Payload (Armada)

This article is about . For other uses of "Payload", see Payload (disambiguation)|The name or term "Payload" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Payload (disambiguation).}}
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Payload is a Mini-Con from the Armada portion of the Unicron Trilogy continuity family.
Payload, sweet chariot, coming for to carry Sky Blast home.

Payload is the muscle of the Space Mini-Con Team, but people often forget that he's considerably smarter than most other robots out there. He doesn't really let this get to him, however. In fact, it seems one of the few things that can wear down Payload's temper is his teammate Sky Blast. He considers the youth a close friend, but one whose impulsive, act-before-thinking nature can really grind his gears, to the point where it could be the time of clobbering.

Fiction

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Armada cartoon

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The Autobots and Decepticons each detected Payload's Mini-Con panel on a deserted island, and proceeded to do battle in the area. Detection Payload was eventually activated by his Space Mini-Con Team partner, Sky Blast, who called for the three of them to activate and join as the Requiem Blaster. They assembled for Optimus Prime and fired a massive blast into the ocean as he fell from a great height, creating enough kickback to slow his descent safely. Desperate

Payload and his teammates briefly ran away from the Autobots, because they didn't want to be used for combat. After Optimus Prime rescued them from Thrust, he promised the Mini-Cons they would only join the battles against the Decepticons if they desired it—no Autobots would force them to fight. Runaway

True to his word, Optimus Prime left Payload and the others back at headquarters when the Autobots were called into battle against the Decepticons, with Smokescreen watching over them. The battle was only a lure for the Requiem Blaster, however, and Megatron and Thrust soon doubled back to attack the undermanned Autobot headquarters. Smokescreen fought bravely to defend the Space Mini-Con Team, but Megatron managed to subvert their programming and powerlinx with the trio, forcing them to form the Requiem Blaster and obliterate their Autobot protector. Sacrifice

Payload and the Space Team had little time to act as individuals after that, remaining powerlinxed as the Requiem Blaster as Megatron's personal weapon, and later when the Decepticons used the gun as one-third of the Hydra Cannon, before it was stolen by Thrust and used to provide power to the heart of Unicron. Sky Blast, Payload and Astroscope reawakened as individuals with the help of High Wire and the Street Action Team, who had journeyed to Unicron's core with Optimus Prime, Galvatron and the Earth children to grant the super-weapon Mini-Cons their freedom. Origin Payload fled Unicron aboard the Autobot Jetfire just before the Chaos-Bringer was finally destroyed. Mortal Combat

Dreamwave Armada comic

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Payload was captured by the Decepticons during the attack on his hometown, Mini-Con village D10. Armada #1 Following their escape from the Decepticons, he and many other Mini-Cons ended up on Earth's moon, where they constructed a fortress and lived peacefully for a million years. Armada #9 He was standing around with Dualor, Mirage and his team when the fortress came under attack from the Decepticons. Dualor ordered Astroscope to launch the orbital mine with the "special payload", which was luckily Rad White and not actually Payload. Armada #10 As the fortress's defenses failed them, Payload and the Space Team started to pack up their belongings and make their way to the escape pods. Sparkplug convinced them to stay a bit longer in order to save Rad before the orbital mine exploded. Armada #11

After leaving the wrecked moonbase, the Space Team joined the Autobots, though the big bots' refusal to help them track down a lost escape pod led to disgruntlement among the Mini-Cons. Fire & Ice Once the Autobots changed their minds and went to Alaska to unearth the pod, the Space Team remained at Autobase to aid them from afar. Armada #13 There they witnessed the sudden appearance of an alternate-universe Optimus Prime. Worlds Collide, Part 1 of 4 This was followed by a visit from an alternate-universe Mini-Con named Over-Run, so Payload and his teammates had their work cut out for them doing research on the "space/time horizon". Worlds Collide, Part 2 of 4 With their own Optimus Prime missing somewhere out in the multiverse, Payload and Sky Blast sent a probe into a space bridge to scan various alternate realities in search of him. As the Autobase was under attack by more interdimensional travelers at the same time, Payload was getting a tad stressed. Worlds Collide, Part 3 of 4 After scanning almost 76 million different realities, he and Sky Blast were finally able to find the coordinates to Optimus Prime, allowing Over-Run to bring him back. Worlds Collide, Part 4 of 4

Prime returned with the news that Unicron was on his way to Cybertron, and in response, all Mini-Cons gathered to fight back against the planet eater. Payload and the rest of his race traveled to the Loop on Cybertron, where they channeled their energies through the Mini-Con Matrix and heavily injured Unicron. The End

Toys

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Armada

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Milady, 'tis the clobbering hour.
  • Space Mini-Con Team (Mini-Con 3-pack, 2003)
Armada Payload transforms into a rocket transport truck of undetermined (probably made-up) model; this form is designed to carry his teammate Sky Blast's rocket-mode. He also forms the main grip and support of the combined Requiem Blaster weapon.
In the Hasbro line, the Space Team were released in the third assortment of Mini-Con teams; the complete Team was also included "bonus buy" packs in several different store chains, clamshelled together with the Adventure Team, Night Attack Team, and Road Assault Team. In Japan, it was part of the fifth wave of Legend of the Microns product, released in July 2003. Aside from packaging, there are no noteworthy differences between the two companies' releases.
This mold was used to make Cybertron Blastcharge. It was slated for a few other redecoes that were ultimately not released (see below).


  • Space Micron Exdimensions (Mini-Con 3-pack, 2003)
  • ID number: MM-14
  • Release date: August 14, 2003
A limited-edition (but still regular-retail) redeco of the Space Team was made available in Japan as part of the Exdimensions series, in the sixth wave of Legends of the Microns product. The entire Team was redecoed in shades of green and brown... an oddly terrestrial color scheme for a space-based group.
This toy also doubles as the separate character Move.


  • Move (Candy toy, 2003)
  • Change Micron ID number: 6
  • Release date: August ?? 2003
  • Accessories: Missile
Payload was sold as an individual in the second series of Kabaya "Change Micron" candy toys in Japan, packed with a baggie of fizzy ramune candy, sold primarily in grocery and convenience stores.
This mold is based on the original, but is in fact an entirely new mold with numerous minor sculpting differences. It's likely this toy is also not gang-molded with his teammates like the original. The most notable differences between the Hasbro/Takara Payload and the Kabaya version is the latter lacks nearly all of the paint applications on his legs/cab (only the yellow front windshield paint remains), plus he has darker-blue plastic for his head and torso.


  • Jetfire w/ Comettor (Giga-Con Class, 2003)
  • Accessories: Missile
The Space Team was placed in a bubble attached to the top of normal Armada Jetfire packages as a bonus-buy in Target stores for a limited time in the US.


  • Space Mini-Con Team (Mini-Con 3-pack, 2003)
Test-shots of a slightly-altered Space Team have popped up from various sources. It's possible this was intended to be a mid-series deco-change for the team, though it looks unfinished at best. The team has the exact same paint application layouts in exactly the same colors as the original.
Payload's black plastics turned purple, while his medium-blue went to black.
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Universe (2003)

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  • Spacewarp (Ultra Class, 2004?)
Universe Spacewarp was an unproduced redeco of Armada Ultra-sized Jetfire, slated to come with a redeco of Comettor and the Space Team. Judging from Universe Ramjet and Sunstorm each being packaged with four redecoed Mini-Cons whose names were unchanged, Payload would presumably have retained his name.
This set was initially intended as a Toys"R"Us exclusive but was shelved because no retail chain ultimately ended up wanting to carry it. Spacewarp was among several proposed exclusives that were ultimately put into retail limbo during the waning of the Universe line.
Ultimately, the Spacewarp concept was revived in 2007 as Timelines Astrotrain, one of the first exclusives available for purchase from the Transformers Collectors' Club. By this point, however, the Space Team molds were too worn out and were thusly replaced by a redeco of the Giant Planet Team as the Sabotage Team.
In 2015, this unused deco became the basis of the separate character Starburst.
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Energon

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  • Ultra Magnus (Ultra Class, 2004)
The Space Team was redecoed and packaged in with Energon Ultra Magnus. Magnus was originally going to be packed with a new-characters redeco of the Street Speed Mini-Con Team (Brakedown, Clocker, and Override, no team name given), but this was changed towards the last minute. Exactly why the change to the Space Team was made has yet to be determined.
The toy was an "eleventh hour" redeco, along with Rapid Run and Treadbolt. As such, their packaging photography had to be completed before properly painted samples could be obtained, so the box-back photos use the original decos. Magnus's box also shows the original Street Speed Team rather than the Space Team.
Magnus, Rapid Run and Treadbolt were produced in smaller numbers than the rest of the normal retail Energon line (reportedly only about 10,000 units each) and were only available in the initial shipments of the line. Magnus's shipment in particular saw a very limited release, quickly replaced with the second assortment in the U.S., making him hard to come by. Magnus later showed up in much larger numbers in Australia, Canada and some European markets, and he was made available in Japan through e-HOBBY with the box altered via a black and white sticker, reflecting the Space Team's addition. The back of the European release's box was further corrected, as the Mini-Cons shown were changed when more languages were added.


  • Race Mini-Con Team / Space Mini-Con Team (Multi-pack, 2004)
An unaltered version of the Space Team was released as part of an Energon-series "Mini-Con 6-pack" with the Road Assault Mini-Con Team (yet named the "Race Team" again).
This set was exclusive to both Toys"R"Us and Walmart stores.

Age of the Primes

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He doesn't get paid enough to tow Jetfire's fat body.
  • Armada Jetfire (Commander Class, 2026)
The Age of the Primes Payload is bundled alongside the rest of his Space Mini-Con Team buddies with Jetfire, serving as a revised version of his original toy. He transforms into a rocket transport truck, and compensates for Comettor's absence by taking on the role of being able to tow Jetfire's alt mode.
He retains his ability to combine with his teammates into the Requiem Blaster, forming the handle. The weapon can be wielded by Jetfire.
The set was revealed on April 13 2026, with pre-orders going up the following day.
Designer commentary on Age of the Primes Jetfire from Mark Maher on Instagram


Notes

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Foreign names

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  • Japanese: Move (ムーブ Mūbu), Payload (ペイロード Peirōdo)
  • Korean: Move (무브 Mubeu)

References

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