Dune Runner (ROTF)

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Dune Runner is an Autobot from the Revenge of the Fallen portion the live-action film continuity family.
"I've got a great idea. How about Rollbar investigates that noise?"

Dune Runner isn't fond of his alt mode, but he appreciates that it allows him to traverse terrain where Decepticons like to hide. He's a bit of a grumpy git, annoyed that he missed that whole Fallen mess and is now just standing around with nothing to do.

He also happens to look a lot like Landmine!

Fiction

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IDW movie comics

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"... who's this green guy!?"

Following the re-creation of NEST, Dune Runner was sent out with several Autobots to investigate the convergence of unknown spark traces in Florida. En route, they ran into the Decepticon Soundwave, and a battle broke out. The enemy eventually retreated, but the distraction had led to the disappearance of the spark traces. Nefarious #1 Dune Runner was part of Bumblebee's team again, accompanying a bound Soundwave on a plane bound for Odessa, Texas. He observed that up close, Soundwave didn't seem so scary, but then Soundwave started counting down to something. Then Buzzsaw shot the plane down. Dune Runner tried to send an SOS, but Soundwave was jamming the local airwaves. The team headed for Odessa by ground, but ran into a bunch of Decepticons Soundwave had summoned to rescue him. During the battle, Dune Runner was blasted by Dirt Boss, and the fight ended when Bumblebee opted to let Soundwave go rather than risk any losses. Nefarious #3

With Soundwave's help, the Autobots tracked the Initiative to Oregon, and Bumblebee's team attacked their base from the north. Dune Runner and the others attempted to hold off the defenses so Bumblebee could move in, but they were confronted by a number of brainwashed Transformers. Nefarious #5 Cut off from Bumblebee, Jolt, Dune Runner and Knock Out were given help by Sideswipe and the Twins, but came under non-physical attack when Carter Newell attempted to use a replica AllSpark to destroy all Transformer life on the planet. The Autobots ultimately triumphed. Nefarious #6

Dune Runner, Jolt and Knock Out were the only Autobots left behind on Diego Garcia when the others rolled out to save Sam Witwicky from Starscream's Decepticons. Their mission was to guard the confused and docile Autobot refugees who had been liberated from the Initiative's control. Rising Storm #2 A short while later, the professional Autobot killer Shockwave attacked Diego Garcia, making short work of Knock Out and Jolt. Dune Runner stood his ground as long as he could, defending the refugees and pleading to Shockwave not to hurt them, but all he got out of it was a crushed head. Rising Storm #3 Shortly after his death, a grave was made for him. Dark of the Moon #1

Titan movie comics

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"Long live the fighters!"

As a new cadet on Earth, he agreed with Jolt that their survival exercise in Death Valley sucked: something about the place was just creepy! When Rollbar tried to whip up some enthusiasm, Dune Runner grumped that they'd arrived after the big battle and were now just hanging around while Ironhide cleared up the leftover 'Cons. (Worse than being surplus to requirements, he had to suffer Rollbar's rallying speeches!) As they reached their destination, a ghost town with an emergency recharge pack to refuel on, he muttered that they should find it and get the heck out of dodge...

...and unsurprisingly, that's round about the time the monstrous Dead End launched an attack! Dune Runner had barely any warning before he was taken down and his arm torn off. The other cadets managed to save him before worse happened, and he decided they should kill Dead End. Rollbar disagreed and had them take the 'con back to Ratchet. The medic was able to save Dead End from decomposition and told the cadets this act of mercy showed they had the right stuff; Dune Runner, you'll be shocked to know, kept schtum about having wanted to kill Dead End. Spare Parts!

"The power to destroy a thing is the absolute control over it."

Later, the cadets were trained by Springer, a veteran with a reputation for being a monster. They spent some time under him before Jolt requested they were given live combat exercises; Dune Runner was shocked that Jolt dared do this, and that Springer agreed without hurting him, but Jolt just pointed out the soldier's reputation was clearly exaggerated. Later, Springer used them in a mission to rescue hostages while he engaged Tankor; while carrying this out, Dune Runner and Jolt noticed there were unexpected Decepticon reinforcements arriving! Dune Runner decided to stick to the mission, while Jolt headed off to save Springer. Rules of Engagement

Dune Runner and his crew would be called in to NEST Ops Vancouver to search for the missing Stratosphere, who it turned out was doing fine on his own. Dune Runner knew of the man's rep and knew he'd find a way to survive, being big and tough. Head in the Clouds

Games

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Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (3DS)

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Dune Runner appears in the Rise of the Dark Spark game for Nintendo 3DS as a support unit. Equipping him allows all Earth Autobots to get repaired faster when next to a Positive Field.

Rise of the Dark Spark

Toys

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Revenge of the Fallen

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"Thou shalt not make a machine in the likeness of a man's mind."
  • Dune Runner (Scout Class, 2009)
Part of the third wave of Revenge of the Fallen Scout Class toys, Dune Runner transforms into an off-road vehicle based on the Sector Seven dune buggies seen in the first film (but with NEST markings here), which in turn is a heavily modified Chenowth Desert Patrol Vehicle (DPV) with added protective armor. The same vehicle was previously also used as the basis for the Movie toy line's Deluxe Class Landmine figure. Interestingly, his aqua plastic is gunmetal for the pictures featured on his box.
Dune Runner's stock photos have his feet mistransformed. The headlights should be higher on his ankles, and two blue 'heels' should be unfolded. The parts that make up his hip joints are unusually hard plastic for a modern figure with ball joints, causing stress marks or breakage rather quickly if his legs are removed and reattached repeatedly.
This mold was also used to make Revenge of the Fallen Beachcomber, 2010 Transformers's Crankstart and Rollbar, and Generations Sandstorm.
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"Recognize me now?"
  • Armorhide (Deluxe Class, 2009)
  • Accessories: "Pulse rifle"
This figure was repurposed as Dune Runner in all of his appearances in the IDW movie comics.
Revenge of the Fallen Armorhide is a redeco of Landmine from the first movie, transforming into an assault buggy. He features two Automorph gimmicks: a spring-loaded front end, retracting his front wheels into his chest during transformation, and sliding panels on each of his shins that retract when the tail light/knee caps are moved into place.
In robot mode, Armorhide's rifle can be back-mounted to make an over-shoulder cannon, or held in his hand. He also has wheels on the soles of his feet, which let him roll in robot mode... in theory, at least, since his heel-wheels rub against his legs, keeping them from spinning freely.
This mold was later redecoed into Dark of the Moon Comettor.

Notes

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Coincidence or intentional homage? The world may ever know.
  • In all of Dune Runner's appearances in the IDW comics, he was drawn based entirely off of Landmine/Armorhide's design, rather than his actual toy, which also had the same vehicle mode but with a different gun orientation.
  • It is possible that the 2020 "N.E.S.T. Sentry" Kreon, a toy only available through Universal Studios theme parks, is a Kreon of Dune Runner, being an olive-and-light-gray NEST dune buggy who is a redeco of a Beachcomber. But that's also possibly just coincidence.
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