard over [[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]] as he performed battlefield triage on the Aerialbots in his repair bay mode, bringing them back online. Silverbolt then transformed into launcher mode and unleashed the Aerialbots in their own scramble attack, blinding Menasor and Bruticus long enough for the Autobots to escape safely with Dalton. {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 1|The Great Transformer War #1}}

====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Ken Yamaguchi]] (Japanese)}}

Silverbolt and the Aerialbots were stationed at Autobot City on Earth in 2011. When Galvatron attacked Cybertron via the old [[space bridge]] network, the Aerialbots were summoned to Cybertron as reinforcements. They soon arrived with the [[Trainbot]]s and quickly joined the battle. Silverbolt and his team formed Superion and battled [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]] and Devastator. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} Later, the combined Aerialbots fought alongside [[Raiden]] and Defensor against the Decepticon combiners, and were nearly crushed when Bruticus collapsed a building on their position. They were bailed out by the arrival of the [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Battleship Maximus]]. When Hot Rod began his search for the [[Matrix of Leadership]] on Earth, Silverbolt and the Aerialbots returned to the humans' planet to assist him. They confronted the Stunticons in the desert, pitting Superion against Menasor yet again. The battle was so fierce, it eventually carried them to the Arctic, where Hot Rod was searching. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

Silverbolt and his flying comrades joined the [[Triple Changer]]s in distracting the Decepticons long enough for [[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Twincast]] to sneak inside Trypticon and gather data on the [[Madmachine]]. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}} Sometime later, Silverbolt and the Aerialbots were on a research vessel that passed near a [[Metamorphose|strange meteorite]]. The meteorite had been altered by Galvatron to produce magnetic warping waves whenever it detected metal, and so it send the Aerialbots and their ship twisting through space. Although the Decepticons tried to intervene, the Autobots eventually recovered Silverbolt and his injured colleagues. {{storylink|Approach of the Demon Meteorite}}

Following a lengthy repair cycle, Silverbolt and the Aerialbots were ready for action when Galvatron and the Decepticons laid siege to Cybertron one last time. Transporting to Cybertron from Earth, they raced into battle (on foot, for some reason). Silverbolt and the team got the drop on the Stunticons when they merged into Superion, smashing and scattering the 'Cons before they could form Menasor. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} As the fighting continued, the Aerialbots battled Abominus as Superion and later separated to trade blaster fire with the Stunticons. The warring only came to an end once [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]'s bombs blew up [[Vector Sigma]] and annihilated the planet.{{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}}

Silverbolt was stationed at Autobot City when a volcano erupted in [[Peru]], threatening a nearby town. Ultra Magnus sent out the Protectobots and [[Trainbot]]s, but they ran into trouble with the Headmasters and [[Predacon (G1)|Predacon]]s. Silverbolt pleaded with Ultra Magnus to send his men in as reinforcements, but Magnus was worried about leaving the base unguarded by sending out too many of his troops. As Ultra Magnus wracked his brain trying to deal with the problem, the Autobot Headmasters had time to ''fly from [[Athenia]]''. {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}}

When [[buridanka|a giant carnivorous plant]] attacked San Francisco, Ultra Magnus dispatched Silverbolt and the Aerialbots to combat it. Although they made frequent bombing runs on the organism, the Aerialbots were unable to stop it. Only the arrival of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress]] and his powerful giant [[Transtector]] brought an end to the creature's rampage. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}} Silverbolt and the Aerialbots were part of a strike team that flew to the [[Moon (moon)|moon]] to disrupt Scorponok's gathering of Decepticons. They immediately formed Superion upon entering the battle. {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}}

When one of Scorponok's Death Towers emerged in Washington D.C., Silverbolt and the Aerialbots were dispatched to investigate it. As part of Superion, Silverbolt participated in the Autobots final battle with Scorponok's Decepticons at the North Pole. He lent his energies to the Headmasters' [[Head Formation]] to revitalize Fortress Maximus at the critical moment. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Silverbolt aerialbots over america.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|<div align="center">'''THIS IS SPARTA!!!!!''']]</div>
The Aerialbots were created when [[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]] filmed [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]'s combining sequence, ''following a [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]-sent vision by [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]] of new [[Special Teams]]''. Using the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] gave the Aerialbots life. The leader, Silverbolt's alternate mode is that of a human transport airplane. After being given life and during testing, Prime ordered them to stop the Decepticon assault on the [[Hoover Dam]].

The fight went well, but [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] used his super-sonic ability to bring out a Transformer's deepest fear; it warped Silverbolt's fear of heights (ironic for an Aerialbot) and forced him to land. The Aerialbots prevailed in the fight, however, and as the Decepticons fled, Silverbolt combined them all to form [[Superion (G1)|Superion]], trying to stop the drill from absorbing all of the Hoover Dam's electricity.

Superion's reflex was to strike out and kill [[Ricky Vasquez|the human]] who held [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] in his gun form, but Silverbolt mentally stepped in and prevented him from doing so. He forced the Aerialbots to disassemble. The human fired Megatron's gun at the drill, winning the day for the Autobots. {{storylink|Aerialbots over America!}}

[[File:Aerialbots minds wiped marvel 22.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|"Wheeljack, did you unquestioningly kill the Aerialbots, as per my orders?" "Yep—sure thing, Prime!"]]
Nonetheless, Silverbolt's mind was wiped along with his fellow Aerialbots shortly afterwards, due to Optimus Prime's dissatisfaction with the mission. Silverbolt would appear in other later battles with his teammates, usually getting blown out of the sky, if not to pieces.

Later, when [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] was transporting the human [[Donny Finkleberg]] home, Silverbolt and the Aerialbots were sent to do battle with the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]]. Both combiners fused, creating [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] and Superion. [[Circuit Breaker (G1)|Josie Beller]], known as Circuit Breaker, fired upon Superion, however, crippling him heavily and leaving Menasor the victor. {{storylink|Heavy Traffic!}}

[[File:Silverbolt perchance to dream.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|"This must be a flashback... I'm in monochrome!"]]
''They would battle Menasor again at a Blackrock plant, and this time the fusion worked so well everyone found out the others' weaknesses and neuroses. Horrified at his fear of heights being found out, Silverbolt drove Superion into a vicious, brutal fury.'' {{storylink|...Perchance to Dream}} ''Following this, Silverbolt and the other Aerialbots would come under [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]]'s command to investigate enemy activity in a small East Coast town. They would combine into Superion for the fourth and final time—their collective neuroses and loathing of each others' weaknesses made it impossible for Superion to focus on more than one thing at a time.'' {{storylink|The Return of the Transformers}} ''Silverbolt would later work to get over his fear.'' {{storylink|The Magnificent Six!}}

With Optimus dead, Silverbolt was one of the high-ranking Autobots gathered by [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] to decide their new leader. Silverbolt voted for [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]]—nice one... {{storylink|King of the Hill!}} He later got killed by the [[Underbase]]-powered [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]]. {{storylink|Dark Star}}

[[File:LastAutobot-Silverbolt.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66]]
After obtaining [[Nucleon]] from [[Hydrus Four|Hydrus 4]], Grimlock indiscriminately pumped the restorative substance through the Ark's life support chambers, reviving Silverbolt along with other fallen Autobots. Silverbolt and the others were immediately shoved into battle against [[Unicron]]. {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}} Following Unicron's defeat, the Decepticons tried to strand the Autobots on a self-destructing Cybertron, but Grimlock had hidden away a small fleet of Decepticon warships. Silverbolt, suffering Prowl's impatient badgering, piloted one of the warships to [[Klo]] for a last stand against the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Last Autobot?}}
{{-}}

=====Earthforce=====
{{earthforcefiction}}
[[File:Silverbolt sunstreaker perchance to dream.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|"Hey, who's the joker that left this cyber-bug in my CR chamber?"]]
Kept in inactive rest after his destruction at the hands of Starscream, Silverbolt was revived by [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] when the future Decepticon infiltrated the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] and attempted to reprogram several Autobots into working for him, using their darker impulses as a focus. Galvatron succeeded in reactivating Silverbolt and several others, but failed to command their loyalty, and they turned his own [[mind bug]] technology against him. {{storylink|...Perchance to Dream}} When Optimus Prime took the Ark out into space shortly thereafter, leaving [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] in charge of Autobot activity on Earth, Silverbolt joined the new Earthforce in opposing the remaining Decepticon factions, led by Megatron and [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]. {{storylink|Break-Away!}} Perhaps at Silverbolt's request, the other Aerialbots were also revived in short order, and joined Earthforce as well. When Wheeljack's new defense grid for the Earthbase went awry, Silverbolt assembled the Aerialbots to fly air support for Prowl as he attempted to re-enter the base and shut down the system from the inside. {{storylink|The House that Wheeljack Built!}}

Sometime later, Silverbolt and the Aerialbots were operating as Superion when [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] zapped them with a [[cerebro-shell]], causing the super-robot to rampage through the countryside. A human named [[Irwin Spoon (G1)|Irwin Spoon]] eventually managed to climb inside and remove the shell from Superion's cerebral circuitry. {{storylink|Inside Story!}}

Sent on a mission to [[Stanix]] with five other Autobots, he was captured by [[Megadeath (G1)|Megadeath]], who had tortured his comrades millions of years ago. Silverbolt got them to face their fear and move past it, saving their lives. {{storylink|The Magnificent Six!}}

====="Another Time & Place"=====
Silverbolt was part of the Autobot force who travelled to [[Hydrus Four]] to rescue the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]]. Along with his fellow Aerialbots, [[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] and [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]], he performed a bombing run on the Decepticon-held medcenter where they were trying to revive Megatron. {{storylink|Another Time & Place}}

====''Generation 2''====
[[File:Jazz silverbolt prowl escalation.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66]]
After the defeat of [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] and his Decepticons on [[Klo]], the Autobots split into smaller combat units throughout the universe. Once Optimus Prime and Grimlock learned of the threat posed by the second generation [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronian army]], though, the Autobot forces reconsolidated under their command. Slingshot and the other Aerialbots were first seen after the Autobots had retreated to an asteroid sanctuary for retraining. They were, um, outsmarted by [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]]. {{storylink|The Power and the Glory}}

Later, when Grimlock decided to countermand Prime's orders and come to his aid against the Decepticons on Earth, Silverbolt was part of the rescue team he assembled. {{storylink|The Gathering Darkness}} He was also involved in the two major offensives against the Cybertronians, on [[Ethos]] {{storylink|Escalation!}} and at Autobase Earth. {{storylink|Total War!}}

====''Regeneration One''====
{{noterg1}}
Sometime around [[2007]], Silverbolt was amongst those suffering ill effects from the infusion of [[Nucleon]] into their systems, being kept in stasis in the "[[Nursery]]". {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part One}}

{{charstub}}

====''Classics''====
{{classicsnote}}
Silverbolt was aboard the ''[[Graviton (Classics)|Graviton]]'' when it was pulled into the [[Primax -408.24 Epsilon]] universe and deposited near that universe's prehistoric [[Earth]]. After being shot down by the ''[[Talon (Classics)|Talon]]'', the Autobots adopted organic alternate modes to avoid the ambient [[Energon radiation]], with Silverbolt taking the form of an eagle. {{storylink|Shattered Time}} After discovering that three [[stasis pod]]s were missing from the ship, the Autobots went in search of them, only to find Megatron had found them first. Silverbolt, [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] were bombarded by the newly-activated [[Autojetter]], and it was only the arrival of [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]] and the recovery of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] that saved them. {{storylink|Shattered Expectations (BWSG)|Shattered Expectations}}

The Autobots retreated across a rock bridge, and watched as Magnus faced off against Megatron, dealing their foe a temporary defeat. Back at the ''Graviton'', Depth Charge gave the "Maximals" more of an explanation regarding his presence. {{storylink|Shattered Paths}} When they located their missing energy purifier, the Maximals went out to fetch it. Despite the new ability of Ironhide, Prowl and Silverbolt to merge into [[Magnaboss]], they were trounced by [[God Neptune (BWSG)|God Neptune]]. {{storylink|Shattered Hope}} Returning to the ship, the Maximals fueled up before joining Depth Charge, who had located the Matrix he was seeking. The Maximals kept a security system occupied long enough for Magnus to retrieve the Matrix in question, however a short time later they were confronted by Megatron piloting a giant mech. {{storylink|Shattered Balance}} Silverbolt again took part in merging into Magnaboss, but the combiner was soundly defeated by Megatron's [[Gigastorm Armor]]. The Maximals were moments later pulled into a dimensional rift created by Ultra Magnus. {{storylink|Shattered Destiny}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
Silverbolt and his fellow Aerialbots became one of the first Autobot "[[Special Teams]]" several million years ago, adopting the process used to create [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] in order to become Superion. The unchecked destructive power of these super-robots was eventually recognized by the Autobot and Decepticon factions, however. By the time of the [[Dark Ages]], the [[Crisis Intervention Accord]] had been ratified, strictly forbidding Special Teams from operating together on any given faction, in order to prevent these titans from tearing the planet apart. {{storylink|Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages|War Within: The Dark Ages}}

[[File:DWPrimeDirective6 Autobots wanttheirheads.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Although they were apparently not part of the Ark's original crew, Silverbolt and the Aerialbots somehow arrived on Earth and were part of Optimus Prime's unit in the 1980s. The war on the human homeworld raged until 1998 when the Decepticons were finally defeated, and in the following year, the ''[[Ark II]]'' was constructed to take the Transformers home. However, the ship was sabotaged by the rogue engineer-turned arms dealer Adam Rook, known as [[Lazarus]], and General [[Robert Hallo]], who planned on reprogramming the Transformers into the service of the United States military. The Aerialbots were some of the few Transformers who were not recovered by Lazarus for his reprogramming venture, now aimed at hiring out the Transformers to the highest bidder. Instead, they lay immobile in the Arctic waters until reactivated as Superion in 2002 by Optimus Prime, using the power of the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 2|Prime Directive #2}}

Silverbolt and the Aerialbots in their Superion form, battled the Decepticons in the Northwest Territories of [[Canada]] {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 3|Prime Directive #3}} and again in [[San Francisco]]. During the latter conflict, Superion was broken down into his individual components while battling [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] and the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]]. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 4|Prime Directive #4}} When Megatron failed to convince Optimus Prime to join his cause, Silverbolt and his team were freed and eventually reunified in order to intercept a nuclear missile (launched by General Hallo) headed for the California coastline. Superion, and by extension the Aerialbots, were destroyed in stopping the missile. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 6|Prime Directive #6}}

Their remains were collected secretly by [[Earth Defense Command]] and held in Area 51. {{storylink|Generation 1 issue 0|Generation 1 #0}}
{{-}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
Before the war, Silverbolt was a law enforcer and member of captain [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]]'s team, serving as their eye in the sky and participating in the capture of [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]]. {{storylink|Law and Disorder}} During their hunt for the Decepticon spy [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]], he reported to Orion where their target was headed and the failed attempts of the other Autobots at taking him down. Once everyone else was defeated or distracted, Silverbolt went after Soundwave on his own, only to crash when [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] ripped off his port stabilizer. {{storylink|The Hunt for Soundwave}} He later participated in the search for the insurgent [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod]], but was unable to assist his teammates after they entered the maze-like [[Acropolex]]. {{storylink|Ruins}} After Orion Pax had become Optimus Prime, Silverbolt and his Aerialbots responded to his rallying call for additional support against the Decepticons and fought against the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]] in the battle over [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]. {{storylink|Broadcast}}

When [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] began his rampage across Cybertron, Silverbolt first provided aerial surveillance and later led the Aerialbots in an attack that served to collapse a building on top of the beast. {{storylink|The Illusion of Control}} Four million years ago, Silverbolt attended a victory celebration on Cybertron after the Autobots stopped a Decepticon energon convoy from reaching its destination. He was seen chatting with [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] and [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] at the party. {{storylink|The Iron Age}}

[[File:SpotlightBlaster Silverbolt.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|His bedside manner could use some work...]]
In the modern era, with Optimus Prime leading the Autobots in the field, Silverbolt became Operation Commander on the [[Autobot Orbital Command Hub]]; [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] was one of his senior officers. He was involved in trying to find the attempted assassin of [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], deducing the assailant had to be an Autobot. To catch the would-be killer, Silverbolt and Blaster concocted a plan where the Autobot morale-booster set himself as bait. Silverbolt and his men waited as backup while Blaster dealt with the assassin (who turned out to be a mind-controlled [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]]), but he nearly stormed into the room when he saw that "the Voice" was not armed with a weapon. {{storylink|Spotlight: Blaster}}

Several years later, Silverbolt was mentioned as being on Earth by [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]]. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 1: "New Arrivals, Old Encounters"|New Arrivals, Old Encounters}}

Most of the Autobots eventually left Earth, returning to Cybertron to fight [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]]'s army. When Galvatron began to fire at the planet's surface using [[Kimia Facility]]'s particle cannon, Silverbolt led all available flying Autobots in an attack on the facility. Though he didn't know what Galvatron was targeting, he knew the barrage had to be stopped, and volunteered to destroy Kimia by tossing explosives into its barrel. He didn't need to, as it was soon blown up by Autobots on the inside. {{storylink|Chaos Part Two: Numbers}}

[[File:StickTogether-Aerialbots.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
After the Chaos war, Silverbolt's fellow Aerialbot [[Barrel Roll]] died in an explosion and Silverbolt, unable to trust any Decepticons after four million years of war, blamed the survivor, [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] and would've killed the Decepticon if not for Wheeljack spoiling his aim. Shortly after the incident, Bumblebee agreed to accept [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]] into the government, which made Silverbolt even more furious. He attacked Bumblebee and [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] before announcing that he and his Aerialbots were leaving Bumblebee's government. {{storylink|Stick Together}} Shortly after leaving Iacon behind and traveling into the untamed wilderness Cybertron had become, the Aerialbots were the first to fall victim to [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]'s experiments with a [[combiner]] energy that influenced their minds and made them turn on each other. {{storylink|Before the Dawn}} Silverbolt's comrades teamed up to attack him, though he himself remained immune for a time, something he believed to be a side effect of him never truly feeling like part of the team. He avoided their attacks for three days before he too began to feel the effects and made a recording of his experiences as a warning to whoever came next. {{storylink|Night and the City}} [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], sent out to find the lost Aerialbots, first discovered a broken wing belonging to their Silverbolt, {{storylink|Dinobot Hunt}} but by the time he tracked the warning message to its source, he found the Aerialbot leader had succumbed to the influence and, to cope, merged with his team into a single being: [[Superion (G1)|Superion]]. {{storylink|Night and the City}}
{{-}}

===IDW ''Beast Wars'' comics===
[[File:Maximalimperium.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb]]
Though his aerial insecurities are now mostly a thing of the past, he still mutters a short prayer or mantra as he takes flight. Though taking to the air might bring about some queasiness in him still, Silverbolt believes that courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to overcome it. {{Storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook}}

Silverbolt was a member of the Maximal counterpart to the [[Tripredacus Council]], the [[Maximal Imperium]], alongside former Autobot teammates [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]]. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 2|The Ascending #2}}
{{-}}

==Games==
===''Transformers Legends''===
Silverbolt and his Aerialbot team managed to drive [[Nemesis Prime (G1)|Nemesis Prime]] into a retreat after this twisted creation of [[Doctor Arkeville]] was unleashed on the world. {{storylink|Nemesis Rising}} They had similar success intercepting [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]]'s convoy, which was trying to deliver part of a super weapon to Decepticon HQ. The Aerialbots' attack resulted in the Decepticons destroying their own weapon to keep it out of Autobot hands. {{storylink|Eagle Eyes}} The Aerialbots were trapped by the Decepticons and sent back through time through a [[Chronogon]] portal. Encountering the archivists Orion Pax and Ariel, the team took the injured pair to [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] following an attack on the [[Iacon Archives]]. Trion helped the team return to present day, where Silverbolt told [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Elita One]] about their adventure. {{storylink|Golden Age (Legends)|Golden Age}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[File:G1 Silverbolt toy.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|"Oh God, I'm in the middle of a white cloud!" *faints*]]
*'''Silverbolt''' (Aerialbot, 1986/1991)
**''Team ID number:'' '''A1'''
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-50'''
**''Accessories:'' "[[Electrostatic discharger rifle|Electrostatic Discharger Rifle]]", "Blast Shield" chest plate, Superion's head, 2 fists (left & right), 2 foot stands (left & right), ramp and "Blast Deflector" waist plate

:Silverbolt transforms into a Concorde SST jet liner, and also has a third launcher/base mode for use with the other Aerialbots. A particular weakness of Silverbolt's design is the way both his legs are connected to his hips by a long pin going through several very small (and weak) plastic hinges that are put under stress as the immediate joint underneath this assembly is a swivel used during transformation. His [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] release has a spring powered launcher mechanism for the "base" mode that was removed from his [[Hasbro]] releases, leaving only a piece that flopped around uselessly on his chest. He was available both alone and in a gift set with his teammates.

:In Japan, the entire Aerialbot team were offered (as individual purchases) as mail-order items in US packaging during ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Return of Convoy (toyline)|Return of Convoy]]''. Silverbolt cost 2000 yen and three [[Robot Point|robot points]] and did not include the base mode launcher.

:The Aerialbots were later sold as part of the [[Classics (Europe)|European Classics]] toyline in 1991, still without the "base" mode launcher on Silverbolt.
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1986/Autobot/Silverbolt/silverbolt.htm More information on Silverbolt at TFU.info]''

*'''Superion''' (1986)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-55'''

:Silverbolt was also available with the other Aerialbots as part of a Superion giftset. All of the toys in the set are identical to their individual releases for the same markets (i.e., the Takara version of Silverbolt included the you-know-what).

===Generation 2===
*'''Silverbolt''' (1994)
**''Team ID number:'' '''A5'''
**''Accessories:'' 2 Missile launchers, 2 missiles, chest plate, Superion's head, 2 fists (left & right), 2 feet (left & right), ramp and waist plate

:For the [[Transformers: Generation 2 (toyline)|''Generation 2'' toyline]], Silverbolt's toy was [[redeco]]ed in blue and orange, and his wings were [[retool]]ed to hold a new pair of spring-loaded missile launchers (reused from the ''Generation 2'' versions of [[Starscream (G1)/toys|Starscream]] and [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]]). No base mode launcher here, either...
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1994/Autobot/Silverbolt/silverbolt.htm More information on Generation 2 Silverbolt at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

{{picsneeded|Generation 2 toy pics that aren't ganked from TFU.info.}}

===Beast Wars===
[[File:Silverbolt-bw-magnaboss-toy2.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|House the people living on the street. Shoe the children with no shoes on their feet.]]
*'''Magnaboss''' (Ultra, 1997)

:Silverbolt transforms from an eagle into a robot, with portions of his wings turning into a pair of [[sword]]s. Each wing also contains a spring-loaded missile launcher. He is able to combine with [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] and [[Prowl (G1)/toys|Prowl]], his package buddies, forming part of the torso and helmet to the giant robot [[Magnaboss]].

:This mold was used to make ''[[Beast Wars II (toyline)|Beast Wars II]]'' [[Skywarp (BWII)|Skywarp]].

:The Magnaboss toy included no information about its 3 components beyond their names. The character was finally established by [[IDW Publishing|IDW]] to be Generation 1 Silverbolt a decade after its release in 2007.

:Silverbolt is rumoured to be a sufferer of the dreaded [[Gold Plastic Syndrome]]. Thankfully he is not one of the more common cases and most Silverbolts have survived many years of playwear. Unlike, say, [[Slingshot (G1)|Slingshot]] .
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1997/Maximal/Silverbolt/silverbolt.htm More information on Beast Wars Silverbolt at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Universe (2008)===
[[File:Universe2008 Silverbolt toy.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Will the new [[size class]] solve his long-running [[scale]] problems? Only time will tell...]]
*'''Silverbolt''' (Ultra Class, 2008)
**''Series'': '''Classic Series'''
**''Accessories:'' "Electron Bolt Rifle", "Electron Bolt"

:Part of the second wave of [[Transformers: Universe (2008 toyline)|2008 ''Universe'']] Ultra-class toys, Silverbolt transforms into a (fictional) FB-129<ref name="fb129">The designation is derived from the markings on Silverbolt's redeco [[Skyjack#Universe (2008)|Skyfall]], which are located in the same position the ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (toyline)|Generation 2]]'' Skyjack toy (which represents the same character as ''Universe'' Skyfall), whose [[alternate mode]] is based on an F-117A Nighthawk, sported "FB-117" markings.</ref> supersonic fighter-bomber. As an Ultra Class toy, he comes with various light and sound [[gimmick]]s (exactly the same ones as Universe [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]]), including a machine gun type sound when one presses the big red button on the fuselage, and different classic transformation sound effects depending on whether he is being transformed from vehicle mode or vice versa. His spring-loaded missile-launching blaster features a B-2 Stealth bomber as a decorative shape. His '''BOLT-25''' markings reference both his name and the twenty-fifth (silver) anniversary of the Transformers brand.

:The Japanese ''Transformers USA'' version of this toy for the [[Henkei! Henkei! Transformers (toyline)|''Henkei! Henkei!'' line]] features much brighter white plastic, replacing most of his grey plastic with the same white for a better match with his cartoon model. Also, the red on his chest is now a matching shade of red rather than the two tones seen on the ''Universe'' version.

:This mold was also used to make [[Darkwing (G1)|Darkwind]] and [[Skyjack#Universe (2008)|Skyfall]].
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/TFUSilverbolt/silverbolt.htm More information on Universe Silverbolt (Ultra) at TFU.info]''

{{picsneeded|Japanese version}}
{{-}}
{{anchor|Legend}}
*'''Special Team Leaders''' (Legends Class multi-pack, 2008)
**''Series'': '''Classic Series'''

:A [[redeco]] of the [[Legends Class|Legends-class]] ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]'' [[Thundercracker (Armada)|Thundercracker]] toy, Silverbolt transforms into a Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jet. He is only available in a Target-[[exclusive]] gift set along with Legends-class versions of [[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Zone]], [[Scattershot (G1)|Scattorshot]], [[Hun-Gurrr (G1)|Hun-Grrr]] and [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]].

:This mold was also used to make Legends-class ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'' [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] and 2008's ''Universe'' [[Starscream (G1)/toys|Starscream]].
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/TFULegendsSilverbolt/silverbolt.htm More information on Universe Silverbolt (Legends) at TFU.info]''
{{-}}
{{anchor|Uni08Superion}}
[[File:Universe2008 Silverbolt combiner.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|The other guys think I'm acrophobic, but I'm not scared of [http://aceattorney.wikia.com/wiki/Acro some guy in a wheelchair.]]]
*'''Superion''' (Multi-pack, 2008)
**''Series'': '''G1 Series'''

:Available only as a component of ''Universe'' Superion, this version of Silverbolt is a white and black redeco of ''[[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|Energon]]'' [[Storm Jet (Energon)|Storm Jet]], transforming into a futuristic supersonic jet similar to an SR-71 Blackbird or [[Skyquake (G1)|Skyquake]]. As a toy derived from the ''Energon''-series "[[Powerlinx]] [[Combiner]]"s, he can attach any ''Energon'' combiner limbs to the Powerlinx ports located on his arms and legs, though nominally he combines with his fellow Aerialbots to become Superion.

:Like the Storm Jet version of the sculpt, Silverbolt features several instances of [[misassembly]]: Namely, his inside legs are swapped so that the knee joint faces the wrong way. Furthermore, his shoulders are also misassembled, since there is a molded chevron...in his armpit.

:The Superion five-pack, despite being initially intended as a ''Universe'' [[Target]] [[exclusive]], was only released in ''Universe'' packaging in some non-American markets such as Australia and Singapore. Instead, American Target stores (and Zellers stores in Canada) received an unchanged version of the toy in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' packaging, still named [[Superion (ROTF)|Superion]], with all the individual components, including [[Silverbolt (ROTF)|Silverbolt]], retaining their names as well.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2009/Autobot/Silverbolt/silverbolt.htm More information on Universe Silverbolt (Multi-pack) at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Generations===
[[File:Silverbolt Generations.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|...nope, obviously not.]]
*'''Silverbolt''' (Voyager, 2015)

:Soon to be released as part of the ''Combiner Wars'' subline, [[Transformers: Generations|''Generations'']] Silverbolt transforms from a jet resembling a modified Concorde to a robot resembling his original form. He can combine with the Deluxe-class [[Slingshot (G1)|Alpha Bravo]], [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]], [[Fireflight (G1)|Firefly]] and [[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] to form [[Superion (G1)|Superion]].

{{comingsoontoy}}

{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===Transformers Gum===
*'''Silverbolt''' (1986)
**''Accessories:'' "[[Electrostatic discharger rifle|Electrostatic Discharger Rifle]]", "Blast Shield" chest plate
:Essentially a downsized version of the original Silverbolt toy, the ''[[Transformers Gum]]'' kit is sculpted from black, red and grey plastic, features stickers rather than paint applications for details, and came with a stick of gum.
{{-}}

==Notes==
[[File:G1silverboltchestonoff.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Sometimes Silverbolt just wants to naked it up.]]
*Silverbolt's [[character model]] is based on the toy with Superion's chest plate attached. Even Silverbolt's [[package art]] includes the Superion chest plate, though his robot mode is without it on the back-of-the-box art and in his own instructions. Attaching Superion's chest plate results in limited elbow positioning, so it would appear he was not designed to use it in this mode, though [[Sixshot (G1)|it wouldn't be out of the question]]. Either someone along the way made a mistake or realized that he looked really terrible without it.
:* Because the Superion chest plate was used with Silverbolt's robot mode so prevalently, his ''Universe'' and ''Generations'' toys incorporate details from it.
*Due to the size of his original toy's alternate mode, in that form he should be one of the biggest Transformers around (approximately 164 feet, 5 inches tall!). This means he's one of the most [[Scale|out-of-scale]] Generation 1 characters, both as a toy and in all of his depictions in fiction.
[[File:SilverboltPrimeVisualworks.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|This is the most hardcore Silverbolt has ever been.]]
*Apparently Silverbolt sometimes lets Prime ride on his back while dropping bombs on Decepticons from above. Bet you didn't know Concordes could even CARRY bomb-loads!
*Oddly, the ''[[Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook]]'' depicts him with the eagle head for his robot mode head. It also reveals that Silverbolt had lost most of his fear of heights by the time he gained this form.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Silverbolt''' (シルバーボルト ''Shirubāboruto'')
*''French:'' '''Éclairo''' (Canada, "Lightningo")
*''Hebrew:'' '''Kalíah Késsef''' (קליע כסף, "Silver Bullet")
*''Hungarian:'' '''Ezüstnyíl''' ("Silver Arrow")
*''Italian:'' '''Radiant'''
*''Mandarin:'' '''Yín Shǎn-dìan''' (Taiwan, 銀閃電, "Silver Bolt"), '''Yín Jìan''' (China, 银箭, "Silver Arrow")
*''Russian:'' '''Arbalet''' (Арбалет, "Arbalest")

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

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Aerialbots]]
[[Category:Beast Wars Maximals]]
[[Category:Classics Autobots]]
[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 2 Autobots]]
[[Category:Mail order items]]
[[Category:Maximal leaders]]
[[Category:Regeneration One Autobots]]
[[Category:Target exclusives]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Autobots]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]
[[Category:Universe (2008)]]
[[Category:Ladybird Books Autobots]]

Liftor

2014-07-17T20:40:38Z

PCNTRP:

{{factions|minicon}}
{{picsneeded|Comic appearances, toys.}}
:''Liftor is a [[Mini-Con]] from the [[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]] portion of the [[Unicron Trilogy]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Liftor.gif|thumb|right|300px|Fork you.]]

'''Liftor''' is very much a tech-head, an avid tinkerer who is very mechanically inclined. It's what he's happiest doing, taking apart and re-assembling machinery. Unfortunately, he's stuck in the middle of a war, and Liftor isn't exactly the bravest 'bot out there. Battles rattle his nerves, and he's more prone to hide than fight. Still, he does occasionally summon up the courage to leap into the fray and help out when things get ugly, particularly when his partner [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Smokescreen]] is in trouble... with incredible reluctance, of course.

An alternate-universe incarnation is partnered with an alternate-universe incarnation of Smokescreen.

==Fiction==
===''Armada'' cartoon===
[[Image:Overmatch Smokescreen Liftor.jpg|left|200px|thumb|(insert obligatory parrot joke here)]]
Smokescreen discovered Liftor's Mini-Con panel on the top of a steep mountain. He activated the Mini-Con and adopted him as his personal partner. {{storylink|Overmatch}} Liftor was seen helping Smokescreen's self-repair work after a series of losses when the Decepticons acquired the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]]. {{storylink|Conspiracy}}

During the fight for possession of the Mini-Con [[Downshift (Armada)|Downshift]], Liftor powerlinxed with Smokescreen to convert his ladder arm into a large cannon. Giving cover fire to [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] and [[Blurr (Armada)|Blurr]] in their pursuit, Smokescreen and Liftor shot down [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] and [[Sideways (RID)|Sideways]] before [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]] spotted them and knocked them out of the fight. {{storylink|Reinforcement}} Liftor and Smokescreen used this gargantuan cannon again in the next battle, routing the flying Decepticons until [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] tossed a giant rock at Smokescreen, Indiana Jones-style. {{storylink|Decisive Battle}}

Smokescreen was given possession of the [[Skyboom (Armada)|Skyboom Shield]] after the Autobots acquired it, thanks to the launching power of his crane-arm which could quickly relocate the shield on the battlefield. Liftor powerlinxed with Smokescreen to fire the Skyboom Shield to Optimus Prime during one of their battles. {{storylink|Tactician}} Later on, when the Autobots first battled [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]], Liftor was seen powerlinxed to Smokescreen's cannon. Even their long-range firepower didn't have the distance to reach the flying Decepticon warship, though. {{storylink|Awakening}}

Liftor was present at the team meeting when the Autobots decided what to do with the Mini-Cons who formed the [[Requiem Blaster (Armada)|Requiem Blaster]]. {{storylink|Runaway}}

After [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]]'s death, Liftor was one of a group of Mini-Cons who confronted the angst-ridden [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]], forcing the young 'bot to try to come to terms with the loss of his leader. {{storylink|Remorse}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Armada'' comics===
When the [[Mini-Con]]s were activated on [[Earth]], Liftor took refuge in the middle of a junkyard. As [[Rollbar (Armada)|Rollbar]] did not return from a search for radio equipment, Liftor, [[Longarm (Armada)|Longarm]], and [[Jolt (Armada)|Jolt]] went looking and discovered him in a trash compactor. Liftor turned the machine off while the others pulled their friend out, and they returned to their makeshift base. There, they managed to get a TV working, and spotted [[Sparkplug (Armada)|other]] [[Street Action Mini-Con Team (Armada)|Mini-Cons]] being chased by [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] on the news. They made their way to the confrontation between the Autobots and the Decepticons. Liftor initially thought their coming there was crazy, but soon joined the fray, jumping down with Longarm to smash in [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]]'s eye. He then powerlixed with [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Smokescreen]] and helped chase away the Decepticons. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 5|Armada #5}}

Liftor later joined the other Mini-Cons and assembled on Earth for transport to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] in an attempt to defeat [[Unicron]]. While the Autobots and Decepticons kept Unicron distracted, the Mini-Cons of this reality joined their power with those of [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]]'s universe, delivering an almighty blast that severely damaged the Chaos Bringer and forced him into retreat. {{storylink|The End}}

===Panini ''Armada'' comic===
In the early days of the Decepticons' hunt for Mini-Cons, Liftor was among the Mini-Cons who supported [[Dualor (Armada)|Dualor]]'s plan to lure [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] into a trap. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 9|Counter-Strike!}}

After the Mini-Cons' escape from Cybertron, Liftor ended up on [[Earth]]'s [[Moon (moon)|moon]], where he was later reactivated by a probe sent by [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]]. He soon found [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Smokescreen]], who was losing a battle with [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]], and happily power-linked with him. Liftor's power boost allowed Smokescreen to punch Demolishor out of the way and force the Decepticons into a retreat. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 6|Between Two Worlds!}}

==Toys==
===Armada===
*'''Smokescreen with Liftor''' (Deluxe, 2003)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''MC-04'''

: Packaged only with the larger Autobot Smokescreen, Liftor transforms into a Cybertronic heavy-lifting vehicle that looks like something out of ''Mad Max''. His forklift/ram-scoop assembly is jointed to lift up in vehicle mode. In robot mode, Liftor has a surprising amount of articulation for a Mini-Con, with shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, and even a neck joint, putting him on par with most of his line's Deluxe figures (and better than some).

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2002/Mini-Con/Liftor/liftor.htm More information on Liftor at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|RaceMultipack}}
*'''Grap w/ Race Micron''' (Multi-pack, 2003)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''MS-04'''

: In Japan, the Smokescreen/Liftor pairing was available both as a normal set, and in a multi-pack with the [[Race Mini-Con Team]]. All toys were identical to their normal releases.

{{-}}{{anchor|SparkLift}}
*'''Grap Super Mode''' (Deluxe, 2003)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''MC-11'''

: In Japan, the Mini-Con [[Refute]] was treated as a new-body "Spark" upgrade of Liftor. He transforms into a Cybertronic vehicle with a large forward gripper claw. A gear-wheel system moves the gripper-clamp when rolled along in vehicle mode, or when attached to the gearing system on the underside of the ''Armada'' [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]] mold (in theory, at least). This toy uses the [[retool]]ed version with the shorter "fins" on the vehicle mode back end. He is largely identical to the [[Hasbro]] Refute toy, except for his shiny silver-plastic tires.

: This mold was also used to make [[Grip-Lock]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2003/Mini-Con/Refute/refute.htm More information on Spark Lift (well, Refute) at TFU.info]''

{{-}}
===Built to Rule===
*'''Smokescreen with Liftor''' (Built to Rule, 2003)

: As part of the smaller-sized ''[[Built to Rule]]'' sets, BTR Liftor could be rebuilt from a brick that resembles the original toy's vehicle mode to a brick that has the original toy's robot-mode head. Naturally, he came with Smokescreen.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2003/Mini-Con/BTRLiftor/liftor.htm More information on ''Built to Rule'' Liftor at TFU.info]''

{{picsneeded}}

===Universe (2003)===
[[Image:Uni2003-toy_Liftor.jpg|right|250px|thumb|]]
*'''Smokescreen with Liftor vs. Ransack with Refute''' (Battle in a Box, 2004)

: For ''[[Transformers: Universe (2003 toyline)|Universe]]'', Liftor was [[redeco]]ed with a predominately black and yellow scheme. He was available in a "[[market six]]" [[Battle in a Box]] multi-pack with his partner Smokescreen and the Decepticons [[Ransack (Universe 2003)|Ransack]] and [[Refute]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2004/Mini-Con/Liftor/liftor.htm More information on ''Universe'' Liftor at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

==Notes==
* Strangely enough, despite being a made-up non-word, there actually was a previous transforming robot toy by the name of Liftor. A late 1980's [http://counter-x.net/footnotes/robot_racer/index.html ''Robot Racer''] figure was the first to use the "Liftor" name. Of course, given that this Liftor was only available at one chain of gas stations in the United Kingdom over fifteen years earlier suggests the whole thing was probably a giant coincidence.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Lift''' (リフト ''Rifuto'')
*''Korean:'' '''Lift''' (리프트 ''Ripeuteu'')

[[Category: Armada Mini-Cons]]
[[Category:Built to Rule]]
[[Category: Universe Mini-Cons]]

Army-building

2014-07-02T00:48:20Z

PCNTRP: Hotlink and Bitstream's teal and lavender show up a lot on Air Warriors.

[[File:Armies of Terrorcons Seacons Sparkdashers Guardminders Autoroopers Guardians Overcharges.jpg|upright=2.2|thumb|You don't wanna know how much this costs.]]
'''Army-building''' is a nickname for a toy-collecting habit that involves buying multiple identical toys which represent generic or mass-produced characters (for example, [[Cobra]] soldiers or ''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'' [[stormtrooper (SW)|stormtroopers]]), with the intent of displaying them as an imposingly large cohesive unit. Some army-builders have hundreds of figures, arranged in elaborate dioramas or military-style formations.

The practice is somewhat less-common in ''Transformers'' fandom than in other fandoms, primarily due to the relative lack of mass-produced, identical, "generic" units, but there are notable exceptions. Perhaps due to the relative dearth of toys representing multiple generic characters, some fans amass armies of non-generic characters (like the [[Jumpstarter]]s).

==Generation 1==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
Generation 1 offers many possibilities for army building, usually by using multiple figures of named characters to represent an army of similarly-designed drones.

[[File:Scourge and Sweeps.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|A typical example of the victim of [[Hasbro|somebody's]] [[To sell toys|evil plan]].]]

* The [[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1|pilot mini-series]] featured a fleet of nameless [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]] colored differently from [[Starscream (G1)|the]] [[Thundercracker (G1)|primary]] [[Skywarp (G1)|three]]. Two decades later, [[Air Warrior|toys of these "Air Warriors"]] were finally made in the form of ''[[Heroes of Cybertron]]'' [[Plastic|PVC]] figures. They were sold in multi-packs featuring three identical Air Warriors alongside the aforementioned three named Seekers.
**Additionally the generics with identical colors to the original three would sometimes appear within the SAME SCENE as the original three, technically making Starscream, Skywarp, and Thundercracker army builders as well.
** [[Hotlink (G1)|Hotlink]] and [[Bitstream (G1)|Bitstream]] are also a good match for plenty of Air Warriors.
* The [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]] can be represented by [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]], [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] and [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]]. This is probably the cheaper option than using multiples of the ''actual'' drone-unit Insecticon toys [[Salvo]], [[Zaptrap]] and [[Shothole]], and more [[Show-accuracy|show-accurate]] to boot.
* Multiples of the [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] toy can represent the [[Sweep]]s. This can work especially well if [[Targetmaster]] Scourge is used as the proper Scourge.
* Multiples of [[Gnaw]] can be used to represent the [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]]. This works particularly well with this figure, as Gnaw received very little characterization in most official fiction.
* The [[Guardian robot]]s/[[Dark Guardian]]s are potential army builders, though as an [[e-HOBBY]] [[exclusive]] they would be costly ones.
* [[Kremzeek]] could be considered an army builder, albeit a costly one, as he has only been released as a pack-in with the large [[Autorooper]] and ''[[The Transformers: Masterpiece|Masterpiece]]'' [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] toys.
* Though there are multiple [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]], each one has a different [[character model]], and thus using multiple [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] figures to represent them is not common. While Wreck-Gar's original toy can't really ride himself well, his [[Wreck-Gar (G1)#Transformers .282010.29|Reveal the Shield toy]] can and is designed for it, as are its retools [[Scrapheap (G1)|Scrapheap]] and [[Junkyard (G1)|Junkheap]].

===''The Headmasters'' cartoon===
In ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|The Headmasters]]'', [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]] demonstrated the ability to create temporary duplicates of himself.

===''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon===
''[[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (franchise)|Super-God Masterforce]]'' was good to army builders, as it provided several good opportunities.

* The [[Seacon (Masterforce)|Seacons]] had multiples of all the limb-units; [[Turtler]] was the only non-cloned individual of the group. Thankfully, the [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] versions of these toys are identical to the [[Hasbro]] versions, reducing the need for costly importing.
* The [[Sparkdash]] [[Javil]], [[Guzzle (Masterforce)|Guzzle]] and [[Sizzle (Masterforce)|Sizzle]] are all drones with multiple copies. Though Javil and Guzzle's toys are colored differently from their [[Firecon]] doppelgangers, the ''Masterforce'' cartoon gave all three Sparkdash the Hasbro colors, making for cheap army-building for those who'd rather be [[Show-accuracy|show-accurate]] with their hordes.
* Legions of black [[Guardminder]] drones appeared, led by a single golden one. The black drones can be represented by [[Fasttrack (Scorponok)|Fasttrack]], while the leader can be his upgrade Black Roritchi. However, while collecting a single Black Roritchi wouldn't be too hard, as he comes with BlackZarak, collecting an army of Fasttrack toys, which were only sold packaged with [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], would be expensive.

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
During [[The Transformers: Devastation|Devastation]], the [[Machination]] sent multiple [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] clones after [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]. However, there is no toy of Sunstreaker in that particular form, let alone as a [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]], requiring a substitution. There are also multiple Sunstreaker bodies in black, white and red; though there are no ''Transformers'' toys of these, if one were so inclined they could track down the ''[[Diaclone]]'' red and white <s>Sunstreakers</s> Countach LP500S. Alternatively, the [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] [[retool|version]] of Sunstreaker's ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' toy ''has'' been produced in [[Sideswipe (G1)#Universe (2008)|those]] [[Red Alert (G1)#Generations|three]] [[Sideswipe (G1)#Timelines|colors]], although the prospect of an army of [[BotCon 2010]] Sideswipes takes this page to an entirely new level of prohibitively expensive.

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers'' continuity===
[[File:Army of Ravage clones.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb]]

[[G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II]] issue [[G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 3|#3]] features a pack of [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] units.

===Timelines===
* The [[Virulent Clone]] [[exclusive]]s of [[BotCon 2005]] were army builders, and in fact were only sold in pairs. However, being convention exclusive toys, building up an army of them is a little expensive.
* [[BotCon 2009]] featured an [[Sweep#Timelines|exclusive three-pack]] of Sweeps.
* Similarly, [[BotCon 2010]] featured an [[Sharkticon (G1)#Timelines|exclusive three-pack]] of Sharkticons.
*[[BotCon 2013]]'s comic showed [[Starscream (MW)|Starscream]], [[Thundercracker (MW)|Thundercracker]], [[Skywarp (MW)|Skywarp]], and [[Sandstorm (MW)|Sandstorm]] leading hordes of drones based on their Generation 1 counterparts' ''[[Machine Wars: Transformers|Machine Wars]]'' toys.

===Kiss Players===
The [[Earth Defense Command]]'s [[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)|Kiss Players]] had 48 of the human-created [[Autorooper]] models in service. In what can only be a move designed to encourage army-building, the large Autorooper toy came with a decal sheet with specialized markings for ''all 48 units'', not simply the ones given to pack-in pilot character [[Atari Hitotonari (KP)|Atari]]'s Autorooper.

===Alternators/Binaltech===
With the introduction of the [[Genetronic Translink System|GT System]] in that series' fiction, [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] can inhabit four bodies in unison, so some collectors might take to buying all four Smokescreen [[variant]]s (or, more precisely, both Smokescreen variants and both Smokescreen GT variants) to represent him in his four bodies at once.

===Toy Bios===
E-HOBBY exclusive [[Overcharge (G1)|Overcharge]] is a [[Quintesson]] military product with multiple units available. This back story, along with the multiple different faction [[insignia]]s he is packaged with, encourages army building, though like the Guardian Robots he would be costly to collect.

==Beast Era==
===Beast Wars Metals manga===
The [[Scorpion Corps]] could be built with numerous [[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]] toys, if one considers the minor differences between the two characters to be simply due to an artistic interpretation of the character model. Considering how other characters have been... stylized in these mangas, it might not be much of a stretch. Additionally, the [[Cobra Corps]] could be created out of [[Cohrada]] toys. Unlike the Scorpion Soldiers, however, one would have to slightly alter said toy to be more faithful to their appearances in the manga.

===Beast Wars Neo anime===
Multiple ships in the Cybertron fleet share a design with [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], which would undoubtedly make him the most expensive army builder of them all.

===Beast Wars Neo manga===
The [[Blendtron]]s [[Elephorca]], [[Drancron]], and [[Rartorata]] have many duplicates.

===Beast Machines===
The [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicons]] of ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Machines]]'' are undoubtedly the most popular army builders from the Beast Era, possibly from all of Transformers, with virtually every Vehicon representing thousands of identical drones. ([[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] was the main exception.)

The [[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines cartoon]] featured legions of [[Thrust (BM)|Thrust]], [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]], [[Jetstorm (BM)|Jetstorm]], [[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]] and [[Strika (BM)|Strika]] drones, each commanded by a general. Note that the [[character model]] for Tankor was much closer to the [[Tank Drone]] toy.

The Wreckers comic "[[Departure]]" further featured drones of [[Scavenger (BM)|Scavenger]], [[Blastcharge (BM)|Blastcharge]], [[Spy Streak]] and [[Mirage (BM)|Mirage]]. Additionally, an on-model depiction of the original toy for Tankor was [[Repurposing|repurposed]] to represent drones for [[Quake (G1)|Quake]] (who had the same bodyform, but in different colors).

==Universe==
The 2003 [[Transformers: Universe (2003 franchise)|Universe]] comic "[[Homecoming (Universe)|Homecoming]]" featured multiple [[Piranacon (Universe)|Piranacons]], toys which would be eventually released by [[Transformers Collectors' Club]] as new decos of the original [[Seacon (G1)|Seacons]].

==Unicron Trilogy==
The Unicron trilogy offers multiple possibilities for army building.

===Armada===
[[File:Deadend Drone General Armada Toys.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Corner pocket.]]
In ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'', [[Unicron]]'s interior is patrolled by swarms of [[Dead End Drone]]s, commanded by [[Dead End General]] units. This was originally an expensive toy to army-build, being a pack-in with the [[Unicron|$50 Unicron toy]] (though eventually some Target stores clearanced them for as little as $13). In the ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (toyline)|Galaxy Force]]'' toy line though, the fourth [[Micron Booster]] assortment featured "Bug Drones" at a mere 300 yen a pop (very roughly $3). Unfortunately, the [[Blindpacking|blindpacked]] boxes meant you either had to buy opened samples, or an entire case of twelve toys to ensure getting a single Dead End Drone... and the General came only one per every ''two'' cases.

===Energon===
''Energon'' offers the largest number of potential army builders of the Unicron Trilogy.

* In both the ''[[Transformers: Energon (franchise)|Energon]]'' [[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|cartoon]] and [[Transformers: Energon (comic)|comic]] continuities, the Decepticons send thousands of [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcon]] drones to combat the Autobots and steal raw energon ore. In the comic continuity, these drones were based on four living, fully-sparked Decepticons: [[Battle Ravage]], [[Cruellock]], [[Divebomb (Energon)|Divebomb]], and [[Insecticon (Energon)|Insecticon]]. In the cartoon continuity, the four drone-types also had color-changed variants sold as limited-retail toys.
{{note|Hasbro would introduce another small Terrorcon to the mix: [[Doom-Lock]]. However, with his complete lack of bio or fiction, he is not technically a [[canon]]ical army-building candidate.}}
* In the cartoon, there were also countless identical [[Omnicon]]s split among the three body types; [[Strongarm (Energon)|Strongarm]], [[Skyblast (Energon)|Skyblast]] and [[Signal Flare (Energon)|Signal Flare]]. The fourth Omnicon type from the cartoon, [[Arcee (Energon)|Arcee]], however, was a unique being, serving as the Omnicons' "queen bee". In the comic series, the Omnicons never became mass-produced Transformers.
* The [[bio]] for [[Omega Sentinel (Energon)|Omega Sentinel]] says he is the commander of the "[[Guardians of Cybertron]]", though nothing has ever come forward to indicate just what that group is made up of. Hasbro representatives at [[OTFCC 2004]] indicated that they had intended for groups of Omega Sentinels to appear in the cartoon, but ultimately not even ''one'' did, just the original iteration of the mold, [[Omega Supreme (Energon)|Omega Supreme]]. No canon has specifically made the Omega Sentinel toy, a clear [[homage]] to the [[Guardian robot|Guardian Robots]] of Generation 1, an army-builder. However, Hasbro's original intent and the Generation 1 allusion has led some fans to collect several of him.

===Cybertron===
Cybertron offers a few good army building opportunities.

[[File:Scrapmetal Cybertron Toys.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Joe's Apartment 2099]]

* Technically a Terrorcon, [[Scrapmetal (race)|Scrapmetal]] is an excellent army builder from the ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]'' franchise. In the Takara line, it was available in three different colorations; red, yellow and blue. Hasbro would later release both the red and yellow versions in their own line, but blue remained exclusive to the ''Galaxy Force'' toyline, ramping up his secondary market value outside of Japan.
* The inhabitants of [[Planet X (Cybertron)|Planet X]] are represented by hundreds of [[Noisemaze Mass Production Type Version|gray clones of Sideways]] and [[Laserbeak drone|attack bird-bots]]. Both are cost-prohibitive army-builders, as the "Noisemaze Mass Production Type Version" was a DVD pack-in exclusive in Japan (and DVDs are not cheap there even without limited-edition toys packed in), and the only way to collect a horde of Laserbeak drones was by buying multiples of the Voyager-class [[Soundwave (Cybertron)|Soundwave]] toy (which is still less expensive than the Noisemazes).
* Throughout the [[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|cartoon series]], "clones" of the [[Blurr (Cybertron)|Blurr]] toy are seen both as part of the civilian Autobot ranks hiding on [[Earth]] and inhabiting [[Velocitron]]. These were never seen in robot mode, and sometimes came in red and yellow varieties as well as the toy's blue (no red or yellow versions of the toy exist, though the ''[[Transformers: Universe (2003 toyline)|Universe]]'' [[Swerve (Universe)|Swerve]] toy ''is'' a red-colored pre-''Cybertron''-[[retool]] version of the mold). This doesn't exactly inspire too many to army-build him, but the canon is there to support it.

==Movie==
The video games and subsequent comics for the [[Movie (franchise)|live-action movie universe]] feature numerous models of [[Drone|mass-produced robots]] for both the Decepticons and Autobots. Though there are several toys based on these models (designed primarily for the version of the game for the Playstation 2 and 3, Xbox 360, Wii and PC), the accuracy of the toys' coloration and head design ''to'' the game models varies, but most are geared towards being the Decepticon drones. Interestingly enough, the toys that got [[redeco]]ed were given original decos, not opposite-side game-decos.

* [[Swindle (Movie)|Swindle]]'s toy is nearly-accurate to the console game's Decepticon Swindle drones.
* [[Dropkick]]'s toy has the Decepticon drones' deco, but the face is only somewhat like the Autobot face, leaning towards a more unique design.
* [[Longarm (Movie)|Longarm]]'s toy is only barely accurate to the drone design, owing to timing issues. In the game, both Autobot and Decepticon versions are primarily white. The non-lenshead makes it a little more Autobotty, though.
* [[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]] is fairly accurate to the [[Class Alpha drone unit|Decepticon version]] of the drone.
* Both versions of [[Payload (Movie)|Payload]] are similarly very close to the Decepticon [[Class Beta drone unit|Class Beta]] and [[Constructicon Warrior]] drones' designs.
* In the movie comics, [[Landmine (Movie)|Landmine]] lent his form to a series of L.M.-1 drones.

{{note|[[Dirt Boss (ROTF)|Dirt Boss]] and [[Deadlift]] have identical bodytypes to the [[Scrapper (Movie)|Scrapper]] Drones. However, since they have different names and bios, they don’t technically count as [[canon]]ical army-building candidates.}}

==Transformers Animated==
* ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]]'' [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] had multiple [[Starscream clone (Animated)|clones]] of varying colors. In "[[Transformers Comic issue 17#Dino-MIGHT!|Dino-MIGHT!]]", they were all colored like him, making him an army builder. There were also sparkless, inanimate clone bodies colored like him in "[[A Fistful of Energon]]".
* [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]]'s multiple VR clones from "[[Human Error, Part II]]" make Electrostatic Soundwave an army builder.
* [[Autotrooper (Animated)|Autotrooper]]s are an all-identical Autobot police force. Figures were made available at [[BotCon 2011]], featured in an exclusive three-pack.

==Revenge of the Fallen==
Potentially, every [[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicon]] from the movie is an army builder, because multiple characters with the same body model are either destroyed, merged into Devastator, or are fighting the army at the same time.

==Transformers Prime==
[[File:PrimeVehiconToys.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|The Steve Convention]]
* The toyline based on the computer generated television show has [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]] toys, based on the generic Decepticon model in the cartoon.
* The [[MECH Commando|MECH Trooper]] that came with the Bumblebee vs. Starscream Entertainment Pack is technically an army builder, since you see multiple in the show, but you'd have to buy multiple Bumblebees and Starscreams to get more than one of them.
* Any of [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]]'s ''Prime'' figures can be used to represent the [[Starscream clone (Prime)|Starscream clone]]s from the show.
* The [[Arms Micron]] [[Unicron/toys#Prime|Gaia Unicron]] is an army-builder, because Unicron had the ability to multiply himself in the show.
* [[Cyberverse#Commander Class 2|Cyberverse Commander]] [[Hardshell (Prime)#Beast Hunters|Hardshell]] can be used to build an [[Insecticon (WFC)|Insecticon]] army.

==Dark of the Moon==
* Multiple Autobots of [[Roller (DOTM)|Roller]]'s design are seen aboard the [[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]. Like many of the potential army builders on this page, actually army-building Roller is an expensive proposition, since Roller was only sold as a pack-in with the Ark playset.
* The tiny [[Lensmeter Decepticon]]s seen attending to [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] in the movie share their design with [[Scalpel (ROTF)|Scalpel]].
* The [[Dread (DOTM)|Dreads]] can be portrayed by multiple [[Crankcase (DOTM)|Crankcase]]s with the metal hair in different positions.
* A fleet of [[Orbital Assault Carrier]]s is shown invading [[Chicago]].

[[Category:Fandom]]
[[Category:Toys]]

To sell toys

2014-06-16T08:39:56Z

PCNTRP:

[[File:MarvelUS-19.jpg|upright=1.1|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]]s to children and adults. The cartoons, comic books, etc., mostly exist to make this happen. To be sure, they normally [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)#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 ([[Army-building|usually]]) sell someone the same toy twice<ref>Although the toy lines from the [[live-action film series]] have given us multiple ''different'' toys of the ''same characters''.</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]] took 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===
[[File:CosmicRust-BigGroup.jpg|upright=1.66|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 ''[[The Transformers: Headmasters|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 ''[[Transformers: 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]].
[[File:Decepticonpretenders-behold.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|After seven issues, it's finally time for these six dudes to do something!]]
[[File:Optimusprimeg1preearthmarvel2.jpg|upright=1.1|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|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 ''[[Transformers Animated: The Arrival|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.
*[[Dark Cybertron]] and its lead-ins were packed with ''[[Thrilling 30]]'' toys, so suddenly ''Beast Wars'' characters [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] and [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] are in G1. Things got worse in later issues when [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]] and [[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]] needed a comic; Tankor berates Starscream for a few panels {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|Dark Cybertron 6}}, while Crosscut and [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] briefly halt the plot to tell you who Crosscut ''is''. Then he vanishes. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|Dark Cybertron 7}}

===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.

[[File:Metamorphdeceps2.JPG|upright=1.1|thumb|The full might of the Decepticon army.]]
*The early episodes of ''[[Transformers: 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.
*[[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|Both the Dreamwave]] and [[Transformers: Armada (Panini)|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|Transformers: 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.
{{-}}

==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.

[[File:Introdump decepticons marvelus01.jpg|upright=1.1|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 (G1)|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.
*Crosscut and Swerve fill in Crosscut's backstory and job during a fight. That's all Crosscut does in the issue. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|Dark Cybertron 7}}

===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 [[The Transformers: Headmasters|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.
[[File:Mistaken Identity Galvatronscourge.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|[[Johnny Yong Bosch|It's Morphin Time! MASTODON!]]]]
*''[[Transformers: 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 ''[[Transformers: Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'' cartoon, with both factions out to recruit or capture all the Mini-Cons.
*[[Powerlinx]]ing is shown again and again and again in ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'', despite having comparatively little relevance to most episode plotlines. In fact, due to the fact much of Energon's action was firefights, Powerlinxing seemed to be a disadvantage, since it resulted in a single larger Autobot shooting instead of two smaller ones.
*[[Cyber Key]] powerups are likewise shown repeatedly in ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]].'' In this case, while most characters had basic weapons, the Cyber Keys were necessary to unlock hidden weaponry or special techniques. So, for example, Optimus might be able to shoot at the Decepticons with a smaller firearm, but to fire his larger cannons he would need to summon his Cyber Key. Some characters, however, needed their Cyber Keys to activate what one would expect to be their main weapons (e.g. Starscream activating his Null Ray Cannon).
*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 <s>watched an advert</s> 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 of 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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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.
*''[[The Headmasters]]'' was absolutely crazy about this. [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus]] (whose toy was long gone) kicks the bucket only two episodes in for the sake of a sacrifice that would be nullified only a few episodes later, putting new(er) toy [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] back in the command chair for a short while. In the tenth episode, Rodimus departs the series and hands the title of Supreme Commander to brand-spanking-new toy [[Fortress]], who's had a few months, tops, of combat experience. Much like Season 3, Headmasters also ignored most of the Season 3 regulars ([[Springer (G1)|Springer]], [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]], the [[Dinobot]]s, the [[Quintesson]]s) or removed them altogether, sometimes fairly dubiously ([[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] and [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] leave with Rodimus, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] gets shot a bit and dies, [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] is buried in ice and nobody digs him up until ''[[Battlestars]]''). By the end of the series, the only remaining Autobots from the first three seasons were the [[Special Team]]s, [[Twincast]] and his cassettes, [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]], [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]].
*[[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 ''[[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|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.
[[File:Samprowl.jpg|100px|thumb|<s>Upgrades are bad.</s> Upgrades are GOOD. We have always been at war with <s>Eurasia</s> 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 (G1)|Tankor]] could be used. {{storylink|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.
{{-}}

===Awkward continuity===
[[File:Earthforce.jpg|upright=1.1|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 ''[[The Transformers: Headmasters|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]].
*Based on evidence from various sources, it's been speculated that the episode "[[Starscream's Ghost]]" was originally meant to star [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], who at the time had been exiled from the Decepticons and was on somewhat friendly terms with the Autobots. Instead, his role was taken over by new toy [[Octane (G1)|Octane]]. Likewise, the episode "[[The God Gambit]]" starred [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], Starscream and Thrust, with Astrotrain (a new toy at the time) taking on a leadership role more akin to Megatron rather than the bus he's reduced to in almost every other episode.
{{-}}

===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]].
[[File:Buzzsawyikes4.jpg|upright=1.4|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|two years later]], he's getting his butt handed to him by the likes of [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]], one of his original victims.
*[[Waspinator (BW)|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 (RID)|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.
[[File:ArmTVTidalWave.jpg|upright=1.1|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 Prime (Armada)|Optimus]] combine in Dreamwave's Armada comic, they are so powerful ''they can hurt Unicron himself''.
*[[Animatron|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.
{{-}}

===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.

[[File:Bumblebeeskindeep.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Ratchet pulls a Kitty Pryde on Bumblebee.]]
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]] was rebuilt into Goldbug following his near-destruction... and was later re-rebuilt back into Bumblebee to sell the [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#Pretender|new Classic Pretender toy]]. The reason given in [[Skin Deep|the comic storyline]] was that [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] reverted him without his consent because Ratchet liked his old form better, something Bumblebee is strangely fine with.
*Season 2 of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (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)/Cartoon continuity|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".) The Japanese versions handled this differently (with Megatron known as Megatron throughout Armada even after his upgrade, and being known as Galvatron throughout all of Energon) due to different trademark laws. Galaxy Force (the Japanese version of Cybertron) played it straight with Master Megatron being upgraded into Master 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 and 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 (film)|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 ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'', featuring new toys of Generation 1 characters, and suddenly multiple characters get new, toy-accurate bodies in ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'', for no apparent in-story reason. Later, [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] even gets a namechange to ''Silver''streak to fit his toy.
*Sometimes, IDW's comics don't even bother with a reason: you just get the latest issue and a character suddenly resembles the latest toy. This can sometimes be explained as artist interpretation, but at other times...
*[[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 ''[[Transformers: 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!
*[[Starscream (Armada)#Generations|''Armada'' Starscream]] is getting a new toy in 2014. There isn't an ''Armada'' comic but there is a ''Generation 1'' comic with a Starscream, which is going to be packed-in with the toy series including Armada Starscream. And lo and behold, for ''Dark Cybertron'' Starscream gets a new body!
*[[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] is finally getting a new toy. Problem is, his comic body doesn't look much like the toy. Then, in ''[[Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Dark Cybertron Chapter 11]]'', he reveals his new invention: reactive armor that changes his body to look like his opponent's. Who does he use this armor to battle? Why, it's Starscream, the guy his toy was retooled from!

===Character pimping===

Characters with toys may get more attention than those without:

* "[[Matrix Quest]]" has four separate teams on a mission. You could use any three Transformers in one of these teams, right? Nope, Furman has toys to promote: out go nine new Autobots and three rereleased ones.

* [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge's]] presence in all three of his first three ''Beast Wars'' episodes: one for his origin, another for him joining the Maximals after all, and then an abrupt appearance at the very end of "[[Cutting Edge]]" where he turns up and single-handedly drives off a Predacon force.

* When ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)#Japanese release|Animated]]'' was released in Japan, episodes focusing on the [[Constructicon (Animated)|Constructicon]]s were never broadcast on television (instead being reduced to bonus content on the DVDs), as the Constructicons did not have toys. The episode order was also rearranged (and thus the internal narrative of the series, as well) so that episodes introducing new toys could air earlier than those that didn't.

* IDW's ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]'' came back in 2013 in order to promote six of the upcoming ''Generations'' toys. Even [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]], a little-used character who would never have been given a ''Spotlight'' otherwise! (Initially published through Diamond and Comixology as per IDW's usual practice, these comics were subsequently packed-in with the toys they were based on, aiming to use the higher sales of the toys to boost comic sales in a "I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine" scenario.) Likewise, Waspinator, having a new toy out in late 2013, began making appearances and took on increased importance in the IDW universe. An upcoming [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]] toy brought forth a Tankor appearance in Dark Cybertron.

===Abrupt conclusions===
[[File:MarvelUSG2-12.jpg|upright=0.85|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 [[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|''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 ''[[Transformers: Universe (comic)|Universe]]'' comic advertising its current toyline.
*Even though ''[[Transformers: 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 ''[[Transformers: 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!
{{-}}

==Death==
===Killing off old product===
[[File:Tftm1986a.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Guess who's no longer in the Mini Vehicles case assortment?]]
[[File:Newyorkunderbase.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Publisher's clearing house.]]
[[File:BW Scorponok Terrorsaur deaths.jpg|upright=0.85|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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]], [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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]]". 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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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.
*''[[Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|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|Transformers: Alliance}}

===Hi-and-die===
[[File:Chuffer cof.jpg|upright=0.85|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 (G1)|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, providing 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]].
*[[James Roberts]] thrives on hi-and-dies. The first 21 issues of ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' are literally crammed with them: [[Polaris]], [[Hyperion (G1)|Hyperion]], [[Shock]], [[Ore]], [[Animus]], [[Dent]], [[Sonic (G1)|Sonic]], [[Boom]], [[Piston (Wrecker)|Piston]], [[Crest]], [[Torque (G1)|Torque]], [[Sherma]], [[Momus]], "[[Fallout (G1)|Fallout]]", "[[Streaker]]", [[Heavies|Hammer and Anvil]], [[Trepan]], [[Frak|Frak and his buddy]], [[Rossum]], [[Tripodeca]], [[Pivot]], [[Scattergun]], [[Blockus]], [[Datum]], [[Ramp]], [[Suture]], [[Ambulon (G1)|Ambulon]] and [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] — all minor, non-toy characters, and all either killed or revealed to be dead. Similarly, ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' introduced us to [[Squadron X]], comprising just about every Decepticon hi-and-die character from the Marvel continuity, who were then all slaughtered by Impactor.
{{-}}

===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.

[[File:Inferno dies agenda2.jpg|upright=0.85|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 [[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|''The Headmasters'']]. A few years later, they not only brought him back with a new toy, {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: The Battlestars (story page)|The Battlestars}} the ''entire franchise'' for that year was called ''[[Transformers: 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/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|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 [[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|''Energon'' cartoon]]. [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|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}}
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] was shot in the head and abandoned on [[Gorlam Prime]] back in "[[Spotlight: Hardhead]]". Six years later, Hasbro were releasing a new Nightbeat toy and back he comes into ''Dark Cybertron'', a chatty undead from the [[Dead Universe]].
{{-}}

===Untouchables===
[[File:Armorhide drawhisfire.jpg|upright=1.4|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. This sometimes because Hasbro itself declares a character unkillable, and so comics and TV writers must follow suit.

*[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] had betrayed [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|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.
*In Last Stand of the Wreckers (mentioned earlier), James Roberts observed that Impactor was the only character who was guaranteed not be killed. However, Hasbro shot down the idea of Perceptor or Springer dying, and so most of the fatalities were less well-known characters like Pyro, Ironfist, and eternally unlucky Wreckers Twin Twist and Topspin.
*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===
[[File:Swoopg1marvelukfirst.jpg|upright=1.1|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 variations 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]].
{{-}}

===Post-Marvel, pre-2013 G1 comics===
[[File:Infiltration 1b.jpg|upright=1.1|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 ''[[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|Armada]]'' comic or IDW's [[Transformers (film)|2007 movie]] tie-ins), and sometimes publish comics using whatever characters they please (e.g., ''[[Transformers: The War Within|The War Within]]'' and ''[[The Transformers: Escalation|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, only had [[Hardhead (G1)#Universe (2008)|another toy]] on shelves at around 2009, a good twenty-two years since [[Hardhead (G1)#Generation 1|his last toy]]), 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 (BWII)|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#102461 Guido reveals the Hasbro request]</ref> Though this practice did not influence the subsequent [[The Transformers (IDW)|ongoing series]], it did raise its head again in 2013, as Hasbro and IDW began working together to create new toys based on character designs from the comics, to promote upcoming toys with New Bodies and to include the [[Dark Cybertron]] event (including various preludes) with the toys.

===New toys, same basic design===
In more recent times (mostly in the case of the [[live-action film series]]), Hasbro has used a combination of minor [[redeco]]s, [[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 ''[[Transformers: 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]]

To sell toys

2014-06-16T08:39:09Z

PCNTRP:

[[File:MarvelUS-19.jpg|upright=1.1|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]]s to children and adults. The cartoons, comic books, etc., mostly exist to make this happen. To be sure, they normally [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)#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 ([[Army-building|usually]]) sell someone the same toy twice<ref>Although the toy lines from the [[live-action film series]] have given us multiple ''different'' toys of the ''same characters''.</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]] took 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===
[[File:CosmicRust-BigGroup.jpg|upright=1.66|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 ''[[The Transformers: Headmasters|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 ''[[Transformers: 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]].
[[File:Decepticonpretenders-behold.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|After seven issues, it's finally time for these six dudes to do something!]]
[[File:Optimusprimeg1preearthmarvel2.jpg|upright=1.1|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|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 ''[[Transformers Animated: The Arrival|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.
*[[Dark Cybertron]] and its lead-ins were packed with ''[[Thrilling 30]]'' toys, so suddenly ''Beast Wars'' characters [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] and [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] are in G1. Things got worse in later issues when [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]] and [[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]] needed a comic; Tankor berates Starscream for a few panels {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|Dark Cybertron 6}}, while Crosscut and [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] briefly halt the plot to tell you who Crosscut ''is''. Then he vanishes. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|Dark Cybertron 7}}

===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.

[[File:Metamorphdeceps2.JPG|upright=1.1|thumb|The full might of the Decepticon army.]]
*The early episodes of ''[[Transformers: 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.
*[[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|Both the Dreamwave]] and [[Transformers: Armada (Panini)|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|Transformers: 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.

[[File:Introdump decepticons marvelus01.jpg|upright=1.1|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 (G1)|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.
*Crosscut and Swerve fill in Crosscut's backstory and job during a fight. That's all Crosscut does in the issue. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|Dark Cybertron 7}}

===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 [[The Transformers: Headmasters|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.
[[File:Mistaken Identity Galvatronscourge.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|[[Johnny Yong Bosch|It's Morphin Time! MASTODON!]]]]
*''[[Transformers: 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 ''[[Transformers: Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'' cartoon, with both factions out to recruit or capture all the Mini-Cons.
*[[Powerlinx]]ing is shown again and again and again in ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'', despite having comparatively little relevance to most episode plotlines. In fact, due to the fact much of Energon's action was firefights, Powerlinxing seemed to be a disadvantage, since it resulted in a single larger Autobot shooting instead of two smaller ones.
*[[Cyber Key]] powerups are likewise shown repeatedly in ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]].'' In this case, while most characters had basic weapons, the Cyber Keys were necessary to unlock hidden weaponry or special techniques. So, for example, Optimus might be able to shoot at the Decepticons with a smaller firearm, but to fire his larger cannons he would need to summon his Cyber Key. Some characters, however, needed their Cyber Keys to activate what one would expect to be their main weapons (e.g. Starscream activating his Null Ray Cannon).
*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 <s>watched an advert</s> 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 of 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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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.
*''[[The Headmasters]]'' was absolutely crazy about this. [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus]] (whose toy was long gone) kicks the bucket only two episodes in for the sake of a sacrifice that would be nullified only a few episodes later, putting new(er) toy [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] back in the command chair for a short while. In the tenth episode, Rodimus departs the series and hands the title of Supreme Commander to brand-spanking-new toy [[Fortress]], who's had a few months, tops, of combat experience. Much like Season 3, Headmasters also ignored most of the Season 3 regulars ([[Springer (G1)|Springer]], [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]], the [[Dinobot]]s, the [[Quintesson]]s) or removed them altogether, sometimes fairly dubiously ([[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] and [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] leave with Rodimus, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] gets shot a bit and dies, [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] is buried in ice and nobody digs him up until ''[[Battlestars]]''). By the end of the series, the only remaining Autobots from the first three seasons were the [[Special Team]]s, [[Twincast]], [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]], [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]].
*[[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 ''[[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|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.
[[File:Samprowl.jpg|100px|thumb|<s>Upgrades are bad.</s> Upgrades are GOOD. We have always been at war with <s>Eurasia</s> 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 (G1)|Tankor]] could be used. {{storylink|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===
[[File:Earthforce.jpg|upright=1.1|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 ''[[The Transformers: Headmasters|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]].
*Based on evidence from various sources, it's been speculated that the episode "[[Starscream's Ghost]]" was originally meant to star [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], who at the time had been exiled from the Decepticons and was on somewhat friendly terms with the Autobots. Instead, his role was taken over by new toy [[Octane (G1)|Octane]]. Likewise, the episode "[[The God Gambit]]" starred [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], Starscream and Thrust, with Astrotrain (a new toy at the time) taking on a leadership role more akin to Megatron rather than the bus he's reduced to in almost every other episode.
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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]].
[[File:Buzzsawyikes4.jpg|upright=1.4|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|two years later]], he's getting his butt handed to him by the likes of [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]], one of his original victims.
*[[Waspinator (BW)|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 (RID)|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.
[[File:ArmTVTidalWave.jpg|upright=1.1|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 Prime (Armada)|Optimus]] combine in Dreamwave's Armada comic, they are so powerful ''they can hurt Unicron himself''.
*[[Animatron|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.

[[File:Bumblebeeskindeep.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Ratchet pulls a Kitty Pryde on Bumblebee.]]
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]] was rebuilt into Goldbug following his near-destruction... and was later re-rebuilt back into Bumblebee to sell the [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#Pretender|new Classic Pretender toy]]. The reason given in [[Skin Deep|the comic storyline]] was that [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] reverted him without his consent because Ratchet liked his old form better, something Bumblebee is strangely fine with.
*Season 2 of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (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)/Cartoon continuity|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".) The Japanese versions handled this differently (with Megatron known as Megatron throughout Armada even after his upgrade, and being known as Galvatron throughout all of Energon) due to different trademark laws. Galaxy Force (the Japanese version of Cybertron) played it straight with Master Megatron being upgraded into Master 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 and 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 (film)|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 ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'', featuring new toys of Generation 1 characters, and suddenly multiple characters get new, toy-accurate bodies in ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'', for no apparent in-story reason. Later, [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] even gets a namechange to ''Silver''streak to fit his toy.
*Sometimes, IDW's comics don't even bother with a reason: you just get the latest issue and a character suddenly resembles the latest toy. This can sometimes be explained as artist interpretation, but at other times...
*[[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 ''[[Transformers: 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!
*[[Starscream (Armada)#Generations|''Armada'' Starscream]] is getting a new toy in 2014. There isn't an ''Armada'' comic but there is a ''Generation 1'' comic with a Starscream, which is going to be packed-in with the toy series including Armada Starscream. And lo and behold, for ''Dark Cybertron'' Starscream gets a new body!
*[[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] is finally getting a new toy. Problem is, his comic body doesn't look much like the toy. Then, in ''[[Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Dark Cybertron Chapter 11]]'', he reveals his new invention: reactive armor that changes his body to look like his opponent's. Who does he use this armor to battle? Why, it's Starscream, the guy his toy was retooled from!

===Character pimping===

Characters with toys may get more attention than those without:

* "[[Matrix Quest]]" has four separate teams on a mission. You could use any three Transformers in one of these teams, right? Nope, Furman has toys to promote: out go nine new Autobots and three rereleased ones.

* [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge's]] presence in all three of his first three ''Beast Wars'' episodes: one for his origin, another for him joining the Maximals after all, and then an abrupt appearance at the very end of "[[Cutting Edge]]" where he turns up and single-handedly drives off a Predacon force.

* When ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)#Japanese release|Animated]]'' was released in Japan, episodes focusing on the [[Constructicon (Animated)|Constructicon]]s were never broadcast on television (instead being reduced to bonus content on the DVDs), as the Constructicons did not have toys. The episode order was also rearranged (and thus the internal narrative of the series, as well) so that episodes introducing new toys could air earlier than those that didn't.

* IDW's ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]'' came back in 2013 in order to promote six of the upcoming ''Generations'' toys. Even [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]], a little-used character who would never have been given a ''Spotlight'' otherwise! (Initially published through Diamond and Comixology as per IDW's usual practice, these comics were subsequently packed-in with the toys they were based on, aiming to use the higher sales of the toys to boost comic sales in a "I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine" scenario.) Likewise, Waspinator, having a new toy out in late 2013, began making appearances and took on increased importance in the IDW universe. An upcoming [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]] toy brought forth a Tankor appearance in Dark Cybertron.

===Abrupt conclusions===
[[File:MarvelUSG2-12.jpg|upright=0.85|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 [[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|''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 ''[[Transformers: Universe (comic)|Universe]]'' comic advertising its current toyline.
*Even though ''[[Transformers: 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 ''[[Transformers: 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!
{{-}}

==Death==
===Killing off old product===
[[File:Tftm1986a.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Guess who's no longer in the Mini Vehicles case assortment?]]
[[File:Newyorkunderbase.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Publisher's clearing house.]]
[[File:BW Scorponok Terrorsaur deaths.jpg|upright=0.85|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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]], [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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]]". 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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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.
*''[[Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|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|Transformers: Alliance}}

===Hi-and-die===
[[File:Chuffer cof.jpg|upright=0.85|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 (G1)|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, providing 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]].
*[[James Roberts]] thrives on hi-and-dies. The first 21 issues of ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' are literally crammed with them: [[Polaris]], [[Hyperion (G1)|Hyperion]], [[Shock]], [[Ore]], [[Animus]], [[Dent]], [[Sonic (G1)|Sonic]], [[Boom]], [[Piston (Wrecker)|Piston]], [[Crest]], [[Torque (G1)|Torque]], [[Sherma]], [[Momus]], "[[Fallout (G1)|Fallout]]", "[[Streaker]]", [[Heavies|Hammer and Anvil]], [[Trepan]], [[Frak|Frak and his buddy]], [[Rossum]], [[Tripodeca]], [[Pivot]], [[Scattergun]], [[Blockus]], [[Datum]], [[Ramp]], [[Suture]], [[Ambulon (G1)|Ambulon]] and [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] — all minor, non-toy characters, and all either killed or revealed to be dead. Similarly, ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' introduced us to [[Squadron X]], comprising just about every Decepticon hi-and-die character from the Marvel continuity, who were then all slaughtered by Impactor.
{{-}}

===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.

[[File:Inferno dies agenda2.jpg|upright=0.85|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 [[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|''The Headmasters'']]. A few years later, they not only brought him back with a new toy, {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: The Battlestars (story page)|The Battlestars}} the ''entire franchise'' for that year was called ''[[Transformers: 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/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|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 [[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|''Energon'' cartoon]]. [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|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}}
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] was shot in the head and abandoned on [[Gorlam Prime]] back in "[[Spotlight: Hardhead]]". Six years later, Hasbro were releasing a new Nightbeat toy and back he comes into ''Dark Cybertron'', a chatty undead from the [[Dead Universe]].
{{-}}

===Untouchables===
[[File:Armorhide drawhisfire.jpg|upright=1.4|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. This sometimes because Hasbro itself declares a character unkillable, and so comics and TV writers must follow suit.

*[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] had betrayed [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|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.
*In Last Stand of the Wreckers (mentioned earlier), James Roberts observed that Impactor was the only character who was guaranteed not be killed. However, Hasbro shot down the idea of Perceptor or Springer dying, and so most of the fatalities were less well-known characters like Pyro, Ironfist, and eternally unlucky Wreckers Twin Twist and Topspin.
*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===
[[File:Swoopg1marvelukfirst.jpg|upright=1.1|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 variations 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]].
{{-}}

===Post-Marvel, pre-2013 G1 comics===
[[File:Infiltration 1b.jpg|upright=1.1|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 ''[[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|Armada]]'' comic or IDW's [[Transformers (film)|2007 movie]] tie-ins), and sometimes publish comics using whatever characters they please (e.g., ''[[Transformers: The War Within|The War Within]]'' and ''[[The Transformers: Escalation|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, only had [[Hardhead (G1)#Universe (2008)|another toy]] on shelves at around 2009, a good twenty-two years since [[Hardhead (G1)#Generation 1|his last toy]]), 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 (BWII)|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#102461 Guido reveals the Hasbro request]</ref> Though this practice did not influence the subsequent [[The Transformers (IDW)|ongoing series]], it did raise its head again in 2013, as Hasbro and IDW began working together to create new toys based on character designs from the comics, to promote upcoming toys with New Bodies and to include the [[Dark Cybertron]] event (including various preludes) with the toys.

===New toys, same basic design===
In more recent times (mostly in the case of the [[live-action film series]]), Hasbro has used a combination of minor [[redeco]]s, [[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 ''[[Transformers: 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]]

To sell toys

2014-06-16T08:35:28Z

PCNTRP:

[[File:MarvelUS-19.jpg|upright=1.1|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]]s to children and adults. The cartoons, comic books, etc., mostly exist to make this happen. To be sure, they normally [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)#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 ([[Army-building|usually]]) sell someone the same toy twice<ref>Although the toy lines from the [[live-action film series]] have given us multiple ''different'' toys of the ''same characters''.</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]] took 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===
[[File:CosmicRust-BigGroup.jpg|upright=1.66|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 ''[[The Transformers: Headmasters|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 ''[[Transformers: 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]].
[[File:Decepticonpretenders-behold.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|After seven issues, it's finally time for these six dudes to do something!]]
[[File:Optimusprimeg1preearthmarvel2.jpg|upright=1.1|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|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 ''[[Transformers Animated: The Arrival|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.
*[[Dark Cybertron]] and its lead-ins were packed with ''[[Thrilling 30]]'' toys, so suddenly ''Beast Wars'' characters [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] and [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] are in G1. Things got worse in later issues when [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]] and [[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]] needed a comic; Tankor berates Starscream for a few panels {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|Dark Cybertron 6}}, while Crosscut and [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] briefly halt the plot to tell you who Crosscut ''is''. Then he vanishes. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|Dark Cybertron 7}}

===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.

[[File:Metamorphdeceps2.JPG|upright=1.1|thumb|The full might of the Decepticon army.]]
*The early episodes of ''[[Transformers: 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.
*[[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|Both the Dreamwave]] and [[Transformers: Armada (Panini)|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|Transformers: 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.
{{-}}

==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.

[[File:Introdump decepticons marvelus01.jpg|upright=1.1|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 (G1)|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.
*Crosscut and Swerve fill in Crosscut's backstory and job during a fight. That's all Crosscut does in the issue. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|Dark Cybertron 7}}

===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 [[The Transformers: Headmasters|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.
[[File:Mistaken Identity Galvatronscourge.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|[[Johnny Yong Bosch|It's Morphin Time! MASTODON!]]]]
*''[[Transformers: 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 ''[[Transformers: Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'' cartoon, with both factions out to recruit or capture all the Mini-Cons.
*[[Powerlinx]]ing is shown again and again and again in ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'', despite having comparatively little relevance to most episode plotlines. In fact, due to the fact much of Energon's action was firefights, Powerlinxing seemed to be a disadvantage, since it resulted in a single larger Autobot shooting instead of two smaller ones.
*[[Cyber Key]] powerups are likewise shown repeatedly in ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]].'' In this case, while most characters had basic weapons, the Cyber Keys were necessary to unlock hidden weaponry or special techniques. So, for example, Optimus might be able to shoot at the Decepticons with a smaller firearm, but to fire his larger cannons he would need to summon his Cyber Key. Some characters, however, needed their Cyber Keys to activate what one would expect to be their main weapons (e.g. Starscream activating his Null Ray Cannon).
*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 <s>watched an advert</s> 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 of 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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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.
*''[[The Headmasters]]'' was absolutely crazy about this. [[Optimus Prime (G1)/G1 cartoon continuity|Optimus]] (whose toy was long gone) kicks the bucket only two episodes in for the sake of a sacrifice that would be nullified only a few episodes later, putting new(er) toy [[Hot Rod(G1)/G1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] back in the command chair for a short while. In the tenth episode, Rodimus departs the series and hands the title of Supreme Commander to brand-spanking-new toy [[Fortress]], who's had a few months, tops, of combat experience. Much like Season 3, Headmasters also ignored most of the Season 3 regulars ([[Springer (G1)]Springer]], [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]], the [[Dinobot]]s, the [[Quintesson]]s) or removed them altogether, sometimes fairly dubiously ([[Blurr(G1)|Blurr]] and [[Kup (G1)/G1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] leave with Rodimus, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/G1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] gets shot a bit and dies, [[Galvatron (G1)/G1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] is buried in ice and nobody digs him up until ''[[Battlestars]]''). By the end of the series, the only remaining Autobots from the first three seasons were the [[Special Team]]s, [[Twincast]], [[Wheelie(G1)|Wheelie]], [[Metroplex(G1)|Metroplex]], and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]].
*[[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 ''[[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|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.
[[File:Samprowl.jpg|100px|thumb|<s>Upgrades are bad.</s> Upgrades are GOOD. We have always been at war with <s>Eurasia</s> 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 (G1)|Tankor]] could be used. {{storylink|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.
{{-}}

===Awkward continuity===
[[File:Earthforce.jpg|upright=1.1|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 ''[[The Transformers: Headmasters|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]].
*Based on evidence from various sources, it's been speculated that the episode "[[Starscream's Ghost]]" was originally meant to star [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], who at the time had been exiled from the Decepticons and was on somewhat friendly terms with the Autobots. Instead, his role was taken over by new toy [[Octane (G1)|Octane]]. Likewise, the episode "[[The God Gambit]]" starred [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], Starscream and Thrust, with Astrotrain (a new toy at the time) taking on a leadership role more akin to Megatron rather than the bus he's reduced to in almost every other episode.
{{-}}

===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]].
[[File:Buzzsawyikes4.jpg|upright=1.4|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|two years later]], he's getting his butt handed to him by the likes of [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]], one of his original victims.
*[[Waspinator (BW)|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 (RID)|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.
[[File:ArmTVTidalWave.jpg|upright=1.1|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 Prime (Armada)|Optimus]] combine in Dreamwave's Armada comic, they are so powerful ''they can hurt Unicron himself''.
*[[Animatron|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.
{{-}}

===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.

[[File:Bumblebeeskindeep.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Ratchet pulls a Kitty Pryde on Bumblebee.]]
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]] was rebuilt into Goldbug following his near-destruction... and was later re-rebuilt back into Bumblebee to sell the [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#Pretender|new Classic Pretender toy]]. The reason given in [[Skin Deep|the comic storyline]] was that [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] reverted him without his consent because Ratchet liked his old form better, something Bumblebee is strangely fine with.
*Season 2 of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (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)/Cartoon continuity|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".) The Japanese versions handled this differently (with Megatron known as Megatron throughout Armada even after his upgrade, and being known as Galvatron throughout all of Energon) due to different trademark laws. Galaxy Force (the Japanese version of Cybertron) played it straight with Master Megatron being upgraded into Master 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 and 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 (film)|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 ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'', featuring new toys of Generation 1 characters, and suddenly multiple characters get new, toy-accurate bodies in ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'', for no apparent in-story reason. Later, [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] even gets a namechange to ''Silver''streak to fit his toy.
*Sometimes, IDW's comics don't even bother with a reason: you just get the latest issue and a character suddenly resembles the latest toy. This can sometimes be explained as artist interpretation, but at other times...
*[[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 ''[[Transformers: 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!
*[[Starscream (Armada)#Generations|''Armada'' Starscream]] is getting a new toy in 2014. There isn't an ''Armada'' comic but there is a ''Generation 1'' comic with a Starscream, which is going to be packed-in with the toy series including Armada Starscream. And lo and behold, for ''Dark Cybertron'' Starscream gets a new body!
*[[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] is finally getting a new toy. Problem is, his comic body doesn't look much like the toy. Then, in ''[[Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Dark Cybertron Chapter 11]]'', he reveals his new invention: reactive armor that changes his body to look like his opponent's. Who does he use this armor to battle? Why, it's Starscream, the guy his toy was retooled from!

===Character pimping===

Characters with toys may get more attention than those without:

* "[[Matrix Quest]]" has four separate teams on a mission. You could use any three Transformers in one of these teams, right? Nope, Furman has toys to promote: out go nine new Autobots and three rereleased ones.

* [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge's]] presence in all three of his first three ''Beast Wars'' episodes: one for his origin, another for him joining the Maximals after all, and then an abrupt appearance at the very end of "[[Cutting Edge]]" where he turns up and single-handedly drives off a Predacon force.

* When ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)#Japanese release|Animated]]'' was released in Japan, episodes focusing on the [[Constructicon (Animated)|Constructicon]]s were never broadcast on television (instead being reduced to bonus content on the DVDs), as the Constructicons did not have toys. The episode order was also rearranged (and thus the internal narrative of the series, as well) so that episodes introducing new toys could air earlier than those that didn't.

* IDW's ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]'' came back in 2013 in order to promote six of the upcoming ''Generations'' toys. Even [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]], a little-used character who would never have been given a ''Spotlight'' otherwise! (Initially published through Diamond and Comixology as per IDW's usual practice, these comics were subsequently packed-in with the toys they were based on, aiming to use the higher sales of the toys to boost comic sales in a "I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine" scenario.) Likewise, Waspinator, having a new toy out in late 2013, began making appearances and took on increased importance in the IDW universe. An upcoming [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]] toy brought forth a Tankor appearance in Dark Cybertron.

===Abrupt conclusions===
[[File:MarvelUSG2-12.jpg|upright=0.85|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 [[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|''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 ''[[Transformers: Universe (comic)|Universe]]'' comic advertising its current toyline.
*Even though ''[[Transformers: 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 ''[[Transformers: 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!
{{-}}

==Death==
===Killing off old product===
[[File:Tftm1986a.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Guess who's no longer in the Mini Vehicles case assortment?]]
[[File:Newyorkunderbase.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Publisher's clearing house.]]
[[File:BW Scorponok Terrorsaur deaths.jpg|upright=0.85|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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]], [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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]]". 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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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.
*''[[Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|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|Transformers: Alliance}}

===Hi-and-die===
[[File:Chuffer cof.jpg|upright=0.85|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 (G1)|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, providing 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]].
*[[James Roberts]] thrives on hi-and-dies. The first 21 issues of ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' are literally crammed with them: [[Polaris]], [[Hyperion (G1)|Hyperion]], [[Shock]], [[Ore]], [[Animus]], [[Dent]], [[Sonic (G1)|Sonic]], [[Boom]], [[Piston (Wrecker)|Piston]], [[Crest]], [[Torque (G1)|Torque]], [[Sherma]], [[Momus]], "[[Fallout (G1)|Fallout]]", "[[Streaker]]", [[Heavies|Hammer and Anvil]], [[Trepan]], [[Frak|Frak and his buddy]], [[Rossum]], [[Tripodeca]], [[Pivot]], [[Scattergun]], [[Blockus]], [[Datum]], [[Ramp]], [[Suture]], [[Ambulon (G1)|Ambulon]] and [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] — all minor, non-toy characters, and all either killed or revealed to be dead. Similarly, ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' introduced us to [[Squadron X]], comprising just about every Decepticon hi-and-die character from the Marvel continuity, who were then all slaughtered by Impactor.
{{-}}

===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.

[[File:Inferno dies agenda2.jpg|upright=0.85|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 [[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|''The Headmasters'']]. A few years later, they not only brought him back with a new toy, {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: The Battlestars (story page)|The Battlestars}} the ''entire franchise'' for that year was called ''[[Transformers: 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/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|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 [[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|''Energon'' cartoon]]. [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|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}}
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] was shot in the head and abandoned on [[Gorlam Prime]] back in "[[Spotlight: Hardhead]]". Six years later, Hasbro were releasing a new Nightbeat toy and back he comes into ''Dark Cybertron'', a chatty undead from the [[Dead Universe]].
{{-}}

===Untouchables===
[[File:Armorhide drawhisfire.jpg|upright=1.4|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. This sometimes because Hasbro itself declares a character unkillable, and so comics and TV writers must follow suit.

*[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] had betrayed [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|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.
*In Last Stand of the Wreckers (mentioned earlier), James Roberts observed that Impactor was the only character who was guaranteed not be killed. However, Hasbro shot down the idea of Perceptor or Springer dying, and so most of the fatalities were less well-known characters like Pyro, Ironfist, and eternally unlucky Wreckers Twin Twist and Topspin.
*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===
[[File:Swoopg1marvelukfirst.jpg|upright=1.1|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 variations 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]].
{{-}}

===Post-Marvel, pre-2013 G1 comics===
[[File:Infiltration 1b.jpg|upright=1.1|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 ''[[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|Armada]]'' comic or IDW's [[Transformers (film)|2007 movie]] tie-ins), and sometimes publish comics using whatever characters they please (e.g., ''[[Transformers: The War Within|The War Within]]'' and ''[[The Transformers: Escalation|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, only had [[Hardhead (G1)#Universe (2008)|another toy]] on shelves at around 2009, a good twenty-two years since [[Hardhead (G1)#Generation 1|his last toy]]), 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 (BWII)|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#102461 Guido reveals the Hasbro request]</ref> Though this practice did not influence the subsequent [[The Transformers (IDW)|ongoing series]], it did raise its head again in 2013, as Hasbro and IDW began working together to create new toys based on character designs from the comics, to promote upcoming toys with New Bodies and to include the [[Dark Cybertron]] event (including various preludes) with the toys.

===New toys, same basic design===
In more recent times (mostly in the case of the [[live-action film series]]), Hasbro has used a combination of minor [[redeco]]s, [[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 ''[[Transformers: 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]]

To sell toys

2014-06-09T05:04:34Z

PCNTRP:

[[File:MarvelUS-19.jpg|upright=1.1|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]]s to children and adults. The cartoons, comic books, etc., mostly exist to make this happen. To be sure, they normally [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)#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 ([[Army-building|usually]]) sell someone the same toy twice<ref>Although the toy lines from the [[live-action film series]] have given us multiple ''different'' toys of the ''same characters''.</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]] took 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===
[[File:CosmicRust-BigGroup.jpg|upright=1.66|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 ''[[The Transformers: Headmasters|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 ''[[Transformers: 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]].
[[File:Decepticonpretenders-behold.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|After seven issues, it's finally time for these six dudes to do something!]]
[[File:Optimusprimeg1preearthmarvel2.jpg|upright=1.1|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|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 ''[[Transformers Animated: The Arrival|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.
*[[Dark Cybertron]] and its lead-ins were packed with ''[[Thrilling 30]]'' toys, so suddenly ''Beast Wars'' characters [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] and [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] are in G1. Things got worse in later issues when [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]] and [[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]] needed a comic; Tankor berates Starscream for a few panels {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|Dark Cybertron 6}}, while Crosscut and [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] briefly halt the plot to tell you who Crosscut ''is''. Then he vanishes. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|Dark Cybertron 7}}

===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.

[[File:Metamorphdeceps2.JPG|upright=1.1|thumb|The full might of the Decepticon army.]]
*The early episodes of ''[[Transformers: 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.
*[[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|Both the Dreamwave]] and [[Transformers: Armada (Panini)|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|Transformers: 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.
{{-}}

==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.

[[File:Introdump decepticons marvelus01.jpg|upright=1.1|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 (G1)|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.
*Crosscut and Swerve fill in Crosscut's backstory and job during a fight. That's all Crosscut does in the issue. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|Dark Cybertron 7}}

===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 [[The Transformers: Headmasters|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.
[[File:Mistaken Identity Galvatronscourge.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|[[Johnny Yong Bosch|It's Morphin Time! MASTODON!]]]]
*''[[Transformers: 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 ''[[Transformers: Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'' cartoon, with both factions out to recruit or capture all the Mini-Cons.
*[[Powerlinx]]ing is shown again and again and again in ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'', despite having comparatively little relevance to most episode plotlines. In fact, due to the fact much of Energon's action was firefights, Powerlinxing seemed to be a disadvantage, since it resulted in a single larger Autobot shooting instead of two smaller ones.
*[[Cyber Key]] powerups are likewise shown repeatedly in ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]].'' In this case, while most characters had basic weapons, the Cyber Keys were necessary to unlock hidden weaponry or special techniques. So, for example, Optimus might be able to shoot at the Decepticons with a smaller firearm, but to fire his larger cannons he would need to summon his Cyber Key. Some characters, however, needed their Cyber Keys to activate what one would expect to be their main weapons (e.g. Starscream activating his Null Ray Cannon).
*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 <s>watched an advert</s> 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 of 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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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 ''[[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|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.
[[File:Samprowl.jpg|100px|thumb|<s>Upgrades are bad.</s> Upgrades are GOOD. We have always been at war with <s>Eurasia</s> 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 (G1)|Tankor]] could be used. {{storylink|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.
{{-}}

===Awkward continuity===
[[File:Earthforce.jpg|upright=1.1|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 ''[[The Transformers: Headmasters|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]].
*Based on evidence from various sources, it's been speculated that the episode "[[Starscream's Ghost]]" was originally meant to star [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], who at the time had been exiled from the Decepticons and was on somewhat friendly terms with the Autobots. Instead, his role was taken over by new toy [[Octane (G1)|Octane]]. Likewise, the episode "[[The God Gambit]]" starred [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], Starscream and Thrust, with Astrotrain (a new toy at the time) taking on a leadership role more akin to Megatron rather than the bus he's reduced to in almost every other episode.
{{-}}

===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]].
[[File:Buzzsawyikes4.jpg|upright=1.4|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|two years later]], he's getting his butt handed to him by the likes of [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]], one of his original victims.
*[[Waspinator (BW)|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 (RID)|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.
[[File:ArmTVTidalWave.jpg|upright=1.1|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 Prime (Armada)|Optimus]] combine in Dreamwave's Armada comic, they are so powerful ''they can hurt Unicron himself''.
*[[Animatron|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.
{{-}}

===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.

[[File:Bumblebeeskindeep.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Ratchet pulls a Kitty Pryde on Bumblebee.]]
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]] was rebuilt into Goldbug following his near-destruction... and was later re-rebuilt back into Bumblebee to sell the [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#Pretender|new Classic Pretender toy]]. The reason given in [[Skin Deep|the comic storyline]] was that [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] reverted him without his consent because Ratchet liked his old form better, something Bumblebee is strangely fine with.
*Season 2 of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (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)/Cartoon continuity|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".) The Japanese versions handled this differently (with Megatron known as Megatron throughout Armada even after his upgrade, and being known as Galvatron throughout all of Energon) due to different trademark laws. Galaxy Force (the Japanese version of Cybertron) played it straight with Master Megatron being upgraded into Master 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 and 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 (film)|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 ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'', featuring new toys of Generation 1 characters, and suddenly multiple characters get new, toy-accurate bodies in ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'', for no apparent in-story reason. Later, [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] even gets a namechange to ''Silver''streak to fit his toy.
*Sometimes, IDW's comics don't even bother with a reason: you just get the latest issue and a character suddenly resembles the latest toy. This can sometimes be explained as artist interpretation, but at other times...
*[[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 ''[[Transformers: 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!
*[[Starscream (Armada)#Generations|''Armada'' Starscream]] is getting a new toy in 2014. There isn't an ''Armada'' comic but there is a ''Generation 1'' comic with a Starscream, which is going to be packed-in with the toy series including Armada Starscream. And lo and behold, for ''Dark Cybertron'' Starscream gets a new body!
*[[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] is finally getting a new toy. Problem is, his comic body doesn't look much like the toy. Then, in ''[[Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Dark Cybertron Chapter 11]]'', he reveals his new invention: reactive armor that changes his body to look like his opponent's. Who does he use this armor to battle? Why, it's Starscream, the guy his toy was retooled from!

===Character pimping===

Characters with toys may get more attention than those without:

* "[[Matrix Quest]]" has four separate teams on a mission. You could use any three Transformers in one of these teams, right? Nope, Furman has toys to promote: out go nine new Autobots and three rereleased ones.

* [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge's]] presence in all three of his first three ''Beast Wars'' episodes: one for his origin, another for him joining the Maximals after all, and then an abrupt appearance at the very end of "[[Cutting Edge]]" where he turns up and single-handedly drives off a Predacon force.

* When ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)#Japanese release|Animated]]'' was released in Japan, episodes focusing on the [[Constructicon (Animated)|Constructicon]]s were never broadcast on television (instead being reduced to bonus content on the DVDs), as the Constructicons did not have toys. The episode order was also rearranged (and thus the internal narrative of the series, as well) so that episodes introducing new toys could air earlier than those that didn't.

* IDW's ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]'' came back in 2013 in order to promote six of the upcoming ''Generations'' toys. Even [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]], a little-used character who would never have been given a ''Spotlight'' otherwise! (Initially published through Diamond and Comixology as per IDW's usual practice, these comics were subsequently packed-in with the toys they were based on, aiming to use the higher sales of the toys to boost comic sales in a "I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine" scenario.) Likewise, Waspinator, having a new toy out in late 2013, began making appearances and took on increased importance in the IDW universe. An upcoming [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]] toy brought forth a Tankor appearance in Dark Cybertron.

===Abrupt conclusions===
[[File:MarvelUSG2-12.jpg|upright=0.85|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 [[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|''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 ''[[Transformers: Universe (comic)|Universe]]'' comic advertising its current toyline.
*Even though ''[[Transformers: 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 ''[[Transformers: 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!
{{-}}

==Death==
===Killing off old product===
[[File:Tftm1986a.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Guess who's no longer in the Mini Vehicles case assortment?]]
[[File:Newyorkunderbase.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Publisher's clearing house.]]
[[File:BW Scorponok Terrorsaur deaths.jpg|upright=0.85|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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]], [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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]]". 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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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.
*''[[Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|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|Transformers: Alliance}}

===Hi-and-die===
[[File:Chuffer cof.jpg|upright=0.85|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 (G1)|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, providing 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]].
*[[James Roberts]] thrives on hi-and-dies. The first 21 issues of ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' are literally crammed with them: [[Polaris]], [[Hyperion (G1)|Hyperion]], [[Shock]], [[Ore]], [[Animus]], [[Dent]], [[Sonic (G1)|Sonic]], [[Boom]], [[Piston (Wrecker)|Piston]], [[Crest]], [[Torque (G1)|Torque]], [[Sherma]], [[Momus]], "[[Fallout (G1)|Fallout]]", "[[Streaker]]", [[Heavies|Hammer and Anvil]], [[Trepan]], [[Frak|Frak and his buddy]], [[Rossum]], [[Tripodeca]], [[Pivot]], [[Scattergun]], [[Blockus]], [[Datum]], [[Ramp]], [[Suture]], [[Ambulon (G1)|Ambulon]] and [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] — all minor, non-toy characters, and all either killed or revealed to be dead. Similarly, ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' introduced us to [[Squadron X]], comprising just about every Decepticon hi-and-die character from the Marvel continuity, who were then all slaughtered by Impactor.
{{-}}

===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.

[[File:Inferno dies agenda2.jpg|upright=0.85|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 [[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|''The Headmasters'']]. A few years later, they not only brought him back with a new toy, {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: The Battlestars (story page)|The Battlestars}} the ''entire franchise'' for that year was called ''[[Transformers: 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/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|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 [[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|''Energon'' cartoon]]. [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|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}}
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] was shot in the head and abandoned on [[Gorlam Prime]] back in "[[Spotlight: Hardhead]]". Six years later, Hasbro were releasing a new Nightbeat toy and back he comes into ''Dark Cybertron'', a chatty undead from the [[Dead Universe]].
{{-}}

===Untouchables===
[[File:Armorhide drawhisfire.jpg|upright=1.4|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. This sometimes because Hasbro itself declares a character unkillable, and so comics and TV writers must follow suit.

*[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] had betrayed [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|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.
*In Last Stand of the Wreckers (mentioned earlier), James Roberts observed that Impactor was the only character who was guaranteed not be killed. However, Hasbro shot down the idea of Perceptor or Springer dying, and so most of the fatalities were less well-known characters like Pyro, Ironfist, and eternally unlucky Wreckers Twin Twist and Topspin.
*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===
[[File:Swoopg1marvelukfirst.jpg|upright=1.1|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 variations 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]].
{{-}}

===Post-Marvel, pre-2013 G1 comics===
[[File:Infiltration 1b.jpg|upright=1.1|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 ''[[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|Armada]]'' comic or IDW's [[Transformers (film)|2007 movie]] tie-ins), and sometimes publish comics using whatever characters they please (e.g., ''[[Transformers: The War Within|The War Within]]'' and ''[[The Transformers: Escalation|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, only had [[Hardhead (G1)#Universe (2008)|another toy]] on shelves at around 2009, a good twenty-two years since [[Hardhead (G1)#Generation 1|his last toy]]), 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 (BWII)|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#102461 Guido reveals the Hasbro request]</ref> Though this practice did not influence the subsequent [[The Transformers (IDW)|ongoing series]], it did raise its head again in 2013, as Hasbro and IDW began working together to create new toys based on character designs from the comics, to promote upcoming toys with New Bodies and to include the [[Dark Cybertron]] event (including various preludes) with the toys.

===New toys, same basic design===
In more recent times (mostly in the case of the [[live-action film series]]), Hasbro has used a combination of minor [[redeco]]s, [[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 ''[[Transformers: 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]]

To sell toys

2014-06-09T05:03:47Z

PCNTRP:

[[File:MarvelUS-19.jpg|upright=1.1|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]]s to children and adults. The cartoons, comic books, etc., mostly exist to make this happen. To be sure, they normally [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)#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 ([[Army-building|usually]]) sell someone the same toy twice<ref>Although the toy lines from the [[live-action film series]] have given us multiple ''different'' toys of the ''same characters''.</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]] took 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===
[[File:CosmicRust-BigGroup.jpg|upright=1.66|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 ''[[The Transformers: Headmasters|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 ''[[Transformers: 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]].
[[File:Decepticonpretenders-behold.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|After seven issues, it's finally time for these six dudes to do something!]]
[[File:Optimusprimeg1preearthmarvel2.jpg|upright=1.1|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|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 ''[[Transformers Animated: The Arrival|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.
*[[Dark Cybertron]] and its lead-ins were packed with ''[[Thrilling 30]]'' toys, so suddenly ''Beast Wars'' characters [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] and [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] are in G1. Things got worse in later issues when [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]] and [[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]] needed a comic; Tankor berates Starscream for a few panels {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|Dark Cybertron 6}}, while Crosscut and [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] briefly halt the plot to tell you who Crosscut ''is''. Then he vanishes. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|Dark Cybertron 7}}

===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.

[[File:Metamorphdeceps2.JPG|upright=1.1|thumb|The full might of the Decepticon army.]]
*The early episodes of ''[[Transformers: 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.
*[[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|Both the Dreamwave]] and [[Transformers: Armada (Panini)|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|Transformers: 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.
{{-}}

==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.

[[File:Introdump decepticons marvelus01.jpg|upright=1.1|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 (G1)|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.
*Crosscut and Swerve fill in Crosscut's backstory and job during a fight. That's all Crosscut does in the issue. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|Dark Cybertron 7}}

===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 [[The Transformers: Headmasters|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.
[[File:Mistaken Identity Galvatronscourge.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|[[Johnny Yong Bosch|It's Morphin Time! MASTODON!]]]]
*''[[Transformers: 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 ''[[Transformers: Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'' cartoon, with both factions out to recruit or capture all the Mini-Cons.
*[[Powerlinx]]ing is shown again and again and again in ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'', despite having comparatively little relevance to most episode plotlines. In fact, due to the fact much of Energon's action was firefights, Powerlinxing seemed to be a disadvantage, since it resulted in a single larger Autobot shooting instead of two smaller ones.
*[[Cyber Key]] powerups are likewise shown repeatedly in ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]].'' In this case, while most characters had basic weapons, the Cyber Keys were necessary to unlock hidden weaponry or special techniques. So, for example, Optimus might be able to shoot at the Decepticons with a smaller firearm, but to fire his larger cannons he would need to summon his Cyber Key. Some characters, however, needed their Cyber Keys to activate what one would expect to be their main weapons (e.g. Starscream activating his Null Ray Cannon).
*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 <s>watched an advert</s> 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 of 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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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 ''[[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|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.
[[File:Samprowl.jpg|100px|thumb|<s>Upgrades are bad.</s> Upgrades are GOOD. We have always been at war with <s>Eurasia</s> 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 (G1)|Tankor]] could be used. {{storylink|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.
{{-}}

===Awkward continuity===
[[File:Earthforce.jpg|upright=1.1|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 ''[[The Transformers: Headmasters|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]].
*Based on evidence from various sources, it's been speculated that the episode "[[Starscream's Ghost]]" was originally meant to star [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], who at the time had been exiled from the Decepticons and was on somewhat friendly terms with the Autobots. Instead, his role was taken over by new toy [[Octane (G1)|Octane]]. Likewise, the episode "[[The God Gambit]]" starred [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], Starscream and Thrust, with Astrotrain (a new toy at the time) taking on a leadership role more akin to Megatron rather than the bus he's reduced to in almost every other episode.
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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]].
[[File:Buzzsawyikes4.jpg|upright=1.4|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|two years later]], he's getting his butt handed to him by the likes of [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]], one of his original victims.
*[[Waspinator (BW)|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 (RID)|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.
[[File:ArmTVTidalWave.jpg|upright=1.1|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 Prime (Armada)|Optimus]] combine in Dreamwave's Armada comic, they are so powerful ''they can hurt Unicron himself''.
*[[Animatron|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.
{{-}}

===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.

[[File:Bumblebeeskindeep.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Ratchet pulls a Kitty Pryde on Bumblebee.]]
*[[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]] was rebuilt into Goldbug following his near-destruction... and was later re-rebuilt back into Bumblebee to sell the [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#Pretender|new Classic Pretender toy]]. The reason given in [[Skin Deep|the comic storyline]] was that [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] reverted him without his consent because Ratchet liked his old form better, something Bumblebee is strangely fine with.
*Season 2 of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (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)/Cartoon continuity|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".) The Japanese versions handled this differently (with Megatron known as Megatron throughout Armada even after his upgrade, and being known as Galvatron throughout all of Energon) due to different trademark laws. Galaxy Force (the Japanese version of Cybertron) played it straight with Master Megatron being upgraded into Master 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 and 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 (film)|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 ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'', featuring new toys of Generation 1 characters, and suddenly multiple characters get new, toy-accurate bodies in ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'', for no apparent in-story reason. Later, [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] even gets a namechange to ''Silver''streak to fit his toy.
*Sometimes, IDW's comics don't even bother with a reason: you just get the latest issue and a character suddenly resembles the latest toy. This can sometimes be explained as artist interpretation, but at other times...
*[[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 ''[[Transformers: 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!
*[[Starscream (Armada)#Generations|''Armada'' Starscream]] is getting a new toy in 2014. There isn't an ''Armada'' comic but there is a ''Generation 1'' comic with a Starscream, which is going to be packed-in with the toy series including Armada Starscream. And lo and behold, for ''Dark Cybertron'' Starscream gets a new body!
*[[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] is finally getting a new toy. Problem is, his comic body doesn't look much like the toy. Then, in [[Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Dark Cybertron Chapter 11]], he reveals his new invention: reactive armor that changes his body to look like his opponent's. Who does he use this armor to battle? Why, it's Starscream, the guy his toy was retooled from!

===Character pimping===

Characters with toys may get more attention than those without:

* "[[Matrix Quest]]" has four separate teams on a mission. You could use any three Transformers in one of these teams, right? Nope, Furman has toys to promote: out go nine new Autobots and three rereleased ones.

* [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge's]] presence in all three of his first three ''Beast Wars'' episodes: one for his origin, another for him joining the Maximals after all, and then an abrupt appearance at the very end of "[[Cutting Edge]]" where he turns up and single-handedly drives off a Predacon force.

* When ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)#Japanese release|Animated]]'' was released in Japan, episodes focusing on the [[Constructicon (Animated)|Constructicon]]s were never broadcast on television (instead being reduced to bonus content on the DVDs), as the Constructicons did not have toys. The episode order was also rearranged (and thus the internal narrative of the series, as well) so that episodes introducing new toys could air earlier than those that didn't.

* IDW's ''[[The Transformers: Spotlight|Spotlight]]'' came back in 2013 in order to promote six of the upcoming ''Generations'' toys. Even [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]], a little-used character who would never have been given a ''Spotlight'' otherwise! (Initially published through Diamond and Comixology as per IDW's usual practice, these comics were subsequently packed-in with the toys they were based on, aiming to use the higher sales of the toys to boost comic sales in a "I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine" scenario.) Likewise, Waspinator, having a new toy out in late 2013, began making appearances and took on increased importance in the IDW universe. An upcoming [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]] toy brought forth a Tankor appearance in Dark Cybertron.

===Abrupt conclusions===
[[File:MarvelUSG2-12.jpg|upright=0.85|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 [[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|''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 ''[[Transformers: Universe (comic)|Universe]]'' comic advertising its current toyline.
*Even though ''[[Transformers: 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 ''[[Transformers: 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!
{{-}}

==Death==
===Killing off old product===
[[File:Tftm1986a.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Guess who's no longer in the Mini Vehicles case assortment?]]
[[File:Newyorkunderbase.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Publisher's clearing house.]]
[[File:BW Scorponok Terrorsaur deaths.jpg|upright=0.85|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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]], [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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]]". 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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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.
*''[[Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|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|Transformers: Alliance}}

===Hi-and-die===
[[File:Chuffer cof.jpg|upright=0.85|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 (G1)|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, providing 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]].
*[[James Roberts]] thrives on hi-and-dies. The first 21 issues of ''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' are literally crammed with them: [[Polaris]], [[Hyperion (G1)|Hyperion]], [[Shock]], [[Ore]], [[Animus]], [[Dent]], [[Sonic (G1)|Sonic]], [[Boom]], [[Piston (Wrecker)|Piston]], [[Crest]], [[Torque (G1)|Torque]], [[Sherma]], [[Momus]], "[[Fallout (G1)|Fallout]]", "[[Streaker]]", [[Heavies|Hammer and Anvil]], [[Trepan]], [[Frak|Frak and his buddy]], [[Rossum]], [[Tripodeca]], [[Pivot]], [[Scattergun]], [[Blockus]], [[Datum]], [[Ramp]], [[Suture]], [[Ambulon (G1)|Ambulon]] and [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] — all minor, non-toy characters, and all either killed or revealed to be dead. Similarly, ''[[The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Last Stand of the Wreckers]]'' introduced us to [[Squadron X]], comprising just about every Decepticon hi-and-die character from the Marvel continuity, who were then all slaughtered by Impactor.
{{-}}

===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.

[[File:Inferno dies agenda2.jpg|upright=0.85|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 [[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|''The Headmasters'']]. A few years later, they not only brought him back with a new toy, {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: The Battlestars (story page)|The Battlestars}} the ''entire franchise'' for that year was called ''[[Transformers: 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/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|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 [[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|''Energon'' cartoon]]. [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|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}}
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] was shot in the head and abandoned on [[Gorlam Prime]] back in "[[Spotlight: Hardhead]]". Six years later, Hasbro were releasing a new Nightbeat toy and back he comes into ''Dark Cybertron'', a chatty undead from the [[Dead Universe]].
{{-}}

===Untouchables===
[[File:Armorhide drawhisfire.jpg|upright=1.4|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. This sometimes because Hasbro itself declares a character unkillable, and so comics and TV writers must follow suit.

*[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] had betrayed [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|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.
*In Last Stand of the Wreckers (mentioned earlier), James Roberts observed that Impactor was the only character who was guaranteed not be killed. However, Hasbro shot down the idea of Perceptor or Springer dying, and so most of the fatalities were less well-known characters like Pyro, Ironfist, and eternally unlucky Wreckers Twin Twist and Topspin.
*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===
[[File:Swoopg1marvelukfirst.jpg|upright=1.1|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 variations 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]].
{{-}}

===Post-Marvel, pre-2013 G1 comics===
[[File:Infiltration 1b.jpg|upright=1.1|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 ''[[Transformers: Armada (Dreamwave)|Armada]]'' comic or IDW's [[Transformers (film)|2007 movie]] tie-ins), and sometimes publish comics using whatever characters they please (e.g., ''[[Transformers: The War Within|The War Within]]'' and ''[[The Transformers: Escalation|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, only had [[Hardhead (G1)#Universe (2008)|another toy]] on shelves at around 2009, a good twenty-two years since [[Hardhead (G1)#Generation 1|his last toy]]), 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 (BWII)|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#102461 Guido reveals the Hasbro request]</ref> Though this practice did not influence the subsequent [[The Transformers (IDW)|ongoing series]], it did raise its head again in 2013, as Hasbro and IDW began working together to create new toys based on character designs from the comics, to promote upcoming toys with New Bodies and to include the [[Dark Cybertron]] event (including various preludes) with the toys.

===New toys, same basic design===
In more recent times (mostly in the case of the [[live-action film series]]), Hasbro has used a combination of minor [[redeco]]s, [[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 ''[[Transformers: 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]]

Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard

2014-05-29T04:19:28Z

PCNTRP: "Hello, 911? My name is Rad and I wanna tell you about the Transformers!"

{{Comicstory|
|series=rid|issueno=29
|prev=Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World
|next=Earthfall Part 3
|caption=
|image=RID29 cvr.jpg
|title="Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard"
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[May 28]], [[2014]]
|coverdate=May 2014
|written by=[[John Barber]]
|art by=[[Andrew Griffith]] (present day) [[Guido Guidi]] (Earth flashback) [[Brendan Cahill]] (Cybertron flashback)
|colors by=[[Josh Perez]] (present day) [[Joana Lafuente]] (flashbacks)
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[Carlos Guzman]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2014)]]
}}

'''Beset by the allied forces of the Decepticons and the Earth Defense Command, the Autobots' attempts to first fight back, then to flee are met with failure, forcing Prowl and his team to take devastating action.'''

==Synopsis==

''The forces of the [[Earth Defense Command]], led by General [[Sparkplug Witwicky|Daniel Witwicky]] and Director [[Marissa Faireborn]], are summoned to a meeting with [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]] and [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] at the [[Antarctica|South Pole]]. Marissa angrily recounts her experiences in [[New York City]] during the [[Decepticon]] invasion of [[Earth]], questioning why the [[human]]s should trust them; Galvatron is all too willing to fight if that is their desire, but Soundwave keeps things calm, explaining to Faireborn that the Decepticons, at their core, have a belief in equality, and have distanced themselves from [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]], the mastermind of attack on Earth, and instead rallied behind Galvatron as their new leader on a path to "harmony". The [[Autobot]]s, however, have accepted Megatron into their ranks...''

Surrounded by the Decepticons and the EDC, a dumbfounded [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] tries to make sense of the situation, attempting to explain that the Autobots have only come searching for [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], and warning Faireborn against their current Decepticon alliance. Marissa is not interested in his words, however, and Prime is forced to accept the reality of the situation, suddenly ordering the Autobots into close-range combat to prevent the humans from utilizing their projective weaponry effectively.

On the [[Ark-7]], orbiting the far side of the [[Moon (moon)|Moon]], [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] and his little drone buddy [[D.O.C.]] try to hold the ship together as it is eaten alive by the micro-bots unleashed by the EDC's missiles. Deducing that the micro-bots have been reverse-engineered from Cybertronian biology, Jetfire hits upon the plan of using an aerosol made of the ship's liquid memory core to overload and short out the metal-munching menaces, but when he and D.O.C. head out to start spraying the ship, they find that the micro-bots have already been exterminated the old fashioned way by the unlikeliest members of the Ark-7 crew: the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]]! Annoyed to learn that [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] ignored him and called the Constructicons, Jetfire tries to raise the police-bot on the comm line, but the ex-Decepticons stop him with the assurance that Prowl has everything planned out...

As the Autobots continue their battle with the Decepticons and the EDC, [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] pulls a particularly dirty trick, swooping low and causing [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] to nearly shoot some human soldiers. Alarmed and distracted by thoughts of his previous killing of [[John Powell|a human]], he is clobbered by [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], prompting Optimus Prime to call a retreat. Faireborn is happy to let the Decepticons give chase, as the 'Cons themselves know its in their own best interests to maintain a low profile—except, of course, for [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]], who has no intention of fighting and is happy simply to be reunited with his dog [[Buster (IDW)|Buster]]. The fleeing Autobots are joined by [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]], sent in by Prowl, who is busy putting his own plan for retaliation into effect—he has taken [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] to the Ark-7 for reinforcements and is now heading back down to Earth.

''A month ago, on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], around a week after the conclusion of Megatron's trial, a furious Prowl rages at Optimus over the outcome of the judicial proceedings. Prime contests that Megatron is aware of this ''wrongness'' of his actions, and wonders how Prowl views his own ruthless deeds carried out in the name of the supposed "greater good". Struck by the remark, Prowl calms somewhat and admits that he has never been good at dealing with feelings, suggesting that the death of [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] is clouding his judgement. Prime invites Prowl to join him on his mission to Earth, and Prowl accepts, recalling the brief change of heart he experienced on the planet, and wondering aloud if perhaps it and its people have more to teach him. As soon as he's outside, though, Prowl is met by the Constructicons, and informs them that rather than going with Megatron on the ''[[Lost Light]]'', they will be accompanying him to Earth—because he knows that going back to the planet is a mistake, but a mistake he can't let Optimus make without him there to fix everything...''

With Prowl's plan having left them only one road to escape down, the Autobots' flight takes them to the small town of [[Poverty Flat]], but Galvatron is unfazed, sending Blitzwing and [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]] to circle the town and cut off their means of escape at the other side. Horrified, and with Thundercracker playing the "I-told-you-so" card, Faireborn attempts to get the Decepticons to stand down; Soundwave sees the sense in her words, but Galvatron refuses to back down from a fight. Prime proposes that they mutually relocate to continue their fight, but just then, Sky Lynx appears in the night sky, and Prowl and the Constructicons leap out of him. Gathering the Decepticons in a human settlement and forcing them to risk exposure was Prowl's plan all along... and to exploit the advantage he has gained over the villains, he once again combines with the Constructicons to form [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]!

==Featured characters==
Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks. 
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (16)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] (17)
*[[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (18)
*[[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] (20)
*[[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] (29)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (30)
*[[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] (31)
*[[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] (32)
*[[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] (33)
*''[[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]'' (34)
|c2=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*''[[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]]'' (2)
*''[[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]]'' (3)
*''[[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] (5)
*[[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] (6)
*''[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]'' (7)
*[[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]] (8)
*[[Needlenose]]? (10)
*[[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]] (11)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (12)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (13)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (14)
*[[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]] (15)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] (27)
*[[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] (28)
{{!}}}
|h4=[[Human]]s|c4=
*[[Marissa Faireborn]] (4)
*''[[Sparkplug Witwicky|Daniel Witwicky]] (9)
|h5=Others|c5=
*[[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] (1)
*[[Buster (IDW)|Buster]] (19)
*[[D.O.C.]] (21)
*[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (22)
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (23)
*[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (24)
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (25)
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (26)
*''[[Necrotitan]]'s remains'' (35)

}}

==Quotes==

"D.O.C.—'''synthesize''' the core fluid and load your '''hoses'''—we have a '''ship''' to '''clean'''." 
"'''BEE-BREEP?'''" 
"What? No, not at '''all.'''" 
"'''BREEEEEEP...?'''" 
"Okay, yeah, fine. It'll be '''just''' like spraying for Belvadurian rock-mites."
:—'''Jetfire''' and '''D.O.C.'''

"'''Attention terrorists!''' Step outside of your '''vehicles''' with your hands in the air, or we, the Army of the '''United Steaks of America'''—" 
"States!" 
"—whatever, we'll have to '''blast''' you to the '''Afterspark'''!"
:—'''Bitzwing''' and '''Brawl''' threaten the Autobots under false identities

"Oh '''yeah''', Thundercracker? You've been living by yourself in the mountains long enough to become a '''master''' of conducting '''covert operations?'''" 
"Well, I played a '''lot''' of real-time strategy games, so '''yeah'''. Basically."
:—'''Marissa''' and '''Thundercracker'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
[[File:RID Issue 29 Matrix.jpg|thumb|right|150px]]
*The issue opens on a flashback to the Decepticon attack on [[New York City]] as seen in the first few of ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'', drawn by returning ''All Hail'' artist Guido Guidi.
*[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]'s half of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] reappears in this issue after not appearing since [[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]].
*Prowl refers to the brief change of heart he had on Earth, as seen in ''[[Ride-Along|Spotlight: Prowl]]''.
*The Constructicons are all in new bodies. Most obviously, [[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] now towers over the others, likely because [[Scale|he's a mining truck.]]

===Real-life references===
*This issue takes its title from the [[Wikipedia: The Sisters of Mercy|Sisters of Mercy]] song of the same name.
*Marissa took part in the [[Wikipedia: Occupy movement|Occupy movement]]; see also "other trivia", below.

===Transformers references===
*[[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire's]] aerosol can invokes [[robotic insecticide]].
*The final page of Devastator smashing the ground features some familiar faces: [[Kelly (RID)|Kelly]], [[Rad White]], and [[Carlos Lopez]] are fleeing the scene. And... Homer Simpson?

===Errors===
*On the credits page Brendan Cahill's last name is misspelled as "Cahil".
*In the last panel on page 22 "Cybertronians" is misspelled as "Cybertonians".
*When the Constructicons make their entrance, all their visible Decepticon symbols have been partially scraped away (but they haven't taken on Autobot symbols, which is why we list them under "Other" for now in the cast list). However, in the final panel on the same page, their symbols are intact.

===Other trivia===
*''All Hail Megatron'' was published in 2008, with logical extrapolation placing its events in 2007-2008 within the [[IDW timeline|IDW universe]]. Here, as what is presumable evidence of a [[Wikipedia:Floating timeline|sliding timescale]], its events are presented as concurrent with the Occupy movement of 2011.

===Covers (3)===
*'''Standard cover:''' Optimus Prime surrounded by the Decepticons and the EDC, by [[Andrew Griffith]] and [[Priscilla Tramontano]].
*'''Subscription cover:''' The Constructicons by [[Casey Coller]] and [[Joana Lafuente]]
*'''30th Anniversary cover:''' Optimus Prime, [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]], [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] and [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] embroiled in battle, by [[Marcelo Matere]] and [[John-Paul Bove]]. Part of a series of "30th Anniversary" covers by Matere, these appear to have been released in reverse-order, with this one depicting the characters on Cybertron and therefore logically coming first, [[Windblade issue 2|''Windblade'' #2]]'s cover showing them being rebuilt, and [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|''More than Meets the Eye'' #29]] depicting them on Earth, with Prime now in an Earth-mode body. This cover appears to be paying slight homage to the cover of the [[The Transformers (issue)|first issue of the Marvel Comics series]], with Optimus crushing a Decepticon in mid-air.
<gallery>
File:RID29 cvr.jpg|
File:RID29 subcvr.jpg|
File:RID29 cvrRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===

*''Robots in Disguise'' #30
*''[[The Transformers: Windblade|Windblade]]'' [[Windblade issue 2|#2]]
*''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' [[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|#29]]
*IDW ''Littlest Pet Shop'' comic
*IDW: Getting Into Your Head for 15 Years (back cover)

==External links==
*[http://www.newsarama.com/21204-optimus-prime-vs-the-human-race-in-transformers-rid-29.html Preview]

Talk:Mike Costa

2014-05-18T04:35:28Z

PCNTRP:

[[Image:Mike Costa.jpg|thumb]]

Don't you guys think that his picture caption should be mocking his overuse of Humanz R Teh Awsumest in Ongoing? First Skywarp through the power of T.V, then Prowl from observation of humans, changes from a bot of logic to an self sacrificing idiot , followed by Prime telling that there are thing he can learn from the humans instead of leading his stranded Autobots. Finally we have Super Spike who single-handedly takes down Scrapper with kitchen products. Also maybe point how much Costa is trying to shove Spike down our throats like Shane did with Driff in AHM.
:I desperately want to find some way to blast this idea out of the water, but I can't. I'll let others try. --[[User:-Blackout-|-Blackout-]] 11:13, 22 June 2010 (EDT)
::I dunno if it should be that specifically, but the current caption ain't that hot either. Costa, while probably more popular than McCarthy, does have his fair share of detractors too. He's no "deliverance" from weak writing, that's for sure. --[[User:Nu-Priest|Nu-Priest]] 13:42, 22 June 2010 (EDT)
:The caption should be "Its amazing how [http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/comics-16/idw-transformers-comic-writer-mike-costa-reflects-on-transformers-173922/ one interview] can make a guy from being as hated as much as Pat Lee to being the Hitler against Transformers fandom' Or something to this effect--[[User:Mrgalvaprime|Mrgalvaprime]] 00:59, 9 December 2011 (EST)

Man, how did I know that with one interview this page could so quickly become another hit piece. Jesus. --[[User:ItsWalky|ItsWalky]] 00:14, 9 December 2011 (EST)

"Taking his two All Hail Megatron coda stories as one, he currently sits at a total of thirty five issues across his two year run. This ranks behind only Simon Furman and Bob Budiansky in terms of number of Transformers comics written, something Costa is stunned by."
Costa can relax now; James Roberts has two issues of the ongoing, 29 issues of MTMTE, five from Wreckers, and three spotlights as of this writing, plus Death of Optimus Prime, for a total of forty. John Barber's creeping up there as well, with 29 RID, Death of Optimus Prime, and two Spotlights, giving him 32 issues of G1 comics (if you count the rest of his work, he winds up with fifty-two). So Costa is at best fourth place now, and he'll be fifth by August if he isn't already.[[User:PCNTRP|PCNTRP]] ([[User talk:PCNTRP|talk]]) 00:35, 18 May 2014 (EDT)

Talk:Mike Costa

2014-05-18T04:35:13Z

PCNTRP: