Safeguard (Cybertron)

The name or term "Safeguard" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Safeguard (disambiguation).

Safeguard is an Autobot-allied Gigantion Mini-Con from the Cybertron portion of the Unicron Trilogy continuity family.

Adorably deadly.

Safeguard is Vector Prime's faithful Mini-Con partner. He travels with him through time and space, and aids him in his multiversal tasks. Not only is he an expert in data-gathering and translation, but he's also an utterly fearless warrior and will face down opponents many times his size without hesitation.

Sometimes he carries cute, tiny swords.

Fiction

Cartoon continuity

Cybertron cartoon

Voice actor: SFX

"Wait, you mean you actually get to do something?"

Safeguard was originally from Gigantion, the Giant Planet. He was probably with the Recon Mini-Con Team when they were trapped in a shuttle pod that blasted off and floated aimlessly through space, where they were later accidentally discovered by Vector Prime, who took them with him on his travels. Balance

He was fastened to Vector Prime's arm in his alternate mode when the ancient Cybertronian came to tell Optimus Prime of the Cyber Planet Keys, and subsequently traveled to Earth. Fallen Inferno He remained as such, occasionally acting as Vector Prime's blaster, for some time.

Safeguard was sent to investigate underwater ruins off of an island while the humans played in the surf and Vector Prime sunned himself. They turned out to be just another reproduction, not the actual Omega Lock. Time

When Vector Prime found his way to The Atlantis, really an ancient Cybertronian ship that had crashed during Earth's prehistory, he dispatched Safeguard to help him reboot the vessel's systems. Deep

Vector Prime revealed that Safeguard was one of the Mini-Cons who was originally from the planet of Gigantian. Balance Safeguard notified Vector Prime that he had lost contact with Jolt and the others. He accompanied Vector Prime as he investigated, discovering that Sideways had kidnapped both the kids and Mini-Cons. Darkness After rescuing Coby, Lori, and Six-Speed, Safeguard transformed to express his concern over the missing Jolt, Reverb, and Bud. Escape  Safeguard was eager to get to the surface of the giant planet, pointing excitedly. Safeguard helped survey the planet’s surface, finding a giant rock blocking an old passageway. Safeguard explored an ancient control room after the team created a passageway to it. Safeguard informed Vector Prime that the Gigantions had a habit of repeatedly building and abandoning cities. Giant After Jolt, Reverb, and Bud were rescued from the wreck of the Atlantis, Safeguard gave Reverb a big old hug. Safeguard and the other Mini-Cons joined Optimus’ search team as they descended into the depths of Gigation. City

When Vector Prime sacrificed himself to turn back time and enable the Autobots to escape Gigantion, Safeguard remained with his fellow Mini-Cons. Following the Autobots' victory, Safeguard wistfully looked at the launch pad at the Autobot base and imagined he saw Vector Prime taking off. *Sniff.* Beginning

Cybertron comic

Safeguard accompanied Vector Prime on his trek throughout space and time, before eventually travelling with him to the Aurex Cluster to confront the Unicron Singularity. Vector Prime: In the Beginning

They met with Alpha Trion to discuss how Primus was dealing with the proximity of the black hole, and were introduced to the dimension-hopping Sentinel Maximus. Balancing Act Wreckers: Finale Part II Shortly thereafter the group was confronted by Unicron's heralds, Ramjet and Nemesis Prime. Balancing Act As Vector Prime and Sentinel secured the Kalis Primary Energon Reserves Control, Safeguard was surveying the perimeter when the heralds dispatched Dark Scorponok to attack them. He evaded the cyber-vampire's grasp long enough for back-up to arrive. Balancing Act, Part 3 After Dark Scorponok was defeated, Safeguard remarked to Vector Prime how they had seen this particular spark affliction before in their travels. Balancing Act, Part 4

Vector Prime armed himself with Safeguard as they combated Ramjet. Balancing Act, Pt 5 The sudden arrival of Omega Prime helped turn the tide, giving Safeguard and Vector Prime the chance to survive their encounter. Revelations Part 1 The struggle drained too much of Vector Prime's space-time powers, however, and he could no longer maintain his looped double existence; he and Safeguard vanished from Cybertron and became only present on Earth, in the company of Optimus Prime's Autobots. Revelations Part 2

Kiss Players

Safeguard came across the stranded Shaoshao Li on Cybertron and saved her from pursuing Scrapmetal. Realizing her origins lied in another universe, Safeguard explained that the Transformers of this world were searching for components of Primus's spark to save the universe from the Grand Black Hole (and that she was standing on Primus himself), which Shaoshao thought coincided with her own journey to collect fragments of what she thought was the Allspark. Safeguard warned her that she needed to return to her native world soon or else its future would be threatened without the Allspark fragments Shaoshao collected. Assistance came in the form of Vector Prime, who opened a portal in spacetime that allowed a hand to reach out and bring Shaoshao back to her proper universe. Kiss Players #50

Toys

Cybertron

I have elbows!
(Hasbro version pictured)

• Vector Prime (Voyager, 2005)

• Takara ID number: GC-03
• Takara release date: December 28, 2004
• Known designers: Aaron Archer and Eric Siebenaler (Hasbro), Takashi Kunihiro (TakaraTomy), Hirofumi Ichikawa (detailing)

The pack-in Mini-Con partner to Cybertron Vector Prime, Safeguard transforms into a Cybertronic starfighter with a gunbarrel nosecone. There is a dedicated indentation on top Vector Prime's vehicle mode designed specifically to fit Safeguard's vehicle mode, though he sits very shallowly in it.

The Takara Galaxy Force version of the set, released first, uses an off-white base plastic and paint for "Roots" (his nosecone piece is actually cast in brown/burgundy plastic and almost entirely painted over). The later Hasbro release changed this color to a brighter white.

This mold was also used to make Beta Maxx.

• More information on Safeguard at TFU.info

A rare instance of the candy toy improving the deco!

• Roots (Micron Galaxy, 2005)

• Micron Galaxy ID number: 4
• Release date: April ?? 2005

Part of Kabaya's Galaxy Force "Micron Galaxy" candy toy assortment, this version of Safeguard is actually a new sculpt based on the pack-in version. The most notable difference in the Micron Galaxy version is that the nosecone and the joint connection it to his torso are now cast in the same light-gray plastic as his body, rather than cast in burgundy/brown and black respectively (due to being gang-molded with Vector Prime) with extensive paint on the nosecone to match the body as the original versions were. A side-by-side examination also reveals numerous small detailing/proportion differences a bit too numerous and insignificant to list.

He also comes with a plank of vaguely-lemony-flavored gum.

• Starscream vs. Vector Prime (Multi-pack, 2005)

Safeguard also came in a Toys"R"Us exclusive set along with Vector Prime (duh) and a new-deco version of the Voyager-class Starscream mold. This version of Safeguard (and Vector) is identical to the normal Hasbro release.

• Galaxy Force Vector Prime (Voyager, 2006)

• Known designers: Eric Siebenaler (Hasbro)

Not to be confused with the Galaxy Force release of Vector Prime, Hasbro's "Galaxy Force Vector Prime" is a matte gold & clear-orange redeco of Vector Prime and Safeguard, released in the eighth and final wave of Cybertron Voyagers, the only new toy in that assortment. The packaging photography shows the prototype as considerably more blinged out than the rather yellowish matte gold plastic actually used for the production run.

• More information on Galaxy Force Safe Guard at TFU.info

Universe (2008)

• Vector Prime with Mini-Con Safeguard! (Voyager, 2009)

• Series: Cybertron Series
• Known designers: Andrew Scribner (deco artist)

Vector Prime and Safeguard were re-released in the fourth wave of the 2008 Universe series Voyagers, redecoed in black, brown, and blue.

This version of Safeguard doubles as the TransTech incarnation of Safeguard.

• More information on Universe Safeguard at TFU.info

Merchandise

Attacktix

• Vector Prime (Booster, 2006)

A rather oddly proportioned version of Safeguard in starfighter mode makes an appearance as the missile launcher on the Vector Prime Attacktix piece.

• More information on Attacktix Vector Prime at TFU.info

Notes

• Hirofumi Ichikawa originally designed Safeguard as a female Mini-Con, but evidently this intent didn't make it through to the finished product.
• Ask Vector Prime writer Jim Sorenson has talked about a possible Beast Wars: Uprising incarnation of Safeguard, who would have been a Targetmaster.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Roots (ルーツ Rūtsu)
• Korean: Roots (루츠 Rucheu)
• Russian: Guard (Гуард), Okhrannik (Охранник, "Security Guard"), Strazh (Страж, "Guardian")