Particle beam cannon
A particle beam cannon is a powerful weapon carried by both Autobots and Decepticons.
Fiction
[edit]Generation 1
[edit]Marvel The Transformers comics
[edit]
In both robot and jet mode, Jetfire was equipped with four independently targetable particle beam cannons around his head. Jetfire's Universe profile After being upgraded to a Powermaster, Optimus Prime's trailer turned into his battle station module which was armed with two concussion blasters, two twin particle beam cannons, and an auto-launcher that fired a variety of artillery and radiation beam weapons. Powermaster Optimus Prime's Universe profile In both modes Override was armed with two double-barreled, armor-piercing particle beam cannons. Override's Universe profile Spinister's assault helicopter mode was equipped with two batteries of automatic particle beam cannons and two remote control-guided fusion bombs. Spinister's Universe profile In dinosaur mode, Trypticon could launch plasma bombs from his mouth and fire a particle beam cannon from his sinus cavity. Trypticon's Universe profile
Four million years ago on Cybertron, Override used his particle beam cannons to deactivate a molten mercury minefield while on a mission with Optimus Prime to reach Boltax at the Temple of Knowledge. The Flames of Boltax!
In Jetfire's first encounter with the Autobots on Earth, he blasted Bumblebee with a particle beam cannon. Brainstorm! While fighting the Dinobots outside the Ark, Trypticon shot Swoop with a cannon from his sinus cavity. King of the Hill!
Trigger-Happy!
[edit]When facing off against Megatron and his forces at the Riverway Fun Park, Powermaster Optimus Prime transformed into his little-seen battle station mode and started blasting away at them with his arsenal of lasers, particle beam cannons and concussion blasters. Trigger-Happy!
S.T.A.R.S. continuity
[edit]During the Transformers' greatest battle on Earth, Megatron assembled his particle beam cannon and opened fire on Optimus Prime. Rodimus Prime remembers the Transformers greatest battle on Earth.
Dreamwave Generation One continuity
[edit]Cloudburst's inner robot could transform into a high-speed interplanetary cruiser armed with a particle beam cannon. Cloudburst's More than Meets the Eye profile In robot mode, Megatron could combine his fusion cannon with other extensions to form either a particle beam cannon or a less powerful but more accurate telescopic laser. Megatron's More than Meets the Eye profile Override was armed with a pair of particle beam cannons in both modes; in motorcycle mode he could also use them as boosters, increasing his speed by a factor of three. Override's More than Meets the Eye profile
Timelines
[edit]The Dark Heart of Sandokan
[edit]Upon approaching the planet Sandokan, Astrotrain was attacked by a creature known as Synthos. Starcatcher used a particle beam cannon to distract their attacker long enough for Astrotrain to reach the planet below. The Dark Heart of Sandokan
Renegade Rhetoric
[edit]Dr. Go modified the two primary particle beam cannons on the Rogue Star into an enormous Astro-Beam. Fitor used it to steal Gobotron's communication moon, sending it to Cy-Kill and his Renegade forces in the Magellanic Nebulae, although a damaged Leader-1 was dragged along with it, managing to prevent the Renegades from extracting any useful intelligence before the beam wore off. Renegade Rhetoric
Prime cartoon
[edit]Project Damocles was a particle beam cannon one with a destructive output powerful enough to be considered a valued weapon in Cybertronian combat. The Human Factor
Toys
[edit]The Transformers
[edit]
- Accessories (Hasbro release): silencer, stock, telescopic sight, high-density infrared laser cannon
- Accessories (Takara release): sword, high-density infrared laser cannon, 20 bullets
- The Transformers Megatron came with a sight that can attach to Megatron's arm to represent his fusion cannon but can also be combined with the other attachments to form either a particle beam cannon weapons emplacement that Megatron can man, or a telescopic laser cannon that connects to the figure as an over-shoulder weapons array. This toy has been reissued and redecoed a number of times and was also used to make Megaplex.
- Jetfire (Autobot Air Guardian, 1985)
- Accessories: photon missile launcher, rifle mounting pod, turbo thruster booster pack, 2 leg guards (left & right), 2 arm guards, 2 fenders
- A redeco of the Takatoku Toys Macross VF-1S Super Valkyrie, Transformers Jetfire's packaging bio states that he carries four particle-beam cannons and heat-seeking photon missiles.
- Accessories: 2-piece Pretender shell, helmet, belt, lightning whip, thunderbolt laser pistol
- Cloudburst came with a red weapon, labelled as a thunderbolt laser pistol in his instructions. According to his packaging bio, his Pretender shell was armed with a thunderbolt laser pistol while his interplanetary star cruiser mode was armed with a particle beam cannon, despite it apparently being the same weapon. This toy was released without changes as Super-God Masterforce Pretender Phoenix.
- Optimus Prime (Powermaster, 1988)
- Accessories: Hi-Q Powermaster unit, 2 laser rifles, 2 twin particle beam cannons, super robot head
- Powermaster Optimus Prime came with two gray guns, identified as twin particle beam cannons in his instructions and packaging bio. This toy was also released in Japan with some retooling as Ginrai and was later redecoed into the Japanese-exclusive Super Convoy.
- Override (Triggerbot, 1988/1994)
- Override features flip-out weapons available in both modes. Pressing the trigger on each saddlebag/robot-mode arm deploys his chromed, spring-loaded particle beam cannons. This toy was also available as part of the Chinese Transformers toyline in 1994, over half a decade later than in the US/Europe.
- Grimlock with anti-tank cannon (Action Master, 1990)
- Accessories: Anti-tank cannon partner, particle beam cannon
- Action Master Grimlock came with a gray particle beam cannon that can combine with his anti-tank cannon partner to form a really big hand-held long-range mortar launcher.
War for Cybertron: Siege
[edit]
- Accessories: left & right JF-25 HS Photon Missile Sky Launcher rifles, 2 HS Photon Missiles, 2 two-part JF-15 HP Jetboost Particle Beam Cannons, 2 SF-M2 Radiograph Booster two-part double-cannons, Skyshield Aerial Armor, Skyshield Battle Mask, computer core, 2 three-part Fire Blast effect pieces
- Siege Jetfire came with many many C.O.M.B.A.T. System weapons that can be mounted on him in either mode in a variety of ways, including two JF-15 HP Jetboost Particle Beam Cannons that can be separated into two parts for even more versatility. This figure saw reissues in late-2022 and mid-2024 and was also redecoed into Shattered Glass Collection Jetfire.
- Spinister (Deluxe Class, 2020)
- Accessories: NFM Dual-Fusion Cannon, Spin-Blast Particle Beam Cannon
- Siege Spinister came with two C.O.M.B.A.T. System weapons: the NFM Dual-Fusion Cannon, and a Spin-Blast Particle Beam Cannon, based off of his Targetmaster partners' weapon modes. In an undocumented but extremely obvious feature, his guns can be combined to form a single four-barreled gun the way the the original toy's Targetmasters could. This mold was later used to make Rotorstorm.
