Circuit (G1)


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This article is about . For other uses of "Circuit", see Circuit (disambiguation)|The name or term "Circuit" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Circuit (disambiguation).}}
Circuit is an Autobot from the Generation 1 continuity family.
...y'know, I used to be a car...

"What would it take to put Circuit on the battlefield delivering messages for Autobot Command here, today? Whatever it is, I'm willing to make a deal, just tell me what you need! I'm here to make you happy, after all, and making a deal is my middle name."

Circuit is the type of smooth-talking, easy-bantering used-car salesman who gives used-car salesmen a bad name. More, he hates to do anything without wheeling-and-dealing first, so even his commanding officers have to suffer through his constant "pitches." Many of his "deals," however, are actually scams, meaning Circuit has to constantly look over his shoulder for vengeful former marks back to take revenge. He's converted his talent for gabbing and eye for opportunity into a successful career as a reporter and videographer at times, but these legitimate pursuits have only created more enemies for the nosy Circuit.

His Formula 1-style vehicle/Exo-suit was developed with high speed in mind (the kind needed to escape from an angry mob, say), a cloaking shield (the kind needed to hide from an angry mob, perhaps), and a decelerator cannon (the kind needed to slow that mob down till you're sure you've gotten away). These abilities, plus a devastating Gatling machine gun in its exo-suit mode, make him a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield, which may be why the Autobots keep him around, despite it all.

Fiction

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2005 IDW continuity

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First appearance: Robots in Disguise #9
"I don't know how to put this but I'm kind of a big deal. People know me. I'm very important. I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany."

Circuit could be seen propping up the bar at the Blurr-run Maccadam's Old Oil House. Night and the City Once Cybertron got a proper comm-net going in the form of the Iacon Communication Service, he became a news reporter, first interviewing Starscream and Omega Supreme over the matter of a Titan awakening in the former's presence and later reporting on an attack on Omega. The End of the Beginning of the World When Decepticons began rioting in the wake of Megatron's return, Circuit took to the streets to report on the chaos and was approached by Metalhawk, who wanted to use the comm-net to talk to the people of Iacon and quell the violence. The Verge Once Metalhawk was done with his speech, the reporter was pulled away to check out reports that Megatron had been broken out of prison. Before the Dawn

After an intense battle that ended with Megatron's defeat, Circuit witnessed Starscream declare himself leader of the NAIL population and banish all Autobots and Decepticons from Iacon. Heavy Is the Head Having left the Autobots, he and his cameraman Longtooth stayed in the city and continued their line of work, reporting the rise and fall of Scoop. Three Monologues When the population moved to Metroplex in the wake of Iacon's destruction, Circuit asked Starscream for a comment but didn't get much to work with. Hello Cruel World

"Well if you were a man, I'd punch you. Punch you right in the mouth."

Circuit interviewed Starscream while reporting on an explosion in the Acrolight District that killed three and injured Cityspeaker Windblade. A 'Bot and Her City Together with Longtooth he tried to investigate if it was truly an accident like Starscream claimed, but their snooping only got them thrown out of Maccadam's and almost assaulted by Chromia. Once Windblade found evidence of Starscream "mining" Metroplex for Regenesis ore, she went public with it by contacting Circuit and Longtooth and bringing them to Starscream's mine. A Long Way Down After a scuffle with the mine's Terrorcon guards, the group was arrested by Starscream and imprisoned, but were broken out soon enough by a group of rescuers rallied by Chromia. Windblade vol. 1 #3 As part of a deal struck between her and Starscream, Windblade later convinced Circuit to keep the mine a secret. Windblade vol. 1 #4

After official contact was made between Caminus and Cybertron, Circuit demonstrated the high standards of journalistic integrity expected from the ICS by following people around with a camera and shouting random questions he thought of to them while also reporting exaggerated astronomical distances. The Possible Light

"I saw that. Brick killed a guy. Did you throw a trident?"

When Starscream taped an official broadcast for the people of Cybertron declaring a special day in honor of himself, he handed it off to Circuit and Longtooth for airing. The intrepid reporters got loaded on cheap energon and only aired part of the speech, making it seem as if Starscream declared a special day to honor anyone. Hooray for journalistic professionalism! Choose Me Following the apparent murder of an unarmed Decepticon by the Badgeless, Circuit received footage of the crime and immediately aired it before reaching out to Starscream for a comment, unaware that Starscream hadn't even seen the footage. 07:00:00 He went on to report on the protests and rioting against Starscream's reign triggered by the incident. Applicable Skills While reporting on the aftermath of the battle with Bruticus, Circuit and Longtooth were approached by Chromia who confessed to the Acrolight District bombing live on camera. Taken aback, the only thing Circuit could think to say was "...why?" The Line Between Us

Soon after, Optimus annexed Earth as his personal protectorate and tried to have it added to the Council of Worlds. Starscream's sinister plot was to send Circuit and Longtooth to Earth to simply film what was going down, assuming it would turn people against him. The Medium and the Message As soon as they showed up, Optimus Prime heroically yelled that the press had "NO RIGHT" to be in a place he didn't want them, and then they evilly reported a human retaliatory attack on Optimus as a human retaliatory attack. It's Beginning To And Back Again Starscream's plan backfired when Circuit ended up with footage of Optimus raising a Titan on Earth, an act that served to solidify his right to be called Prime. As Above...So Below

"I'm not a baby, I'm a man! An anchorman!"

Circuit interviewed Elita One in the wake of Sentinel Prime unleashing an army of undead Titans on Cybertron. Heavy Several months later, Longtooth and Circuit watched Optimus depart from the Spire following his unhelpful meeting with the Council of Worlds to discuss Earth's status. Behind My Bleeding Back

Circuit was on the scene at the induction of Earth into the Council of Worlds, reporting alongside the former G.I. Joe member Hashtag. His misunderstanding of Earth fashion led to him asking Marissa Faireborn how she had killed the "Barber original" she was now wearing. The Iron Ring soon attacked the proceedings and Circuit and Longtooth had to get to safety. First Strike #1 Unification Day: Dawn Later, Circuit reported on the burgeoning crisis and warned his Cybertronian viewers that the humans had come to conquer Cybertron. Primeless, Part 1

When Windblade returned to her position as delegate for Caminus in the Council of Worlds, Starscream had Circuit and his partner on-hand to help deliver a little pomp and circumstance, taking a photo of her as she returned to work. And then Starscream had his goon squad shove the reporters out of the room when Windblade started mentioning something she shouldn't. As the two were sitting outside, grumbling about freedom of the press, the delegate caught up with them, and started telling them about the Liege Maximo.

"You stay classy, San Diego."

With this knowledge, Circuit presented Cybertron with a definitely not overblown by any means report about how the Liege was coming back, and everyone was facing certain, horrible, terrible death. Unsurprisingly, this unbiased reporting led to an outbreak of panic and alarm. Afterward, Circuit reported on the snap election that followed, as well as moderating on the electoral debates. When Windblade ultimately won the election, Circuit held a broadcast informing everyone on the revelry that followed. The Chosen One

After Onyx Prime returned to Cybertron to negotiate with the Council of Worlds, Circuit and Longtooth reported a mysterious explosion from the base of the Spire. The Ground After "Onyx Prime" was unmasked as a time-travelling Shockwave, Circuit reported that Cybertron had lost contact with Velocitron, Eukaris, and Devisiun. Unstopped and Unstoppable

Beast Wars: Uprising

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Circuit was female. When Rook protested Fever Dream's support for the blatant falsehoods of Builder propaganda during the Vehicon Apocalypse, the ICS director considered replacing him with Circuit. Derailment

2019 IDW continuity

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"I'm in a glass case of emotion!"

Circuit survived the Iron Hope disaster, and while marooned on a barren world he and the other members of the "Iron Hope Hundred" were forced to subside on Nucleon until they eventually lost the ability to transform. During this time, Circuit compiled a video documentary covering the hardships they endured.

After returning to Cybertron, Circuit adopted a transforming exo-suit to compensate for what he'd lost and eventually joined up with the Wreckers, an elite black ops unit that disguised themselves as carefree daredevils. While livestreaming a stunt for their audiences, the Mayhem terrorist group hacked their broadcast to demand an end to the Speedia 500 on Velocitron. While the other Wreckers held a press conference shortly after arriving on the planet, Circuit wandered off into the streets to investigate and encountered Axer, another victim of the Iron Hope disaster. Tread & Circuits Part 1

Axer and Circuit had an awkward reunion. Axer was part of security for the Hope, and had always shouldered the burden for the disaster. He tried to warn Circuit and the Wreckers off of the Speedia 500, showing concern over how Mayhem might harm them if they got involved. Suspicious, Circuit followed Axer after they parted, and eventually spotted Axer meeting with Octopunch, Mayhem's spokesperson. He radioed his sighting to Thunderclash, but was shot by a concealed sniper before making a full report. The other Wreckers soon found Circuit's body with a message from Mayhem left behind. The team's medic Minerva got Circuit stabilized in a CR chamber, but his long term prospects weren't certain. Tread & Circuits Part 2

After Minerva was arrested following the disastrous conclusion of the team's mission, Circuit's prognosis became terminal. He was revived just long enough to record the final broadcast for the Wreckers' stunt show. After the team announced their hiatus, Circuit turned off his camera and quietly passed away surrounded by his teammates. Tread & Circuits Part 4

Toys

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The Transformers

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They didn't sell a Formula 1 car in his size, unfortunately.
  • Supersonic Racing Car with Action Master Circuit (Exo-Suit Action Master, 1991)
  • Accessories: Supersonic Racing Car/exo-suit, decelerator cannon
  • Known designers: Takio Ejima (TakaraTomy), Masakatsu Saito (concept artist){{#if: |, {{{2}}}}}
Released in the seventh year of the European-market Transformers toyline (the first year following the end of the US line), Action Master Circuit is a redeco of Axer, a 3¾ inch non-transforming action figure with swivel neck, shoulders and knees, and steel-ball-jointed hips. His design does have evidence of a former alternate mode, possibly some kind of off-road buggy. As an Action Master, he is compatible with any other Action Master weapon, partner, or vehicle.
He comes with a "Formula 1"-style vehicle that transforms into an exo-suit. Though completely undocumented in the instructions, the (awkwardly-placed in exo-suit mode) gun barrel is detachable, attached via a 3mm post that can also peg in above Circuit's head in exo-suit mode, or be held in his hand. This also means it's frequently lost.
As part of the European-only portion of Transformers, Circuit can go for some pretty hefty prices on the secondary market, especially for a complete sample.

Notes

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  • The head of Circuit's Action Master toy has partially reversed colours when compared to the packaging art—the art shows a red face and a yellow racing-style helmet, but the toy leaves the face unpainted and instead paints a chin detail red.
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