Editing Alpha Trion/Generation 1

{{disambig3|Alpha Trion}}
:''Alpha Trion is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Alphatrionkhanna.jpg|right|thumb|300px|If Alpha Trion was a Decepticon, you KNOW he would stroke his [[facial hair|beard]] while contemplating conquest. You know it.]]

'''Alpha Trion''' is one of the oldest living Transformers, and with that age comes a nuanced understanding of his race and their place within the universe.  In his youth, he went by the name '''A3''', and in this time, he helped lead the enslaved Cybertronians in their rebellion against their cruel masters, the [[Quintesson]]s.  As a result, he was instrumental in first establishing [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] as an independent planet.

In his older years, he has found a comfortable role in serving as advisor to other Transformers. Though not taking part in the battles of the [[Great War]], he is firmly on the side of the Autobots, serving as a mentor and guide, especially to [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]]. He is an enigmatic old robot, though he is known to be the guardian of [[Vector Sigma]] and the custodian of its [[Key to Vector Sigma|circuit key]]. His sage-like manner paints him in almost a mystic tone, and possible connections between Alpha Trion, [[Primus]], and the history of Cybertron itself have boosted him into legendary status.

:''Japanese name:'' '''Alpha Trin'''<br>
:''Chinese name:'' '''Tai Shifu''' (meaning Master Tai)<br>
:''Indonesian name:'' '''Alpa Trion'''


==Fiction==
===Animated continuity===
====Generation 1 cartoon====
''Voice actors:'' [[John Stephenson]], [[Corey Burton]] ([[War Dawn]]), [[Tony Pope]] ([[Forever is a Long Time Coming]]) (English); [[Osamu Saka]] (Japanese)

[[Image:YoungA3.jpg|left|150px|thumb|[[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]] never misses a chance to check out A3's rugged [[facial hair|mustache]].]]

11 million years ago, a mechanoid named A3 was part of the robot rebellion against the [[Quintesson]]s on a [[Cybertron (planet) |factory world]], creating a device called the [[Coda Remote]] that would stop their [[Dark Guardian]]s.  Due to a timerift created by Quintessons from the future, he was briefly pulled into the year 2006. Fortunately, his partner [[Beta]] managed to start the rebellion as scheduled, and A3 was soon returned by future [[Autobot]]s to fulfill his role in Cybertronian history.  {{storylink|Forever is a Long Time Coming}}

[[Image:Alphatrionagesbackwards.jpg|thumb|right|150px|He grew a beard, picked up the Matrix, shaved his beard, and then built Optimus, apparently.]]
Years later, he would be given the [[Matrix of Leadership]] by a [[U-Haul Robot|dying Autobot leader]], but Alpha Trion himself did not become [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]]. It would sit in his possession, unused, until the coming of the next Autobot leader.  {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}}  In the meanwhile, Alpha Trion developed plans to rebuild Autobots to better combat the escalating [[Decepticon]] menace.

The next Autobot leader would actually come to ''him'' when a [[Aerialbot (G1)|group of time-travelers]] lugged a dying youth named Orion Pax to his repair center.  Reluctant at first, Alpha Trion sensed a strong [[spark|spirit]] in Orion Pax, and decided to rebuild him entirely... into [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]].  When Prime asked if Alpha Trion could rebuild his fallen girlfriend Ariel as well, Alpha Trion agreed, and mused that [[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]] would be a good name for a female warrior. {{storylink|War Dawn}}

[[Image:AlphaTrion.jpg|left|thumb|150px|"''Yes, she is a girl.''"]]
When next seen - millions of years later - Alpha Trion was acting in an advisory role to the [[Female Autobots]].  When their secret base was discovered by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], he suggested they move their headquarters.  During the following skirmish between the Female Autobots and the Decepticons, he engaged in holographic communication with Elita One, where he (somewhat randomly) reminded her to not use her time-stopping power, for its use would likely drain her [[spark|lifeforce]]. When she immediately used this power to save her beloved Optimus Prime, the Autobot leader tracked Alpha Trion to his secret base.  Alpha Trion repaired her to the best of his ability, but revealed to Optimus Prime that only Prime could save Elita by interfacing to her with his power filter.  An astonished Optimus Prime stated that only his CREATOR could know that!  {{storylink|The Search for Alpha Trion}}

''(Optimus Prime had apparently forgotten that Alpha Trion was his creator, although he seemed to know that Alpha Trion created Elita One.  This, uncomfortably, makes Alpha Trion both of their fathers.  Which would make them... )''

Alpha Trion was one of the first generation Cybertronians created by Vector Sigma.  Because of this, he was custodian of the supercomputer's circuit key--but his own circuitry also functioned as a key and would allow him to interface with Vector Sigma on his own.  He did just that, sacrificing his own body in order to compel Vector Sigma to imbue life into the Aerialbots to counter Megatron's [[Stunticon|new troops]] {{storylink|The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2}}.  

After this, Alpha Trion appeared mostly as a spirit-guide, and had the peculiar honor of residing both within Vector Sigma ''and'' the Matrix of Leadership.  He knew of the important role that both [[Nebulos]] and the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]] would come to play in Vector Sigma's grand plan to rejuvenate Cybertron, and so urged Optimus Prime to help the plan become reality {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}}.

====Headmasters anime====

[[Image:AlphaTrionGhost.jpg|right|thumbnail|Alpha Trion's Spooooooky Ghost]]

He twirled a lot.

{{-}}

===''Universe: Featuring the Wreckers''===
[[Image:Alphatrionwreckers.jpg|left|thumb|150px|Alpha Trion was a lion for all of two seconds.]]Alpha Trion was seemingly resurrected and/or reformatted as a lion by the [[Oracle]] to guide [[Primal Prime]] and his [[Wreckers]] in much the same way as he aided many previous Autobot leaders. {{storylink|Departure}} It is unclear whether this new form ever existed physically; its only appearance was as a vision in Primal Prime's head. {{storylink|Betrayal}}

[[Image:Alphatrionuniverse.jpg|right|thumb|150px|You know, screw this lion thing.]]
However, he did not make an appearance after this enigmatic reintroduction until [[Unicron]] posed a new threat to the balance of the multiverse.  Alpha Trion, though technically still merged with with [[Primus]]/Vector Sigma/Whatever, was again in his original body (but now with a cape!).  He/they pulled Cybertron's greatest hero, [[Optimus Primal]], back from the dead in order to rescue recently abducted Cybertronians from the center of the Chaos Bringer. {{storylink|Abduction}}  

When Primal succeeded at this monumental task, {{storylink|Escape}} he confronted the [[Maximal Elders]] with one of his overblown speeches and was thrown in jail.  Alpha Trion sent [[Snarl (BM)|Snarl]] to stage a small rescue of his own, and Primal was returned to the center of Cybertron.  Here, Alpha Trion presented Primal with a window into the past, present, and future of the [[Allspark]], from which he could pluck any warrior, whether they be living or dead.  Primal chose [[Depth Charge|Depthcharge]] and [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]], the former of whom rejected Primal's calling.  Alpha Trion quieted Primal's disappointment, letting Depthcharge go, expecting him to return of his own accord.  To take his place, Alpha Trion pulled [[Omega Prime]] from the ''[[Robots in Disguise (franchise)|Robots in Disguise]]'' universe. {{storylink|Homecoming}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
[[Image:Alphatriondw.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Most people kill their prizes before hanging them on their wall. Shockwave is not most people.]]
Eons ago, Alpha Trion kept watch over the Transformers when Primus entered his eternal sleep to hide Cybertron from Unicron. However, a nomadic alien race eventually conquered Cybertron, and Alpha Trion was forced into hiding. Thousands of Transformers were slaughtered, and Alpha Trion was unable to act. <ref>[[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide]]</ref> What exactly happened afterwards is unknown, but it is implied that Alpha Trion eventually drove the invaders off Cybertron.

Alpha Trion was last seen hanging on [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]'s wall. This was apparently meant to be very important to the huge, over-arching plot of the entire universe, but odds are we'll never learn why. {{storylink|War and Peace}}
{{-}}

===Devil's Due===
[[Image:Historyofcybertron.jpg‎|right|thumb|150px|Trukk... ''and'' munky?]]
When [[Serpent O.R.]] downloaded some of [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]]'s memories, he saw Alpha Trion and his role in the [[Autobot rebellion|rebellion]] against the [[Quintesson]]. {{storylink|The Art of War}}
{{-}}

===IDW comics continuity===

Alpha Trion attended the funeral of [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]] and [[Fastback]], accompanied by Orion Pax, Ariel, and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]].

==Toys==
===Timelines===
* '''Alpha Trion'''/'''Weirdwolf''' (souvenir add-on, BotCon 2007)
[[Image:Alphatrionbc07.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Old people can't drive, but they sure can fence.]]
: A bagged set of Alpha Trion and [[Weirdwolf]] was released at BotCon 2007 as a souvenir set add-on, limited to 1400 pieces.  Alpha Trion was a [[retool]] of [[Cybertron (toyline)|''Cybertron'']] [[Vector Prime]], [[redeco]]ed in purple, white, and red, plus a new head.  

: Alpha Trion transforms into a large cybertronic space cruiser with "solar panel" wings, his shape seemingly taking cues from both the ''[[Beast Wars]]'' starship ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'' and the ''[[Star Wars]]'' Sith Infiltrator. His nosecone has a spring-loaded missile launcher at the tip. Inserting his [[Cyber Planet Key]] (painted gold to resemble the [[Key to Vector Sigma]]) does not activate any sounds, unlike Vector Prime's toy.  He comes with a Mini-Con partner named [[Beta Maxx]].  Alpha Trion has the more flexible translucent plastic parts ([[for safety reasons]]) of the [[Hasbro]] version of the mold.

: This toy may represent another version of Alpha Trion, not necessarily one from a [[Generation 1]] universe.  The character does make his first ''appearance'' in the [[Transtech]] universe in the pages of the club comic, but it is not clear that this is the character's universe of origin, and the Transtech universe seems to be home to many travelers from other realities.

===Unreleased===
[[Image:Alphalion.jpg|right|thumb|150px|You'll never own me.]]
A redeco of [[Snarl (BM)|''Beast Machines'' Snarl]] was planned as Alpha Trion for the [[OTFCC]] ''[[Universe (comic)|Wreckers]]'' storyline, but this concept never made it past the paint mock-up stage.  

A redecoed [[Lio Convoy]] was also considered by [[3H]] for Alpha Trion around the same time, and it was sort of this version that briefly appeared in the comic book (see above).  Though the toy mock-up used Snarl, 3H hoped they could finagle the use of the Lio Convoy mold.  "Alpha Lion"'s wireframe appearance in [[Departure|''Wreckers'' #1]] used Lio Convoy's body, but Snarl's head, hopefully allowing 3H to fudge either way, should they come to a decision.  They didn't!

==Merchandise==
* '''Alpha Trion''' (Super Collection Figure)

==Trivia==
* Interestingly, Alpha Trion is one of the very few Transformers to show signs of aging and [[facial hair|hair growth]].
* According to a note in Japan's Comic BomBom magazine, A3 was the first successful Cybertronian, A1 and A2 being failures. However, the presence of Cybertronians within the Matrix of Leadership older than Alpha Trion (as seen in [[The Return of Optimus Prime]]) makes the actual [[canon]]icity of this questionable.
* In ''[[Robots in Disguise (franchise)|Robots in Disguise]]'', an [[Alpha Trion (RID)|Alpha Trion]] is mentioned as an Autobot elder who created [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ultra Magnus (RID)|Ultra Magnus]].  
* The ''[[Unicron Trilogy]]'' has another nigh-identical [[Alpha Trion (Energon)|Alpha Trion]].  In fact, [[BotCon 2007]] Alpha Trion's bio suggests many continuities have him, and they are all pretty much the same.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category: Autobot leaders]]
[[Category: Autobots]]
[[Category: Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category: Headmasters characters]]
[[Category: Unreleased toys]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>