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Nightbeat (G1)

2016-08-08T18:22:32Z

RFLaum: /* IDW Generation 1 continuity */

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{{disambig3|Nightbeat}}
:''Nightbeat is an [[Autobot]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:Nightbeatg1.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Nightbeat in: "The Mystery of the Jaunty Irish Jig!"]]
'''Nightbeat''', a self-declared detective, loves mystery, suspense, and conspiracy. When Nightbeat is on the trail for clues, nothing else matters. This monomania has famously gotten him into trouble over his head more times than he can count, yet in the face of adversity, he remains cool, confident, and even irreverent. He has insulted creatures many times his size and committed huge faux-pas to uncover the truth. It is not so much that Nightbeat is brave, but more that, when the thrill of the hunt has him, he will not be denied.

Nightbeat has a [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] partner, [[Muzzle]], whom he gets along ''amazingly'' well with. The two seem to have been of one mind even before they were [[Binary bonding|binary bonded]].

Occasionally he is an ancient [[Titan Master]].

{{bigquote|For me, it's all about the '''details'''. Look closely at something and it'll make sense. If it '''doesn't''', look '''closer'''.|Nightbeat|"[[Omega's Conundrum]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Sirennightbeatbigshutdown.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|"Nightbeat, I thought 'Truth is revealed in the smallest detail' is what you always say."{{-}} "...Shut up, Siren."]]
''Shortly after being made a [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] and joining [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s crew on Earth, Nightbeat learned of a mysterious robot corpse which had seemingly washed up on the California shoreline. He decided to investigate, bringing along [[Siren (G1)|Siren]] to serve as his personal "Watson". At the scene of the crime, they found a pair of Transformers hovering over [[Playback|the body]], and who quickly burned rubber once they spotted the Autobots. Sending Siren off to chase them down, Nightbeat pulled out the giant retractable magnifying glass in his sleeve and went to work collecting evidence from the body.''

''Finding a serial brand from a Decepticon prison on the body, and identifying a signature Decepticon blaster as the murder weapon, Nightbeat concluded that a lone, well-armed Decepticon was hunting down escaped Autobot prisoners. Siren returned at that moment, correcting Nightbeat's analysis by informing him the prisoners weren't escapees, but deliberately let loose as prey to be hunted down. His source? The surviving prisoner, [[Hosehead (G1)|Hosehead]], and the lone, well-armed Decepticon named [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] who was right on their tails. Thinking quickly, Nightbeat had his Nebulan partner Muzzle binary-bond with the dead Autobot in order to partially reactivate his motor functions. Caught off-guard by his prey supposedly coming back to life right in front of him, Thunderwing left himself wide open when Muzzle disengaged and Nightbeat blew up the Autobot's fuel core at close enough range to send Thunderwing packing into the waves to dose the flames. Hosehead then returned to the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] with Nightbeat and Siren.'' {{storylink|The Big Shutdown!}}

[[File:Nightbeatdeathbringer.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Get your head out of 1984, Prime!]]
''Optimus Prime was confiding in Nightbeat his desire to find a way to restore the warriors who were destroyed during the [[Underbase Saga]] when they received a distress signal from the Earth's surface. Nightbeat assembled a combat team that included [[Landmine (G1)|Landmine]], Siren, Hosehead, [[Getaway]], and himself, and under Optimus Prime's command, they rushed to Earth to help their fallen comrades. There they found the [[Deathbringer (Marvel)|Deathbringer]], who had come to cleanse the planet of life. Ironically, Deathbringer was powered by the energies of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]], the very thing Prime had desired earlier to restore his fallen warriors! And it must be destroyed to save Earth! While the rest of the combat team were getting slaughtered by Deathbringer, Nightbeat pulled away and consulted via comlink [[Waverider]] on the Ark. Through Waverider's information digging, Nightbeat learned that Deathbringers are mechanoids who are designed to give death painlessly to the terminally ill. Though this particular Deathbringer's purpose had been twisted, Nightbeat used its own programming against it. Nightbeat told the Deathbringer that its own body was diseased, and it should destroy itself. It did, leaving Nightbeat and Prime a hollow victory with questions about the true essence of the Matrix.'' {{storylink|Deathbringer (issue)|Deathbringer}}

''Later, Thunderwing emerged from the ocean, intent on destroying Nightbeat, Hosehead, and Siren, the Autobots who had defeated him earlier.'' {{storylink|Rage!}} ''To this end, he led his troops on a suicidal attack on the Ark. Though Thunderwing and his troops were forced to retreat, when he returned to Cybertron he was named Decepticon leader for his single-minded ruthlessness.'' {{storylink|Assault on the Ark!}}

[[File:Nightbeatincontrol.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|But what does he think about waterboarding?]]
During the Matrix Quest, Nightbeat led Hosehead and Siren on a search of the planet [[Pz-Zazz]] for any sign of the Matrix. Pz-Zazz was on file as a vibrant, lush world; in reality it was a cesspool, festering with mob violence and untamed decadence. While questioning the wrong sort of people, the Autobots were caught in the middle of a crossfire between B'hgdad's men and Gutt's boys. One alien on the street fared worse than they did, passing on a mysterious [[bird|bird statue]] to Siren before dying in his arms. Despite Nightbeat's keen interest in the clear film noir plot developing around them, Siren and Hosehead convinced him to put the bird aside and continue searching for the Matrix.

At the next bar they were canvassing, the Autobots were confronted by the delightful Miss [[Fatale]]. Fatale informed them of a legendary Font of Life which had once lit a nearby mountaintop. The sick and weak would pilgrimage to the mountain in order to touch a "sacred idol" and heal their wounds. She offered to lead them to the temple on the mountain in exchange for the bird, which she claimed was her property. Suspicious, Nightbeat sent Hosehead and Siren ahead to the mountain with Fatale while he retrieved the bird from where they had stashed it. Confronted by B'hgdad and his men, Nightbeat only managed to escape after chipping off a piece of the bird's outer enamel, revealing the radiant life-source within. Briefly considering keeping the bird as a replacement for the Matrix, to help heal all his comrades aboard the Ark, Nightbeat quickly rejected the idea and returned the bird to its rightful place on the mountain's altar, releasing waves of pure light and hope to revitalize Pz-Zazz and its people.

Then he got shot in the back. No good deed goes unpunished. {{storylink|Bird of Prey!}}

Thunderwing and his [[Mayhem Attack Squad]] had gotten wind of Autobot parties searching this one area of the galaxy, and his curiosity was piqued. Hooking Nightbeat and the others up to his torturous [[Mind Leech]] device, Thunderwing extracted all he needed to know about the Matrix Quest and the possible planets on the search list. {{storylink|Kings of the Wild Frontier.}} The Autobot trio remained captives on board the [[Thunderwing's ship|Decepticon ship]] until Thunderwing backhanded his minion [[Ruckus (G1)|Ruckus]] into some equipment. {{storylink|Deadly Obsession}} This caused a short circuit which, unknown to the Decepticons, freed Nightbeat and his team. {{storylink|Dark Creation}} Learning that Thunderwing had successfully found the Matrix in their absence and was planning to sneak aboard the Ark in a stolen [[Ark shuttlecraft|Autobot shuttle]], Nightbeat and pals stowed away on the shuttle in the hopes of disrupting the Decepticons' schemes somehow.

[[File:Nightbeatmatrixguideme.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Stop writing our captions for us, Nightbeat.]]
The situation was worse than they thought. The Matrix was corrupted from a series of unstable hosts, and now had an evil sentience that had overwhelmed Thunderwing and made him a puppet to its will. With the combined forces of the Ark unable to best the Thunderwing / Matrix combo, Nightbeat devised a desperate plan. As Siren triggered the shuttle's self-destruct sequence, Nightbeat fired the ship's grappling harpoon straight through Thunderwing's chest and shut off the docking clamps, just as Hosehead turned off the [[artificial gravity]] in the hangar bay. The result was the shuttle being sucked out into the black void, taking Thunderwing and the Matrix along with it before exploding. Thunderwing was last seen hurtling through space, still harpooned to a piece of flaming debris. {{storylink|All Fall Down}}

[[File:Nightbeateyeofthestorm.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|And a second gunman! On the grassy knoll!]]
Optimus Prime next gave Nightbeat an investigational assignment to look into the disappearance and supposed death of [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] in a massive explosion on Cybertron some months back. After review witness statements and making a few leaps of deductive logic, Nightbeat reached the hypothesis that Ratchet may have been cast into a [[trans-time dimensional portal|dimensional portal]] they knew had been active at the time of the explosion, and then been caught between space as the explosion destroyed the delicate portal mechanism. To test his theory, Nightbeat arranged for an inter-dimensional probe to search for and retrieve Ratchet's spark signature in [[Transwarp|unspace]], assuming it was anywhere to be found. {{storylink|Eye of the Storm}}

It was. Ratchet reappeared on the Ark fused at a molecular level to Megatron. This wasn't a [[Silverbolt (BW)|"pure, strong, and fast"]] fusion; it was a horrific blending of two mechanoids, both in constant and indescribable agony. Prime managed to subdue the creature, and Autobot medic [[Fixit (G1)|Fixit]] took steps to separate the pair, who were then placed in stasis chambers. {{storylink|The Pri¢e of Life!}} During the aftermath, Optimus Prime surrendered his forces, including Nightbeat, to [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok's]] Decepticons on Earth, hoping to use his desperate action to unite both factions against [[Unicron]]. This alliance was about to form when the entire Decepticon base imploded in on itself due to an attack from [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]'s small team of rival Decepticon forces. {{storylink|Surrender!}} Nightbeat survived this initial strike, and along with Optimus Prime and the other Autobots, emerged and tried to keep the new Decepticon Civil War from spreading beyond the area. Optimus charged himself and Nightbeat with keeping Scorponok specifically out of Manhattan. {{storylink|...All This and Civil War 2}} However, when [[G.B. Blackrock]]'s team of robot-fighting mutants, the [[Neo-Knights]] arrived, Nightbeat was the first to fall at the hands of the psychotic [[Circuit Breaker (G1)|Circuit Breaker]]. As the fighting neared its end, and the alliance began to form again, [[Primus]] teleported the Earth-bound Transformers to Cybertron; Nightbeat's antenna was in contact with the Neo-Knight's helicopter, accidentally bringing them to Cybertron as well! {{storylink|Out of Time!}}

[[File:Nightbeatsnapdragon.jpg|upright=0.9|thumb|Oh no! Muzzle!]]
Once on Cybertron, Nightbeat, able to stand up again, watched as Primus spoke through [[Emirate]] [[Xaaron]], telling "his children" of their origin and their charge to defeat Unicron. {{storylink|The Void! (US)|The Void!}} Once Unicron arrived, the alliance was put to the test, and Nightbeat was among several Autobots who utilized [[sky-sled]]s in their attacks on the Dark God. Nightbeat survived this cataclysmic battle. {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}}

Nightbeat was seen nailing both an Autobot and Decepticon logo on the wall of their fragile alliance's headquarters {{storylink|Still Life!}} and joined the Autobots in their delayed evacuation of Cybertron. As they headed for [[Klo]], he urged [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] to cool down and save his bring-a-prick for the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Last Autobot?}} Unfortunately, the Decepticons were aware of the Autobots' surprise attack, and all but five Autobots were destroyed. [[Snapdragon (G1)|Snapdragon]] kicked a head away from Nightbeat's remains. {{storylink|End of the Road! (US)|End of the Road!}}

{{note|It can be assumed that Nightbeat was revived along with the other casualties by the [[Last Autobot]].}}
=====Another Time & Place=====
{{note|The "Another Time & Place" text story was meant to be a conclusion to the Marvel continuity, but its events were ignored by ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)|Generation 2]]''. It was [[Withered Hope|later labeled]] a "dead end" [[splinter timeline]].}}

When the Decepticons took control of the [[Nucleon (substance)|Nucleon]] on [[Hydrus Four]], Nightbeat joined a commando unit of Autobots to infiltrate their position. Their first obstacle was [[Fangry]], but luck was on their side. The Decepticon tracker was looking to kill something, and bent waaaaay over the water trying to skewer a fish. Nightbeat just had to give him a tiny nudge, and Fangry fell over into the waiting arms of the Autobots hidden in the murky water. {{storylink|Another Time & Place}}

====''Transformers Comic-Magazin''====
Nightbeat was present when Powermaster Optimus Prime led the Autobots against the joint Decepticon leaders Shockwave and Megatron, who had tried to hijack the oil reserves of [[Alaska]]. Nightbeat was hit by a laser, causing him to transform into [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]]. The Autobots drove off the Decepticons, but not before [[Quickmix (G1)|Quickmix]] shot a minibot because he turned off his targeting computer. Optimus then sat his troops down and explained to them the differences between Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 2|Attack at Dawn}}

Recordings of of the attack on Alaska, along with Optimus Prime reviewing Nightbeat's characteristics to Bumblebee, were used in a wayward simulation experienced by [[Bumblebee (G1)|Goldbug]]. {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 15|Memories of Bumblebee}}

Nightbeat was among the Autobots who fought to safeguard the nuclear arms at Nevada Alpha. {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 8|Save Nevada Alpha}}

====Marvel ''Generation 2'' comic====
[[File:Dirge DeathSwarm.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|We hate you, Furman, forever.]]
Nightbeat worked on a computer console as Optimus Prime and Megatron observed some data on the [[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]]. When [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]'s [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronian army]] attacked the base, Nightbeat's console exploded, sending him flying across the room. {{storylink|Swarm (issue)|Swarm}}

He later appeared among the Autobot forces just long enough to sacrifice himself futilely against the Swarm, self-destructing alongside [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]]. Moments later, Megatron showed up with the [[rheanimum]] that could have saved him. {{storylink|A Rage in Heaven!}}
{{-}}

====''Classics''====
{{noteclassics}}
[[File:Nightbeatsirencheapshots.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|Detective by trade, but moonlights as a babysitter.]]
When the war ended with the Decepticons' defeat on Klo, Nightbeat initially accepted [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]]'s offer to search the galaxy for [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] and his scattered troops. However, Nightbeat soon tired of this mission and left. He and his former [[Binary bonding|binary bonded]] partner [[Muzzle]] were put back on track when Optimus hired them as his personal investigative agents, but they quickly found themselves stifled by military authority, and struck out on their own. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 22|''Classics'' Muzzle profile}} They teamed up with [[Siren (G1)|Siren]] and his partner [[Quig]], and afterwards picked up [[Lug]] from [[Nebulos]] {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 22|''Classics'' Lug profile}} The group was afterwards joined by a new [[human]] recruit, [[Minerva (Masterforce)|Minerva]]. [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] and [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] became part of the gang when the two intoxicated Dinobots burst in on one of their sting operations. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 22|''Classics'' Slag profile}} Together, they formed a detective agency and began scouring the galaxy for mysteries to solve. {{storylink|At Fight's End}} {{storylink|Cheap Shots}}

[[File:Nightbeatcheapshotsnoggin.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|You'd lose the ears, too, if you hung out with Siren.]]
Nightbeat's crew once had to <s>set their ship down on the planet [[Azure]] for repairs</s> crash their ship into the only repair bay on Azure equipped to repair their ship, and they were stranded there for the interim. After a barroom brawl, Nightbeat found that he was a person of interest to a potential client, a sentient ship named ''[[Amory]]''. ''Amory'' required the services of Nightbeat and his team in finding her pilot, [[Phyrion]]. However, the entire arrangement was a setup put together by the Decepticons [[Ruckus (G1)|Ruckus]] and [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]], who had assembled an alleged "new [[Mayhem Attack Squad]]" by promising payment to [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]] and [[Stranglehold]] for their assistance. Ruckus wasn't very smart, however, and had brought his hostage with him. The Decepticons were brutalized and Phyrion was returned to ''Amory''. Regretting her involvement, ''Amory'' paid the Autobots for her services, plus she chipped in for a new head for Nightbeat, as his was damaged during the battle.

Despite their short run-in with good luck, Nightbeat and his crew were still stranded on Azure without a working ship. In the meantime, surely someone was in need of a detective... {{storylink|Cheap Shots}}
{{-}}

====''Regeneration One''====
{{noterg1}}
[[File:Zero unit the war to end all wars.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67|"I'm afraid we're not going to get much help from the Batcomputer, Robin. It can't go back to prehistoric times." ]]
When "[[Primus]]" set [[Hot Rod/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] adrift in [[Zero Space]] he witnessed a series of events that could spell the end of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] including Nightbeat and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] battling the [[Dark Matrix (G1)|Dark Matrix]]-infected [[Deathbringer (Marvel)|Deathbringer]]. {{storylink|Less Than Zero}} After becoming Rodimus Prime, he formed Nightbeat and [[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]] into the "[[Zero Unit]]", a group tasked with finding the cause of the Zero Effect around.

Working out of [[Ops-Command HQ]], the Zero Unit decided that out of the four disparate strands of the Zero Effect, their time would be best spent investigating the missing Senator [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]], realising that as a prominent Cybertronian he would most likely have had offworld dealings. They sent bulk pulsewaves to any mech civilisations that might have encountered him asking for information but received nothing back in reply until they launched a probe... and suddenly Jhiaxus's entire fleet materialised in the skies above Cybertron! {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 1}}

Rodimus returned to the [[Presidium (building)|Presidium]] to consult with Nightbeat, Bumblebee and [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]]. They cautioned against making any aggressive moves, instead advising the Autobot leader to meet with Jhiaxus at the [[Eugenesis Plaza]] where he could be covered by snipers nearby. The Zero Unit monitored the situation as Prime took the [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronian]] leader to [[Nova Point]] to continue their conversation in "private", moving in along with [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] the moment diplomacy went out of the window and Jhiaxus turned violent. Nightbeat directed [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] to attend to the casualties while he, [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] and [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] dug out their leader. Appraising Prime of the situation, he noted that the Zero Unit had managed to capture a large amount of data during the Cybertronians' visit and had perhaps come up with a way to hurt them, convincing Rodimus to take the fight to the enemy. {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 2}}

[[File:Nightbeat the war to end all wars.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|"To the Beat-Mobile!!"{{-}}"You mean your Chevy?"{{-}}"...Yes."]]
Along with [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], [[Kup (G1)|Kup]], [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] and Bumblebee, Nightbeat landed at area 59, subdivision 17.4, branch 5: Z-9-#J-4 of the [[Hub (G2)|Hub Network]] and using telemetry from the probe they had launched and structural analysis of the Hub itself, he postulated that striking a key link of the superstructure—with the warhead yields synchronised with the local frequency harmonics—would cause a chain reaction, destroying the whole network. While the Autobot ships ''[[Lancer One]]'' and ''[[Lancer Two]]'' launched the warheads successfully, Jhiaxus had anticipated this entire strategy and taken steps to protect the Hub. He then sent his troops to retaliate against the invading Autobot forces, forcing Rodimus Prime to surrender. {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 3}}

Locked up in the [[Corral]] and forced to watch their comrades being arbitrarily executed, Nightbeat and the rest of the Autobots were eventually freed when Rodimus Prime took advantage of the distraction afforded by the [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]]/[[Underbase]] and [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]/[[Ark (G1)|Ark]] hybrids. {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 4}}

Upon their return to Cybertron they found that it was a ghost planet, populated by energy-draining [[shadow-leech]]es that Nightbeat quickly surmised were deadly to the touch after they sucked the lives out of [[Hosehead (G1)|Hosehead]] and [[Slingshot (G1)|Slingshot]]. As Rodimus Prime headed into Zero Space to confront the leeches' Dark Matrix master, the rest of the Autobots secured the [[Star Chamber]] where Nightbeat deduced that the situations unfolding on [[Earth]] and [[Nebulos]] were also part of the Dark Matrix's plan and dispatched teams of Autobots via [[space bridge]] to deal with them. {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 5}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
[[File:Nightbeatageofwrath.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|''War Within'' Nightbeat transforms into Roger Clemens.]]
One of the few remaining Autobots battling the Decepticons during the [[Age of Internment]], Nightbeat was leader of a strike team consisting of Hosehead, Siren, [[Slapdash (G1)|Slapdash]], [[Joyride (G1)|Joyride]], and [[Getaway]]. They were tasked with acquiring a member of the [[Air Warrior|Aerospace Extermination Squadron]] for [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] to study and, hopefully, find some sort of defense against. Using Getaway as a decoy with the rest of the team hiding under a [[null-field cloak]], they managed to lure three of them into a trap at [[Nova Cronum]]. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.2}} After the first two drones were destroyed, the third simply shut itself down. As Nightbeat discussed the best course of action with [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], he approached it with an [[inhibitor claw]] - only for it to suddenly reactivate and slam Nightbeat against a wall, temporarily knocking him out of commission. Nightbeat revived shortly afterwards but was helpless to stop the rampaging drone, which was eventually put down by Getaway. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.3}}
{{note|Due to [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]'s closure, the ''War Within'' series ended prematurely. Years later, [[Simon Furman]] released the unpublished scripts to the final three issues: Nightbeat and Getaway brought the inert drone to Perceptor, who discovered upon analyzing it that it was powered by cyberstatic energy. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.4}} When Optimus finally returned to Cybertron, Nightbeat and Perceptor brought him up to date with their current situation. Under his leadership, the Autobots were able to overthrow Megatron and thwart a Quintesson invasion. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.6}}}}
{{-}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
{{ongoing}}
[[File:Nightbeat quark maccadams post hoc.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|Quark finds out that his role of Dr. Watson has been recast for Hardhead.]]
'''Nightbeat of [[Yuss]]''' {{storylink|The Not Knowing}} was [[reproduction#IDW Generation 1 continuity|constructed cold]]. He was in fact the first of the first wave of constructed cold Cybertronian brought online. {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}} Four million years ago, Nightbeat was a hostage negotiator with an interest in political news. He disapproved of the [[Clampdown (event)|Clampdown]] and watched the early Decepticon movement with interest. Nightbeat was sharing a drink outside of [[Maccadam's Old Oil House|Maccadam's New Oil House]] with his friend [[Quark]] when they discovered the body of Senator [[Sherma]] hanging from the underside of the [[Sherma Bridge|Interstate Bridge]]. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}}

Years later, Nightbeat was assigned by [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta Prime]] to work a hostage exchange with [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]] and [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]]. The whole thing turned out to be a trap set by [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] to capture Alpha Trion. Nightbeat and the others managed to get away while Orion Pax covered their escape. {{storylink|Omega's Conundrum}}

After the war officially began, Nightbeat was part of the [[113th Battalion]] and took part in a massive battle against [[Black Shadow (Victory)|Black Shadow]]. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}}

[[File:Nightbeat The Hunting Party.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]
Some time after Metroplex's departure from Cybertron, Nightbeat, [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]], and [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] were in space pursuing [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]'s [[Empirion|ship]] from a distance, trying to put a stop to them despite being outnumbered and outmatched. When Bludgeon found a remote asteroid with a small civilization of [[Urtuskian]]s and his troops attacked the outpost, the Autobots intervened to save as many lives as they could. Nightbeat was left on the asteroid's surface while Jetfire took care of the Decepticons' shuttle, and Bumblebee pursued Thundercracker down a tunnel. Though tired after having been through a long day, Nightbeat warded off the Decepticons until they broke off their attack. With their ship destroyed, Nightbeat and the others found themselves stuck on the planetoid for an unspecified amount of time. Thankfully, this was another of those "Bumblebee makes a friend" stories, as Nightbeat put it, and so they had hospitable hosts until they were rescued. {{storylink|The Hunting Party (IDW)|The Hunting Party}}

Decades ago, [[Flame (Marvel)|Flame]] was tried by [[Aequitas]] for several crimes as [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]], [[Tyrest (G1)|Chief Justice Tyrest]], [[Xaaron]], Nightbeat, and others watched in disgust and/or intrigue. They decided that the records of the trials would be sealed until the final verdict would be reached, for fear of the damage the information about the trials would do to Autobot morale and potential for Decepticon propaganda usage. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|last Stand of the Wreckers #5}} Nightbeat also participated in the infamous [[Magnus Inquiry]] in [[Room 113]] of the [[Kimia Facility]], where High Command investigated allegations that "[[Gideon's Glue]]", the substance which brought such devastation on Flame's original troop on [[Babu Yar]], had been created originally by an Autobot. The investigation was ultimately inconclusive, and no formal charges were filed. {{storylink|Bullets}}

At some point Nightbeat was talking with Rewind, who recorded what he said. {{storylink|The Gloaming}}

[[File:SpotlightNightbeat NightbeatKrakon.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|Nightbeat, star of CSI: Kalis.]]
Nightbeat, passing the time by trying to answer the mystery of the first ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'', went to meet with a mechanoid trader named [[Krakon]], only to find him dead by unknown means. Nightbeat followed the clues that the late Krakon (and his killers) left behind and was lured into an apparent trap on [[Gorlam Prime]]. He found a strange dimensional portal deep beneath the world, but got captured by an [[Straxus (G1)|unknown villain]] before he could tell anyone. They put something in his head, erased his memory, and then sent him back out into space. Shortly thereafter he was contacted by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] and ordered to head for [[Earth]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Nightbeat}}

Nightbeat was one of the many bots surprised to hear of Blaster's miraculous return. {{storylink|Spotlight: Blaster}}

Aboard ''[[Ark-32]]'', Nightbeat arrived in Earth orbit with [[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod]] and [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] in tow just as Optimus Prime and his troops were confronting [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] head-on in the breakaway Soviet state of [[Brasnya]]. {{storylink|Escalation issue 3|Escalation #3}} While his two rather over-eager companions headed to the surface, Nightbeat remained aboard the ship and provided intel for the Autobots below. {{storylink|Escalation issue 4|Escalation #4}}

Planetside, Hot Rod succeeded in carrying out his primary mission, the capture of the Decepticons' [[Facsimile construct|facsimile avatar]]. Anxious to re-join the battle, he requested Nightbeat to send him through a double orbital bounce—transporting him up to the ship just long enough to drop off his captive, then returning to the planet. Nightbeat was rather bemused at the thought of the thrill-seeking Hot Rod abandoning a combat zone, but complied. At that instant, though, [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] and [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] arrived and attacked Hot Rod. Nightbeat reported back to [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] that Hot Rod was in a [[CR chamber]], and the facsimile—injured by flak—had expired. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}}

[[File:Nightbeat-devastation1.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|left|I can bluff my way through anything, he thought, even Pictionary.]]
After [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker's]] disappearance, Nightbeat began investigating the sequence of events that led to his capture. Examining the [[SM-40]] Notepad stolen by [[Verity Carlo]], he discovered a homing device that had allowed Sunstreaker's unknown assailants to discover the underwater location of ''[[Ark-19]]''. Nightbeat ordered [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] on a scouting mission along the shores of [[Lake Michigan]], where Bumblebee discovered a great deal of advanced surveillance equipment. Deducing that ''Ark-19''’s location was compromised, Nightbeat advised Optimus and Prowl to move the ship immediately. Nightbeat handled navigation chores as the ship lifted off. Unfortunately, the Decepticon [[Sixshot]] attacked shortly thereafter, sending ''Ark-19'' plummeting to Earth. {{storylink|Devastation issue 1|Devastation #1}}

Per Optimus Prime's order, Nightbeat transferred the damaged ship's data to ''Ark-32'', then moved with the other Autobots to the ship's cargo bay shortly before it crashed into the [[Gulf of Mexico]] and self-destructed. {{storylink|Devastation issue 2|Devastation #2}}

Nightbeat and the others survived, however {{storylink|Devastation issue 3|Devastation #3}} and while the other Autobots battled Sixshot, Nightbeat attempted to activate the orbital bounce abilities of the ''Ark-32''. After a few Autobot injuries, Nightbeat was able to beam them up to the ship, along with [[Jimmy Pink]] and Verity Carlo, who nearly died during the bounce. Optimus Prime stayed behind to battle Sixshot alone, but once Sixshot left the battle, Nightbeat also evacuated Prime seconds before an air strike by the U.S. military. {{storylink|Devastation issue 4|Devastation #4}}

Afterward, Nightbeat studied the telemetry [[Hound (G1)|Hound]]'s unit sent on [[Leadfoot (G2)|Leadfoot's]] death. {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation #5}} After examining the data, Nightbeat observed that it was as though a virus of unlife had attacked and destroyed every living cyber-cell in Leadfoot simultaneously, in a fraction of a [[Units of time|nano-klik]]. While it was something he had never encountered before, he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that he had forgotten something important, as if his memory had been tampered with. Seeking inspiration to jog his memory, he went down to the hangar of ''Ark 32'' where his personal ship was stored. {{storylink|Devastation issue 6|Devastation #6}}

[[File:Nightbeatexecuted.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Watson had finally had enough of Holmes' lip.]]
He soon found out that he logged a message about his trip to Gorlam Prime, which he had no recollection of. He asked Hardhead to help him with his investigation. {{storylink|Spotlight: Cyclonus}}

Discovering a large part of his memory missing, a worried Nightbeat realised someone may have tampered with him and asked Hardhead to accompany him to Gorlam Prime, with orders to terminate Nightbeat if he turned. Upon arrival, they found the entire planet frozen. Nightbeat theorised that the planet was evolving somehow, from organic to techno-organic... to something like Cybertronians. His musings were interrupted by a force of small Transformers. As Hardhead held them off, Nightbeat found some kind of tunnels leading down to a strange cavern. There, losing control of himself, he turned his gun on Hardhead and [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] revealed himself to be in control of the Autobot. After providing some background on their plans, Jhiaxus, as Nightbeat, shot Hardhead in the head. However, he had not counted on Hardhead's resilience, and the Autobot escaped to the strange pool that served as a portal between the living and Dead universes. Jhiaxus attempted to persuade Hardhead into accepting a quick death over pointless resistance, but as he did so, Hardhead suddenly shot Nightbeat. As the Autobot died, Jhiaxus screamed, revealing to [[Nova Prime|Nemesis Prime]] that their agent was gone. Nemesis considered that he was now forced to take Nightbeat's mission as his own: Find and kill Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Spotlight: Hardhead}}

However, thanks to the Dead Universe, Nightbeat wasn't as dead as he seemed. Kept alive by it's properties, he was dragged into the other universe, unbeknownst to Hardhead or anyone else, included the fabled Necrobot. But his brush with death left Nightbeat feeling that there was no Afterspark, no life ''after'' death. {{storylink|The Not Knowing}}

[[File:FinestHour-Nightbeat.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67|Probably sounds like Benedict Cumberbatch.]]
Nightbeat would eventually reappear 7 years later, following Orion Pax's group when they entered the Dead Universe. {{storylink|Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|Black Metal}} He later appeared to the group after [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] started to leak strange fluids from his face. {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}} He then proceeded to convince them of his reliability by recounting the [[Spotlight: Hardhead|circumstances of his death]]. He then performed a cold-reading of Cyclonus and reassured him that [[Tailgate (G1)|his friend]] would recover, he finally started to lead the group to the contraction point of the Dead Universe.

All of this turned out to be a ruse on Nova Prime's part to lure the team into a trap with Nightbeat still being a sleeper agent. {{storylink|Finest Hour: Dark Cybertron Chapter 5|Finest Hour}} He was then left by Nova to protect the containment field that Pax's team were trapped in, he was briefly broken out of Nova's control by the contents of [[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]]' palm just before Nova Prime arrived. {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|No Exit}} He was then ordered to take the group to a separate cell where he explained that Nova was planning to use their [[spark]]s to strengthen the [[Kup (G1)|space bridge]] at the center of the Dead Universe.

He was broken out of Nova's control by Rodimus asking him to ask him the solve the mystery of what was in his palm and then he set them free from the cell. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|The Dead Are Not Enough}} He then led the team through the [[Sweep (G1)|Sweep]] horde to the chamber holding Kup and was there when Nova Prime arrived. {{storylink|Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Burning Bright}} He helped the others keep the Sweeps busy while Orion Pax fought Nova Prime and reclaimed the title of Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|Finis Temporis}}

However, the team still had more problems as the Dead Universe was rapidly contracting around them and the Gorlam Prime portal was nowhere to be found. Nightbeat found a miniscule tear in the fabric of the universe which the group used to send a transmission through to [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]]. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} The group escaped the Dead Universe in time to save [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] from [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], via [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]]'s chest. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} Unfortunately Nightbeat, Cyclonus and Kup started to collapse due to the destruction of the Dead Universe. He later explained to Rodimus how the group managed to escape the Dead Universe: by creating a Space Bridge from Nova Prime's corpse. He also explained to Brainstorm on why he had a space bridge in his chest, he was later interested in how Rodimus had gotten the ''[[Lost Light]]''. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

[[File:WordsHangInTheAir-Nightbeat.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Nightbeat's door is too cool for the silent K.]]
Nightbeat later joined the crew of the ''Lost Light''. Before Megatron's trial took place Nightbeat exposed [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]]'s "crew auditions" as fake due to the fact that Ultra Magnus would never allow them to be advertised as "Crewditions". He was also present at Megatron's trial on Luna-2. Six months later, Nightbeat was with [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] when he tried to get [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] to leave his hab suite (number 208) and was instead intrigued by the number 8 being missing from the door. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Toward Peace}} Chromedome approached the detective to investigate a sudden change in the content of [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind's]] [[The Gloaming|message]], Nightbeat was quick to blame the change on the mnemosurgeon's grief (as the message had returned to its normal content) but quickly changed his mind when he saw Rewind himself standing in the doorway to the room. On the way back to Nightbeat's quarters the detective explained that he had seen a [[data ghost]] of Rewind due to the little 'bot's function as an archivist but Nightbeat was shocked to find that the walls of his quarters had disappeared! {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}} As part of "Team Rodimus" Nightbeat was called in to investigate the dead body of a duplicate Rodimus. When Rodimus came to the conclusion that hacking off his right arm was the best way to proceed, Nightbeat stopped him. He reasoned that the body was not Rodimus' future self due to the Crisis Vote missing from his right hand. However, Rodimus revealed he had removed the results from his hand due to a talk with Ratchet, only to be ignored as the wall in the room disappeared.

When the entire ship began disintegrating Nightbeat and twenty other bots crammed into the new [[Rodpod]]. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}} Rodimus then put out an order that everyone was to regroup at Ofsted XVII. Crosscut then suddenly disappeared followed by Gears, Blaster, Huffer, Chromedome, Hound and Highbrow. Ravage then made his presence known and was knocked out by Megatron. Nightbeat dedicated himself to finding a pattern linking those who had been taken. Inspired by Cyclonus, he put forward the theory that those who were taken were all Forged. The theory seemed to be accepted by the M.T.O.s (Made to Order Soldiers) present only for Ratchet to point out several in the room where Forged and a few taken were constructed cold. Ultra Magnus eventually made contact with the Rodpod via holomatter and informed them everyone else had disappeared on the [[Leading Light]] only for he himself to disappear mid-sentence. Nightbeat then requested all the information on the crew trying to find the common denominator. It was only when Riptide revealed that he was '''not''' on board the ''Lost Light'' when it first launched did Nightbeat make the connection. Everyone who disappeared was part of the original crew. Megatron was not amused and scolded him for failing to save anyone. Nightbeat, rattled, tried (badly) to suggest that it still counted that he'd worked it out.

[[File:Slaughterhouse2-BeneathBrainstormsFaceplate.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|"Oh yeah? Then what is THIS?"]]
Shortly after the Rodpod arrived at Ofsted XVII and found a bisected ''Lost Light'' {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}} Boarding the ship, the Autobots released Ravage to use his tracking ability. Ravage eventually found a dead Ultra Magnus or rather [[Minimus Ambus]] stripped of his armour. Skids identified that Magnus had been killed by a [[Fusion cannon]] and Megatron and Ravage were locked up the Autobots at Megatron's request. Nightbeat and Nautica made their way to the engines to try and stop the leakage of quantum foam. The two began to discuss the strangeness of recent events and began to bond in the process, Nautica eventually came across Brainstorm's [[Time case|briefcase]]. Opening it they found nothing-failing to notice local space-time warping around them. Eventually they came to stairs leading to a lower deck, despite them being on the lowest deck. There they found [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord's]] headless corpse, Nightbeat realized who had attacked the ship and when he called his crew mates they all realized that the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] had attacked the ship. Nautica, however, refused to leave until they had searched the entire ship for survivors with Megatron arguing there would not be any. Ravage however soon detected Rewind hiding in the [[Magnus Armor]] {{storylink|slaughterhouse}}
Nightbeat's being alive, combined with a ''female'' Nautica and an ''Autobot'' Megatron proved too much for the alternate Rewind who began whimpering and offered a data slug to Nightbeat to explain what happened. While he analyzed it Nautica realized that the ''Lost Light'' undergone a quantum duplication at launch creating an exact copy, just as valid as the original. Nightbeat confirmed this saying the Rodimus they found in the coffin was from this ship and died during the [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] fiasco. Drift interred him and someone (according to Rewind ''deliberately'') deactivated Overlord's cell luring the D.J.D. to the ship. Nautica proposed deactivating the engines as the foam would destroy Ofsted XVII and theoretically restore their ship. Rewind offered to deactivate one of the quantum drums but would need someone of equal size to deactivate the other. The Autobots went to find the [[Mass-displacement gun]] that their Brainstorm invented hoping the alternate one had also built one, in order to shrink someone down to help Rewind. While there Nightbeat and Nautica theorized that the alternate Rewind and his altered message appeared on their ship due to cross-contamination. They concluded that their ship disappeared because of how close it got to the alternate one, the paradox being too massive to ignore. Nightbeat then made the startling discovery that Brainstorm had a Decepticon insignia painted in his faceplate and that made their Brianstorm a spy! When they could not find the gun, Megatron offered to shrink himself down and help Rewind. The drums were deactivated and the Autobots blasted off in Rodpod with the alternate Rewind in tow. Nightbeat and Nautica theorized over how Rewind survived the quantum erasure with Nightbeat joking it was the "Power of Love". Nautica then asked him to explain how he managed to hold onto the alternate Brainstorm's briefcase. {{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}}

It turned out the briefcase was actually part of an intricate time-travel machine. Nightbeat immediately went to work studying it, until Perceptor borrowed it.{{storylink|The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|The Custom-Made Now}}

A few days later, the ''Lost Light'' set down on Scarvix. While wandering the ship, Nightbeat nearly got hit by Tailgate joyriding about on a hoverboard. Shortly thereafter he was present at Brainstorm's hearing at the hands of the Lost Light Internal Legal Affairs Committee. {{storylink|Our Steps Will Always Rhyme}}

When Rodimus summoned the entire ship's crew to make the momentous announcement that they'd actually accomplished something, Nightbeat and Nautica were some of the last to actually arrive, something Nightbeat felt was cool. It turned out Thunderclash was dying, and the entire crew had been invited to his pre-wake on the ''Vis Vitalis''. Once there, Nightbeat was one of the four people present who didn't dance at all. Eventually, feeling judged by everyone else, he decided to borrow Nautica's wrench and go off for a snoop, brushing off Nautica's attempt to introduce him to her ''Amica Endura'' Firestar. He soon stumbled upon Getaway having a lie-down, and tried to fake concern at him. This was interrupted by a manic Ravage running past, babbling about "them" being "everywhere". Following him into the morgue, Nightbeat wasn't interested in the bodies contained within, until he looked over Getaway's corpse and found it was covered in ticks, which were also suddenly on Getaway too. Almost immediately, the two found themselves surrounded by strange shambling creatures. {{storylink|The Sensuous Frame}}

Sadly, the creatures did not appreciate Nightbeat determining how they'd managed to remain hidden, and attacked him. Fortunately, Ravage appeared to drive them off, and at Getaway's suggestion they fled the morgue, though not before Nightbeat took a moment to study Photon's corpse. The three soon met up with everyone else who'd ran into the creatures at the same time. Nightbeat began examining everyone, and found the creatures had already gotten to Skids, though he was confused as to why they seemed drawn to some people and not others. It was thanks to Firestar pointing out those people all had charismatic traits that finally clued Nightbeat in on what they were: personality ticks, something he'd always dismissed as a myth, but he worked it out from Firestar was burning a black diamond, which only came from the planet the idea originated on.

He had an idea to kill the creatures, summoning the most charismatic people he knew of to kill them, but before he could implement it, the ticks attacked again. As the motley crew fought the ticks, they suddenly perished at the arrival of Rodimus and Megatron, baffling Nightbeat, since he hadn't had a chance to summon them. Turned out some other bunch of people had already come up with the idea and done it themselves. Afterward, Nightbeat attended an Earth Dance party at Swerve's, where he contributed to the dancing by tapping his foot. {{storylink|The Frail Gaze}}

[[Image:Luther, Bender, and an engineer walk into a bar.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.3|]]

When Swerve disappeared suddenly and was found half-dead, it was Nightbeat that worked out how the bartender had been using a [[holomatter avatar]] to appear in public for him while he wasted away. Everyone went on a massive rescue effort on the hologram planet of "[[Swearth]]" in human avatars, with Nightbeat working with Rodimus, Nautica, and Megatron. While there, he rebuked Megatron for commenting that humans were fragile, believing the man was calling them weak. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}} It turned out the cause of Swerve's ailment was an old injury, inflicted during an encounter with the D.J.D. many years ago. When Velocity examined the wound, she found a message from Agent 113, which included the location of the Necrobot's homeworld. Naturally, the investigative Nightbeat leapt at the chance to "explain" that, and joined the expedition. When the ship landed, Nightbeat spotted the Necrobot at the front door of the vast structure he lived in, only to get the door slammed in his face. This did not deter Nightbeat, who made it clear he wouldn't leave until he got answers.

So the Necrobot opened the door and ushered him in. As they walked and talked, surprised to find the Necrobot (aka [[Censere]]) could talk, and was old. Old enough to remember [[First Cybertronian Civil War|the ''first'' war]]. Nightbeat expressed profound disappointment that the Necrobot wasn't in fact magic, that he was just a "phony" using technology to track death, rather than what Nightbeat wanted: proof of life after death, proof he hadn't gotten after his headshot back on Gorlam Prime, which was causing him a severe amount of distress. However, Censere countered that just because there wasn't proof of the Allspark didn't mean there ''wasn't'' either. Then Nightbeat asked why the Necrobot had let him in. It turned out it was because Nightbeat's unusual manner of death had made him a mystery, one of the disappeared. Learning of the list of the disappeared, Nightbeat examined it, and found the name of [[Dominus Ambus]], something he showed to a depressed Rewind. Later, as the crew prepared to leave, Nightbeat asked whether Censere would've saved him, had he been able to. When he was told he wouldn't, Nightbeat suggested that maybe the ancient 'bot should try saving those still living in the future. {{storylink|The Not Knowing}}

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{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}} {{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}} {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|The Sun in Flight}} {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|At Close of Day}} {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}}}}

===''Titans Return'' marketing material===
An ancient [[Titan Master]] as well as a skilled detective, Nightbeat helped crew the massive [[Titan (IDW)|Titan]] robots as they explored the universe near the dawn of time. His special spark gifts which he carried out to the friendly worlds they met and was able to share with any robot he joins with were enhanced tracking abilities. Upon returning in modern times he joined up with the Autobots.

==Commercial appearances==
[[File:NightbeatTV.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Feel the beat of the rhythm of the Nightbeat.]]
While being driven by [[Muzzle]] on the surface of an unidentified planet (with [[Siren (G1)|Siren]] and [[Hosehead (G1)|Hosehead]] at his side), Nightbeat transformed into [[robot mode]]. Shortly thereafter, three [[Decepticon]] Headmasters burst through a wall, and Nightbeat engaged [[Horri-Bull]] in battle. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Small Headmasters|Small Headmasters Commercial}}

{{note|This is the only time that Nightbeat's [[character model]] was animated. His "shades", like the eyes on his toy, would have been black, though they glow blue as Muzzle connects.}}
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==Games==
===''Transformers Legends''===
Early in the war, Nightbeat, Orion Pax and Alpha Trion escorted the Decepticon prisonners Rack'n'Ruin towards a prisoner exchange. After encountering Slicers and fending them off, the group met with Bludgeon, only to be ambushed by the Decepticons. In the confusion, Alpha Trion was captured, only to be later rescued by the combined efforts of Nightbeat and Orion. {{storylink|Orion's Gambit}}

Nightbeat teamed up with [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] to investigate when a suspicious pattern emerged in a string of Decepticon victories. They eventually uncovered [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'s infiltration and sent the Decepticon and his tapes packing. {{storylink|Covert Operations}}

Nightbeat and [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] were dispatched from the [[Lost Light]] to explore a distant planet. There they met a group of Decepticons, and joined forces with them to battle their mutual foes, the [[Ammonite]]s. Though several Ammonite attacks were thwarted by the alliance, soon differing opinions caused infighting in the group. Eventually, both the Ammonites and the Decepticons were defeated, and the two Autobots returned to their spaceship. {{storylink|Into the Abyss}}
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===''Transformers: Battle Tactics''===
[[File:BattleTacticsNightbeat.jpg|thumb|right|400px|His objective here is to find out what is the purpose of these battles.]]
Nightbeat participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He was an Rare character that could be recruited by collecting 75 units of Cybermetal, 35 units of Transmetal, and 20 soldier cores. {{storylink|Transformers: Battle Tactics}}
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==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[File:G1Nightbeat toy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Too cool for Playskool.]]
*'''Nightbeat with Muzzle''' (Headmaster, [[1988]])
**''Accessories'': "Muzzle" Headmaster driver, seat/helmet, "Plasma Blaster" rifle, right and left "[[Photon pistol|Photon Pistols]]"

:Nightbeat transforms into a blue and yellow Porsche 959. The roof is hinged and can be opened to reveal an interior that his Headmaster unit, Muzzle, can sit inside of. His head guns can be stored just above the headlights while his rifle can be plugged onto the roof.

:In [[robot mode]], like all Headmaster toys, Nightbeat has a flip-down panel on his chest which covers a spring-loaded mini-[[Tech Spec|Tech-Spec]]-meter which gives readings for Speed, Strength and Intelligence. The tumblers are activated when Muzzle (or any other Headmaster unit) is plugged into his neck socket. Muzzle has Nightbeat's face plainly visible on his back because, as a smaller Headmaster toy, he lacks the flip down panel that covers the face, featured on larger Headmasters. As another consequence of being a smaller Headmaster, his chest cavity was apparently too small for 3 individual tumblers. As a result, all Headmaster heads inserted will display Nightbeat's pre-molded (and painted) Speed, Strength, and Intelligence readings (7, 5, 8) on one large sliding plate.

:He shares a mold with the Japanese ''[[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (toyline)|Super-God Masterforce]]'' [[Headmaster Junior]], [[Minerva (Masterforce)|Minerva]], who also got a mail-order exclusive version in Nightbeat's colors.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1988/Autobot/Nightbeat/nightbeat.htm More information on Nightbeat at TFU.info]''
::*''[http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPATD311042&id=O6IoAAAAEBAJ&pg=RA1-PA4#PPA2,M1 Nightbeat's patent on Google.]''
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===Timelines===
[[File:Nightbeattimelinestoy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your...]]
*'''Nightbeat''' (Deluxe, [[2008]])
**''Accessories:'' Missile launcher, missile, radar

:This [[redeco]]/[[retool]] of ''[[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|Energon]]'' [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] is one of two 2008 [[Fun Publications]] Fan Club exclusives. The new head is based on the character model's head (by which we mean [[Siren (G1)|Siren]]'s with some nods to the toy-Nightbeat's, see Notes below), but is missing its "ears" thanks to clearance and production timing issues. Nightbeat comes with a clear-plastic spring-loaded missile launcher. He can also form the top or bottom half of a combined robot with any other "[[Powerlinx]]"-style 2-bot combiner toy. Though the toy is compatible with the [[energon star]]s from its parent toyline, its [[spark crystal]] lacks the internal chroming characteristic of earlier uses of the mold.

:Nightbeat was originally announced to be available by [[BotCon 2008]] in April, but after multiple delays, preorders finally went up months later on [[August 27]], 2008, with a release date of "within four weeks" of September 30, 2008.

:The retooled version of this mold was used to create ''[[Transformers: Shattered Glass (toyline)|Shattered Glass]]'' [[Nightbeat (SG)|Nightbeat]] at [[BotCon 2008]]'s customization class.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/TFCCNightbeat/nightbeat.htm More information on ''Timelines'' Nightbeat at TFU.info]''
::*''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnhbeRLlVnI Promotional YouTube video for Timelines Nightbeat, featuring lots of spinny-spinny]''
{{EnergonHotShotMold}}
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===Generations===
[[File:Generationstoy-Nightbeat.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Why is he not a retool of Jazz? That's a mystery for ''[[you]]'' to find out.]]
*'''Nightbeat''' (Deluxe, [[2014]])
**''Series / Number'': '''02 / #020'''
**''Accessories:'' 2 blasters

:Part of the tenth wave of 2012-onwards ''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' Deluxe Class toys, ''[[Thrilling 30]]'' Nightbeat is a retool of ''Thrilling 30'' Deluxe Class [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#Deluxe|Bumblebee]] with a new head. He comes with two blasters which peg via [[5mm post]] into his hands, forearms, and rear vehicle sides, and can also combine into a large weapon. The new head is designed to feature [[light-piping]], but is painted over on both the front and back in red, thus rendering the [[gimmick]] useless. Some units have shins that are glued into place so that they no longer move laterally during transformation.

[[File:GenerationsNightbeatJazzvsBumblebees.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|right|One of these is not like the others.]]
:He comes packaged with a copy of "[[Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9]]", in which Nightbeat appears in the background of a single panel.

:Evidence indicates that a different sculpt was originally intended to be redecoed into Nightbeat for this release: In January 2014, Japanese online retailer Red Mercury listed preorders for the wave containing Nightbeat, [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]], and [[Jhiaxus (G2)#Generations|Jhiaxus]], making this the first official confirmation of Nightbeat and Jhiaxus. The images used for Nightbeat depicted a retool of [[Transformers (2010 toyline)|2010 ''Transformers'']] ''[[Reveal the Shield]]'' [[Jazz (G1)/toys#Transformers (2010)|Special Ops Jazz]] with a new head sculpt and spotlight accessories.<ref name="redmerc">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/generations-classics-44/generations-2014-deluxe-wave-4-is-jhiaxus-nightbeat-and-windblade-179062/ TFW2005 news story] on the Red Mercury preorders for Nightbeat, Windblade and Jhiaxus.</ref> In addition, the [[package art]] for the Nightbeat toy itself, i.e. the cover of the [[pack-in material|included]] [[IDW Publishing|IDW]] comic, ''also'' depicts him in the 2010 Jazz body,<ref name="botcon2014">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/botcon-2014-hasbro-transformers-figure-display-photos-180437/ Nightbeat and other ''Generations'' toys on display] at BotCon 2014.</ref> suggesting that the decision to use the Bumblebee sculpt instead was made at a very late point in the development process.

:Nightbeat was redecoed into ''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' [[Goshooter#Generations|Goshooter]], and the mold was separately retooled into ''[[Transformers Timelines (toyline)|Timelines]]'' [[Carzap (BT)|Carzap]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2014/Autobot/GenNightbeat/nightbeat.htm More information on ''Generations'' Nightbeat at TFU.info]''
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{{anchor|TitansReturn}}
[[File:TitansReturntoy-Nightbeat.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.66|Nightbeat in "The Mystery of the Disappearing Bodies!"]]
*'''Nightbeat''' (Titan Master, 2016)
**''Accessories:'' jet/drill-tank
:Part of the first wave of individually-packed ''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]] [[Transformers: Generations#Titans Return|Titans Return]]'' [[Titan Master]]s, Nightbeat transforms from robot to a head based on the original Nightbeat toy's. (Yes! Not Siren's!) In this mode, Nightbeat can serve as the head of any ''Titans Return'' Deluxe, Voyager, or Leader Class figure. He also features ports in his feet that allow him to peg onto a wide variety of ''Titans Return'' figures. Between the promotional render and the final product, the plastic color of Nightbeat's shins was changed from yellow to blue.

:Nightbeat is packaged with a small vehicle that can transform into three modes: a jet for Nightbeat to ride, a drill-tank formed by combining with Nightbeat, and a 5mm weapon for larger figures.

:A redeco of his vehicle was packaged with ''[[Transformers Legends (franchise)|Legends]]'' [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]].
{{TRNightbeatMold}}
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===Legends===
[[File:TF-Legends-LG28-Nightbeat.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
*'''Rewind & Nightbeat''' (2016-[[September 24|09-24]])
**''ID number:'' '''LG28'''
:Nightbeat ([[Minerva (Masterforce)|you're reading that right]]) is a redeco of his ''Titans Return'' figure to better match the deco of the fullsized 1988 figure.
{{TRNightbeatMold}}
{{comingsoontoy}}
{{-}}

==Notes==
[[File:Nightbeatsirenswappedheads.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Top row: toy Nightbeat, toy Siren. Bottom row: comic Siren, comic Nightbeat.]]
*In Nightbeat's [[:File:Transformsfromracecartorobot.jpg|toy packaging photography]], Muzzle's legs are blue instead of the final black, and the flame stickers on Nightbeat's doors are different. This early flame design made it into [http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Nightbeat Nightbeat's ''Universe'' profile art] and, as a result, into some Marvel Comics stories.
*For their [[character model]]s, the face/Nebulan and helmet/seat pieces of Nightbeat and [[Siren (G1)|Siren]] were inexplicably switched. (It is difficult to tell for sure, but they may have kept the correct antennae/guns judging by the basic shapes involved.) This switch gave comic book Nightbeat the "shades" he's remembered for, as well as the crest on his forehead, while comic book Siren ended up with his trademark combined brow/nosepiece. How or why this switch happened, and in what stage of development it occurred, is unknown.
*He was depicted with his own toy's head (for the first time) in [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]'s ''[[Transformers: War Within: The Age of Wrath]]''. Nightbeat's appearances in [[IDW Publishing|IDW]]'s ''Transformers'' comics retain the Siren face design, but inside the Nightbeat helmet. In [[Fun Publications]]' "[[Cheap Shots]]", his appearance is based on his new toy, whose head is based on Siren's face and helmet.
[[File:Nightbeatchests.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Where'd he get that extra boob?]]
*Another Nightbeat visual oddity is the large difference between the design of his toy's chest and of the character model's chest. While the toy's chest is an asymmetrical shape with one "boob" and a "tummy grill" not unlike Optimus Prime's, the character model gives him a concave octagon which symmetrically houses two hollow boxes. Where did this design come from, and why is it the only thing on his character model, other than the swapped head, that departs from his toy design?
*Due to his asymmetrical chest details, Nightbeat's original [[package art]] is noticeably flipped horizontally, putting his "boob" on the left instead of the right. Dreamwave's ''[[Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' profile art of him, seen at the top of this page, seems to have been based on the boxart's flip, as well as IDW's material for a long time. In ''[[The Transformers: Devastation|Devastation]]'' [[Devastation issue 6|#6]], IDW's Nightbeat chest is symmetrical, mirroring the half of his chest with the "boob," giving him an approximation of the made-up Marvel Comics/character model chest — but in "[[Spotlight: Hardhead]]", it's back to the asymmetrical design again.
*Nightbeat has worn the trenchcoat and fedora on occasion. [[:File:MarvelUK-230.jpg|Sometimes]] the artist remembers he has very tall shoulders under there, [[:File:MarvelUS-62.jpg|sometimes not]].
*In the (hilariously bad) [[Omni Productions|dub]] of ''[[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)|Super-God Masterforce]]'', [[Minerva (Masterforce)|Minerva]] is called "Nightbeat."
*At [[BotCon 1997]], [[Simon Furman]] was asked why he killed Nightbeat in ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|Generation 2]]''. He said:
{{bigquote|I don't have a good answer for you... It was too easy to say, I'll kill off all the incidental characters, all the ones I don't like. It sort of added to the bigger picture by ... some of the favorites got it in the neck as well... It's like, say [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] or something died, it's like.. Who cares? I do like Beast Wars as well... it was too easy to just knock off 'B' characters...}}
:Suffice to say, Furman wasn't very familiar with ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' at the time.<ref>[http://www.builtstlouis.net/tf/nightbeat/index.html Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About NIGHTBEAT at builtstlouis.net]</ref>
*A "dinner mystery theatre" starring Nightbeat was planned for [[OTFCC 2004]], with Optimus Prime as the murder victim. Instead, the Transformer theme was shelved and attendees were subjected to [[DEATH BY CHOCOLATE]].
*Quite bizarrely, the Chinese and Korean release of the original toy had a sticker depicting [[Shūta Gō]] put on the box; conversely, Minerva was on the box for Siren. Don't believe us? [http://www.toyarchive.com/Transformers/NightbeatKoreaStickerMISB1.html Here's your proof].

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Nightbeat''' (ナイトビート, Naitobīto)
*''French:'' '''Veilleur''' (Canada, "Watcher")
*''Hungarian:'' '''Éjvadász''' ("Night Hunter")

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://youtube.com/watch?v=Hf-MDd7cdi0 1988 Headmasters commercial starring Nightbeat, on Youtube]
*[http://www.builtstlouis.net/tf/nightbeat/index.html Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About NIGHTBEAT]

[[Category:Classics Autobots]]
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Energon

2016-08-04T02:55:26Z

RFLaum:

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

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

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

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

[[File:Energon cube design evolution.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|Layered, iridescent cubes alternated their screentime with non-layered ones before being supplanted entirely by purple ones.]]

When it was originally introduced in the [[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1|first episode]] of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon series]], energon was a liquid fuel used by the [[Decepticon]]s and stored in [[Energon cube|cubes]], which was created by processing virtually any available energy resource; in the opening mini-series alone, [[oil]], [[Sherman Dam|hydro-electric power]], [[ruby crystal]]s and rocket fuel were all converted into energon, and many more types of energy would be used by the villains throughout the show's run. The cubes themselves began a visual evolution almost immediately: in "More than Meets the Eye", they were stacked high and filled with the energy in question, then compressed, taking on a layered appearance and an iridescent rainbow coloration, though they also appeared as solid cubes without the layered effect. Immediately following the mini-series, however, in "[[Transport to Oblivion]]", the stacking-and-compressing idea was omitted, and the cubes were instead colored a glowing purple-pink. This was the only time the cubes were depicted this way in season one; otherwise, they remained rainbow-hued, and alternated between layered and non-layered, for the remainder of the season and the early portion of season two, until the purple-pink cubes reappeared in "[[Atlantis, Arise!]]", and suddenly became the standard depiction of energon for the remainder of the cartoon—and indeed, the default coloration for energon in much future media.

It was very rarely overtly stated, but at this point in time, energon was treated as an exclusively-Decepticon energy; [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] had never heard of it in the pilot episode, while "[[Attack of the Autobots (episode)|Attack of the Autobots]]" presented the Autobots as using [[recharging chamber]]s to re-energize, and "[[Traitor]]" involved [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] puzzling over where [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] would have acquired energon from. This standard began to slip towards the end of the second season, presumably by accident rather than a deliberate change in policy—[[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]] spoke of having an "[[energon pump]]" in his body in "[[Sea Change]]", while "[[Masquerade]]" had the Autobots using [[energon bar]]s to hold the captive [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]], and frustratingly, "[[War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn]]" depicted energon in use on Cybertron millions of years beforehand. The divide was eventually broken in a more conscious way by ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', which had the Autobots using energon cubes and [[energon goodie|goodies]]. The movie's original script justified this change by explaining that [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] had been built to harness renewable, natural energy sources, thus supplying the Autobots with energon. The Autobots continued to use energon throughout the third season, and far beyond, with the idea of it being of Decepticon purview alone never revisited in any subsequent fiction.

[[File:Raw energon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|The raw form of natural energon has taken several different forms in different continuities, including crystals and ore.]]

The [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Generation 1 comic]] treated energon much like the cartoon did, depicting it as cubes produced by the processing of other energy sources, albeit freely used by both Autobots and Decepticons. The first piece of fiction to re-examine energon was, surprisingly, the short-lived and comparatively obscure 1987 comic ''[[Transformers in 3-D]]'' by [[Blackthorne Publishing]]. The first issue of the series, "[[The Test (issue)|The Test]]", was the first story to explicitly present energon as something other than an artificially-generated fuel, establishing that it also existed as a unique natural element. Through pleasant coincidence, the idea of natural energon returned and gained widespread acknowledgement in the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' cartoon in 1996, where it was depicted as a highly unstable, naturally-occurring [[energon crystal|crystalline mineral]] that emitted dangerous radiation. In 2003, [[Dreamwave Productions]] directly incorporated the ''Beast Wars'' depiction of energon into its continuity, reconciling it with the liquid energon of Generation 1 by explaining that the liquid could be created by processing either the crystals, or, as seen in the cartoon, other natural resources. Later still, [[IDW Publishing]]'s continuity would specifically refer to energon created from sources other than natural energon as "artificial".

The series to truly redefine energon was, fittingly enough, the ''[[Transformers: Energon (franchise)|Energon]]'' franchise. Taking its cue from ''Beast Wars'', the energon of ''Energon'' also existed naturally and was dangerous to Transformers before being processed into a usable form. Beyond these facts, however, it was scarcely recognizable as any of the substances seen in previous fiction, possessed as it was of several strange, unusual, and indeed, nigh-on ''magical'' powers, including the ability to cause full-body reconfiguration. Perhaps this was not so surprising, however, as ''Energon'' was the first series to depict the fuel as the creation of the nigh-magical Primus, who appeared in this series as a glowing orb of energon itself, and who had produced energon as part of a grand destiny for the Cybertronian race.

The 2007 live-action movie universe revisited the importance ''Energon'' had placed upon the titular fuel, establishing it as the source of Transformer life itself. It wasn't name-checked in the [[Transformers (film)|first film]] itself, but rather in the [[Transformers The Game|video game adaptation]] of the movie, where it was revealed to be the energy emitted by the life-giving [[AllSpark]]; unsurprising, given that the AllSpark was originally to be called the "Energon Cube". Soon after, in 2008, the ''[[Henkei! Henkei! Transformers (Comic Bun Bun)|Henkei! Henkei!]]'' [[manga]] published in ''[[Comic Bun Bun]]'' combined some of the movie's ideas with the more "magical" concepts of ''Energon'', creating the power-boosting, body-transforming, vision-inducing [[Energon Cube]]. And while all this was going on, the ongoing comic book story published in the [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club (magazine)|Hasbro Transformers Collectors Club]] magazine introduced [[Rarified Energon]], revealing that it was not merely a ''fuel'', but actually the base substance from which Transformers were ''created'' at the molecular level. The fuel being a product of Primus and the base material of Transformer life were key points in the 2010 novel, ''[[Transformers: Exodus|Exodus]]''. With this knowledge, it might be safely theorized that the life-giving energy of the [[Matrix of Leadership]] is also a form of energon; something that had actually been claimed by the anomalous-at-the-time ''[[The Transformers Trilogy|Transformers Trilogy]]'' novels.

[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]] gave further varieties of energon including a [[Tox-En|highly toxic form]] and a [[Red Energon|speed inducing form]]. The [[Aligned continuity family]] as a whole also introduced and capitalized on [[Dark Energon|dark energon]], the blood of [[Unicron]] and counter to the substance associated with Primus.

And that's where we are on understanding energon right now. The natural version of it comes from Primus himself, usually just on Cybertron but sometimes on other planets, while the liquid cubes we've been seeing since 1984 are an artificial substitute. Phew. Now, for specifics on energon in all of this various fiction, read on.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

====Marvel Comics continuity====
:''For further information, see: [[Transformer fuel]], [[Energon Stick]]''

[[File:Energoncubesrockandrollout.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb]]
[[File:FinalBattle-energonsticks.jpg|upright=0.9|thumb|Stick, cube, whatever!]]

Although energon was not mentioned by name until the Transformers had been on Earth for a while, it ''was'' quickly established that Earthly fuels were incompatible with Cybertronian systems and needed to undergo ''some'' kind of conversion process before they were consumable. {{storylink|Power Play!}} This [[Transformer fuel]] was the subject of several struggles between the Autobots and Decepticons, and was also shown to be intrinsic to several important cultural ceremonies like the [[Rite of Oneness]] and the [[Rite of the Autobrand]]. {{storylink|Warrior School!}} {{storylink|Rock and Roll-Out!}}

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

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

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

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

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

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

====''Transformers in 3D''====
[[File:Energon molecule.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|Energon is alien poop? We guess Primus works in mysterious ways...]]

This universe is home to the first documented appearance of the true element of energon. The conversion process for transforming the element into a consumable form involves combining it with various other molecules, resulting in what is termed "pure energon". While not discussed explicitly, this would imply the existence of an "impure" energon that can be manufactured without use of the element.

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

====European toy bio continuity====

[[File:Energonfigures.jpg|thumb]]

{{see|Energon figure}}

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

====IDW Generation 1 continuity====
:''For further information, see: [[Regenesis]], [[Ore-13]], [[Innermost energon]]
[[File:Stormbringer1 ultra energon.jpg|left|thumb]]
In this universe, natural energon is known only to exist on Cybertron, {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}} and in the pre-war days, [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] was among the workers that mined it. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 1|Megatron Origin #1}} Unfortunately for the Transformers, their war stripped Cybertron of its resources, energon included, precipitating a cataclysm that ultimately rendered the planet sterile and uninhabitable. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 1|Stormbringer #1}} With their homeworld lost to them, the Autobots and Decepticons subsequently scattered across the galaxy, seeking new sources of fuel, subsisting on "artificial energon derivatives" and "foul local brews" {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}} that [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] described as "nowhere near as good as the real thing". {{storylink|Spotlight: Cliffjumper}} Several seemingly dead and empty planetoids contained underground reservoirs of liquid "pseudo-energon", which according to a [[Guardminder]] was about 20-25% as fuel efficient as proper energon. {{storylink|The Hunting Party (IDW)|The Hunting Party}}

Millennia beforehand, the Decepticon logician [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]] correctly predicted that Cybertron's resources would eventually dry up, and formulated the [[Regenesis]] program as a countermeasure to the inevitable energon drought. Distilling energon, he created a series of thirteen ores with which he seeded specially-selected planets—including Earth—where energon would then flourish and grow, so that he could harvest it in the centuries to come. [[File:Infiltration6 starscream on ultraenergon.jpg|thumb|Hepped up on goofballs.]] As Shockwave visited each of the planets, he observed that some ores had failed to take root, and others had mutated and gained bizarre properties over time, life, death and more. On one world, however—Earth—the [[Ore-13|thirteenth ore]] had flourished to the point that the planet had begun to undergo geological collapse, generating an atmosphere that was hazardous to Transformer life. Intending to regulate the process with [[global damper]]s, Shockwave was stopped by the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobots]] and buried in a volcanic eruption and leaving the ore to mature into an exceptionally powerful energon variant. {{storylink|Spotlight: Shockwave}}

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

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

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

====''Henkei! Henkei! Comic Bun Bun'' manga====

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

{{note|The episode title "[[A Fistful of Energon]]", parodying the Western movie "A Fistful of Dollars", suggests energon is employed as a currency in this universe, though nothing that occurs in-universe addresses this use.}}

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

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

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

In Cybertronian prehistory, the ancients moved Energon by reconstituting and concentrating it into its most rarefied form, that of pure energy, which is transmitted between arrays such as the [[Geosynchronous Energon Bridge]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus}} [[File:Starscreamharvestingcrystals.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Starscream harvesting raw Energon.]] Similarly, they used [[Energon Harvester]]s to draw this energy right out of Energon crystals. {{storylink|Deus ex Machina}} Later, during the [[Golden Age]], a formula for a synthetic version of Energon was developed; apparently never put into production, this formula was programmed into a [[Cybertronian data cylinder|data cylinder]] and sent into space. {{storylink|T.M.I.}}

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

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

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

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

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

A chunk of [[Red Energon]] was uncovered on Earth, and during the race to get hold of it, Starscream managed to secure a chunk. {{storylink|New Recruit}}

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

{{--}}

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

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

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

===Generation 1===

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

{{--}}

==Notes==
===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Energon''' (エネルゴン ''enerugon'')
*''Chinese:'' '''Energon''' (comics, 异能晶, ''Yìnéngjīng''), '''Néngliàng Kuài''' (Generation 1, 能量块, "Energy Block"), '''Néngliàng Jīngtǐ''' (''Generation 2'', 能量晶体, "Energy Crystal")
*''Russian:'' '''Energon''' (Энергон)

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Animated substances]]
[[Category:Beast Machines]]
[[Category:Beast Wars substances]]
[[Category:Drink]]
[[Category:Energon| *]]
[[Category:Energon franchise]]
[[Category:Food]]
[[Category:Generation 1 substances]]
[[Category:MacGuffins]]
[[Category:Movie]]
[[Category:Power sources]]
[[Category:Prime]]
[[Category:Primus]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen]]
[[Category:Substances]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron]]

Goldbug (SG)

2016-08-01T05:16:24Z

RFLaum: /* Shattered Glass */

{{factions|sgAutobot|hofsilver}}
{{disambig3.5|the evil Autobot Seeker|his heroic Throttlebot counterpart|Bumblebee (G1)|Goldbug}}
:''Goldbug is an evil [[Autobot]] [[Seeker (SG)|Seeker]] from the [[Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Shattered Goldbug.jpg|right|294px|thumb|Grrrr. Arg.]]
'''Goldbug''', the evil [[Seeker (SG)|Seeker]] commander, was once a shiftless drifter named '''Bumblebee'''. Survival on the streets of [[Polyhex]] meant learning to become a sneak, a pickpocket, and blackmailer, and at these things Bumblebee excelled. When he joined [[Optimus Prime (SG)|Optimus Prime]]'s brutal [[Autobot]] forces, his bravery put him on the fast track to power, and when [[Drench (SG)|Drench]] was "removed" by Prime, Bumblebee was rebuilt as Goldbug and took his place. Though he holds a high position in the Autobot hierarchy, he is extremely paranoid that he is not appreciated by his peers and will be summarily replaced.<ref>BotCon 2008 Goldbug profile card</ref>
{{--}}

==Fiction==
===Shattered Expectations===
Goldbug led [[Jazz (SG)|Jazz]] and [[Grimlock (SG)|Grimlock]] in a search for the ancient [[Pretender]] technology, intending to use it to give them the edge against the [[Decepticon]] insurgency. He appeared to be the leader of the trio (barely). However, their plan was foiled by the arrival of [[Starscream (SG)|Starscream]] and the [[Mayhem Suppression Squad]]. {{storylink|Shattered Expectations (SG)|Shattered Expectations}}

===''Shattered Glass''===
[[Image:Shatteredglasstheoldone.jpg|thumb|left|200px|"Sorry sir, I spaced out after 'along with'. What do I need to understand?"]]
Goldbug was present at the execution of [[Rumble (SG)|Rumble]] when Optimus Prime brought their "old friend" [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] in to view the festivities. Later on, he was discussing the launch of the ''[[Ark (SG)|Ark]]'' with Prime and [[Blurr (SG)|Blurr]] in the combat training room. Goldbug mentioned that the [[Alpha Trion (SG)|Old One]] wouldn't have approved of the current plan, but Optimus quickly shot down his objections. Goldbug and the other [[Seeker (SG)|Seeker]]s defended the ''Ark''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s launch platform from Decepticon attack, but failed to stop Cliffjumper from scuttling the liftoff. {{storylink|Shattered Glass (issue)|Shattered Glass}}

When [[Wheeljack (SG)|Wheeljack]]'s new creations, the [[Dinobot (SG)|Dinobot]]s, ran amok, both Autobot and Decepticon alike were forced to chase them down before the other side could modify their A.I.s. Gotta catch 'em all. Goldbug and [[Jazz (SG)|Jazz]] located [[Swoop (SG)|Swoop]] atop an observation tower. Unfortunately, he could fly and neither of them could. Goldbug volunteered Jazz to climb up and fetch the Dinobot, but J wasn't having none of that. [[Rodimus (SG)|Rodimus]] and Blurr arrived and made a consensus (with laser rifles) that Jazz would be climbing. In a move that surprised no one except Jazz, Swoop took off flying the moment Prime's bodyguard laid a hand on him. Goldbug got the creature in his sights and shot it down, bringing Swoop and Jazz crashing to Earth. When Blurr inquired why Goldbug didn't just shoot the Dinobot in the first place, Goldbug shrugged and said that now they didn't have to climb up and fetch it. {{storylink|Dungeons & Dinobots}}

The ''Ark'' was finally repaired and ready for launch when Optimus Prime ran off to deal with [[Megatron (SG)|Megatron]]. Goldbug and Blurr caught Rodimus fiddling with a communications console, preventing Prime from calling in. Blurr started to bluster at the insubordination, but Goldbug was willing to hear Rodimus' explanation. Rodimus argued that Optimus' obsession with Megatron was holding them all back. Cybertron was a dead world now, and with Prime out of the picture, Earth would be ripe for their taking. Goldbug agreed, and Blurr was thrown off the ship for remaining loyal to Prime.

Later, when the ''Ark'' and the ''[[Nemesis (SG)|Nemesis]]'' were locked in battle above [[Earth]], Goldbug manned the ''Ark''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s sensor station. [[Astrotrain (SG)|Astrotrain]] succeeded in severely damaging the ''Ark''. Goldbug had time to curse the coward Rodimus, who fled in an escape pod, before calling for all hands to brace for impact. {{storylink|Do Over}}

After the crash, Goldbug initially hooked up with [[Big Daddy (SG)|Big Daddy]], [[Brawn (SG)|Brawn]] and [[Beachcomber (SG)|Beachcomber]] as they went searching for their "valiant leader". It was fortuitous, wonderful, outstanding when they finally crossed paths with the opportunist, and had the opportunity for revenge. Rodimus did some fast talking, though, and his stories of human allies and the Decepticons getting vaped led Goldbug to hold his fire long enough to hear the Seeker leader out. They returned to the ''Ark'' in order to make a proper assessment of the state of the planet. Goldbug and the Autobots had quite a bit of difficulty understanding the concept of "renewable resources" their human allies the Witwickys tried to explain.

Strategy wasn't the only thing on Goldbug's mind, however — using Rodimus's bail-out during the crash as an excuse, he challenged Rodimus for leadership of the Autobots. The two Seekers battled on the bridge of the ''Ark'', with the fully-reenergized Goldbug soon gaining the upper hand. Rodimus was far more crafty, though — he voice-activated [[Teletraan-X]] and deleted the ID-recognition file for Goldbug, causing the ship to identify him as an enemy combatant. Goldbug was quickly restrained by the internal security systems, and held helpless before Rodimus ''Prime''. Despite his precarious position, Goldbug agreed to yield only if Rodimus left him as second-in-command. Showing the sort of logic and reasoning positive-matter Decepticon leaders have displayed for eons, Rodimus laughingly agreed to keep the ambitious Goldbug as his right-hand bot. After all, no way Goldbug would let anyone ''else'' in the Autobots kill Rodimus before him.

As the Autobots prepared for their strike on the control base for America's [[Global Orbiting Defense Satellite|GODS]] space weapon, Goldbug and [[Wheeljack (SG)|Wheeljack]] joined Rodimus for the infiltration mission. Like the Trojan horse, they got captured and taken inside the base along with their "drivers", the Witwickys, just before the rest of the Autobots launched an assault from outside. Striking from both in and outside the base, the Autobots soon controlled the satellite station and its deadly particle beam weapon. Their assault soon drew the attention of the surviving Decepticons, however, and the Cybertronian Civil War officially took up residence on Earth. Goldbug was attacked by the diminutive [[Frenzy (SG)|Frenzy]] and his two human friends, who used a fire extinguisher to temporarily blind the Seeker and steal his weapon. To add injury to insult, the weaponless Goldbug was then forced to deal with the Incredible fury of Frenzy unleashed. The Decepticons were able to reclaim the military base, and the Autobots were driven off. {{storylink|Eye in the Sky}}

Still working for his own advancement, Goldbug commissioned [[Side Burn (SG)|Side Burn]] and Wheeljack to create a [[stellar spanner]] out in the desert without Rodimus Prime's knowledge. They were nearly finished when the Decepticons [[Blitzwing (SG)|Blitzwing]] and [[Heatwave (Timelines)|Heatwave]] stumbled upon their location. Seizing the opportunity, Goldbug planned to launch Heatwave through the untested machine to make sure it worked. Blitzwing attempted to stop them by hooking directly into the spanner's digital landscape, but failed due to Wheeljack's electro-shells. The feedback had a side-effect, however, of sending out a cacophony of fleshling music on the Autobots' communications frequency. Unable to even think straight, Goldbug blasted the Spanner to keep the Decepticons from using it and ordered a retreat.

Back at the ''Ark'', Goldbug was forced to answer to Rodimus Prime for his antics. Fearing another clash with Teletraan-X's servo, Goldbug babbled off whatever he could think of to stay Rodimus's fury. Luckily, his only punishment ended up being salvage duty with [[Seaspray (SG)|Seaspray]], as the Agonizing Rehabilitation Chambers were conveniently broken. {{storylink|Blitzwing Bop}}

Goldbug took part in the raid on [[R.J. Blackrock|Blackrock]]'s [[Mega-Rig]], warning everyone to stick to hand-to-hand combat to avoid damaging their prize. He, Side Burn and Beachcomber later joined Rodimus when their leader met with Blackrock to listen to an offer he had for them. Despite Goldbug's strenuous objections, Rodimus accepted the offer. Soon after, the Autobots captured two of the Decepticons' human friends, [[Sephie Beller]] and [[Rick Ottman]]. Goldbug held Rick at gunpoint when the Decepticons turned up, and the Decepticons were soon bound prisoners. When [[Sir Soundwave|Soundwave]] revealed that he wasn't the one who'd put up the jamming field, Goldbug wondered aloud who was doing the jamming. His answer came moments later when the Autobots were attacked by Blackrock in his [[Centurion (SG)|Centurion]] mech. Goldbug and Swoop initially managed to restrain the robot, but the Centurion's defenses were too formidable, and the Autobots were eventually forced to retreat. {{storylink|Transhuman}}

At some unspecified point in time, Goldbug and a team of Autobots somehow under the command of both [[Rodimus (SG)|Rodimus Prime]] and [[Optimus Prime (SG)|Optimus Prime]] fought [[Thundercracker (SG)|Thundercracker]] and [[Ravage (SG)|Ravage]] in the Transformers' greatest battle on Earth, "[[Digital Doom on the Highway to Destruction (SG)|Digital Doom on the Highway to Destruction]]." According to Ravage, anyway. {{storylink|Recordicons#Recordicons #3|Recordicons #3}}

Goldbug was among the evil Autobots captured after Optimus Prime became Nova Prime and overthrew Rodimus. {{storylink|The Future Buried...}}
{{--}}

===''SD SG''===
Goldbug was forced to listen to [[Optimus Prime (SG)|Optimus Prime]] complain about new body designs and upgrades. {{storylink|SD SG#SDSG1|SD SG #1}}

==Games==
===''Transformers Legends''===
During an Autobot attempt to launch from Cybertron in a battleship, Grimlock, [[Ricochet (SG)|Ricochet]], and Goldbug were distracted from reaching the launch site and ended up chasing Ravage instead. {{storylink|Shattered Glass (Legends)|Shattered Glass}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===Timelines===
[[Image:ShatteredGlasstoy-Goldbug.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Started a "Bad Bugs" club with [[Bug Bite (GoBots)|Bug Bite]].]]
*'''Shattered Glass''' (BotCon box set, 2008)
**''Accessories'': Launcher, missile, key

: Part of [[BotCon 2008]]'s [[exclusive]] box set of five figures, Goldbug is a [[retool]] of [[Hot Shot (Armada)/toys#Cybertron 2|''Cybertron'' Hot Shot]] with a new head sculpt based on [[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[Bumblebee (G1)|Goldbug]] and a new black, yellow, and blue color scheme, bearing a little resemblance to [[:Image:Movie Deluxe StealthBumblebee toy.jpg|Stealth Bumblebee]]. He transforms into a modified [[wikipedia:Chrysler ME Four-Twelve|Chrysler ME Four-Twelve concept car]]. Plugging a [[Cyber Key]] into his trunk (his is a clear-orange [[Velocitron]]-style key with a black border) deploys transparent blue wings from his spoiler. The toy also comes with a spring-loaded missile-launching gun that can be carried in robot mode or pegged into the roof of the car mode.

: The original version of this mold was also used to make ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]'' [[Excellion (Cybertron)#Toys|Excellion]] and [[Movie (toyline)|live-action movieverse]] [[Breakaway (Movie)#Toys|Breakaway]].

: Goldbug is only available as part of a set of six toys, along with [[Optimus Prime (SG)#Toys|Optimus Prime]], [[Jazz (SG)#Toys|Autobot Jazz]], [[Grimlock (SG)#Toys|Grimlock]], [[Razorclaw (SG)#Toys|Razorclaw]], and [[Starscream (SG)#Toys|Starscream]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/BCGoldbug/goldbug.htm More information on Goldbug at TFU.info]''

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:BotCon exclusives]]
[[Category:Convention-original characters]]
[[Category:Hall of Fame characters]]
[[Category:Seekers]]
[[Category:Shattered Glass Autobots]]
[[Category:Spies]]
[[Category:Timelines characters]]