Convoy (rank)

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

Convoy (コンボイ Konboi) is an Autobot and Maximal rank of leadership throughout many Japanese series. It is similar in many ways to the American rank of "Prime". The rank was named in honor of Convoy (the Japanese name for Optimus Prime).

In the 1980s continuity, an Autobot did not have to achieve a Convoy rank to be the Supreme Commander. The structured ranking of Convoys was not established until the era of the Beast Wars.

Unlike those in the Hasbro-based fiction with a rank of "Prime", a Convoy isn't the Supreme Commander of the Maximals as a whole (that job belongs to the Maximal Elders or the Convoy Council, depending on what universe and time period you're talking about). Virtually any high ranking Maximal General is a Convoy, and they are instead the Supreme Commander of a crew of Maximals. They typically possess their own Matrix, most often an Energon Matrix.

Whether it's a requirement of the rank or just bizarre coincidence, many Convoys share quite a few common design elements, generally based on the original Optimus Prime/Convoy.

Fiction

Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity

Precursor World

In the universe preceding the G1 World, "Convoy" (司令官 (コンボイ)) was the equivalent word for "Commander". As such, several leaders of the orders within the Primus Vanguard were Convoys, although two were the higher-ranking "Prime" (meaning "Marshal"). God Neptune comic 1

The Transformers cartoon

The felled Orion Pax was rebuilt by Alpha Trion into the Autobot leader Convoy. War Dawn Placed in his body was the Matrix, which was in Alpha Trion's possession after the death of a previous Autobot leader. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4 After Convoy's own death, the Matrix came into the possession of Hot Rodimus, who was upgraded by the artifact's energies into Rodimus Convoy. The Transformers: The Movie

Robotmasters

In 2004, a multitude of Convoys from different times and places met on Earth. To distinguish between themselves, the original Convoy was known as "G1 Convoy", and the Convoy of the Beast Wars was referred to as "Beast Convoy". Robotmasters

Beast Wars cartoon

Convoy was the name of the captain of the Axalon, who would go on to fight in the Beast Wars. Beast Wars (Part 1) He would alter his name as he adopted new forms, such as "Metals Convoy" Coming of the Fuzors (Part 2) and "Powered Convoy". Optimal Situation

Legends comic

In the aftermath of Convoy's sacrifice to bring about a technorganic Cybertron, the rejuvenated Vector Sigma created the "Convoy Type" (コンボイタイプ) of Transformers based on Convoy's likeness. Few of them become Great Convoys, the ruling body of Cybertron, although Blue Big Convoy disagreed with the exaltation of Convoys within Cybertronian society and believed that one became a true Convoy through the desire to protect others, not birth. Upon Blue Big Convoy's death, his son, Big Junior, became Big Convoy. LG-EX Blue Big Convoy

Beast Wars II cartoon

Convoy was the name of a particular Maximal who would go on to rechristen himself as "Lio Convoy" when he acquired a lion mode on Gaia. White Lion, Run!

Beast Wars Neo cartoon

Cybertron was ruled over by Vector Sigma and Great Convoys. Big Convoy, Move Out After Unicron was defeated, Vector Sigma offered Lio Convoy and Big Convoy the "Great Convoy" rank, which Lio Convoy accepted but Big Convoy turned down. Graduation Ceremony!!

Toy bios

Lio Convoy would go on to become "Great Lio Convoy". Leo Prime bio

Galaxy Force cartoon

Besides Galaxy Convoy of Cybertron, "Convoy" was a title held by the leaders of the four Transformer colonies, signified by the possession or symbolic guardianship of their respective Force Chip.

Known Convoys

Generation 1 & 2

• Convoy/Star Convoy/Battle Convoy/Convoy Grand Prime
• Rodimus Convoy
• Pepsi Convoy
• Black Convoy
• Yokohama Convoy

Robotmasters

• Reverse Convoy

Beast Era

• Convoy/Convobat/Burning Convoy/Metals Convoy/Powered Convoy/Beast Convoy
• Convoy/Lio Convoy/Flash Lio Convoy/Great Lio Convoy
• Big Convoy
• Great Convoy
• Blue Big Convoy

Beast Wars Neo manga

• Crow Convoy
• Break
• Colada
• Longrack and his father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-...well, a LOT of his ancestors.
• Stampy

Car Robots

• Fire Convoy/God Fire Convoy
• Black Convoy

Legends of the Microns/Super Link

• Convoy/Jet Convoy/Magna Convoy/Magna Jet Convoy/Grand Convoy/Wing Convoy/Omega Convoy
• Rodimus Convoy

Galaxy Force

• Galaxy Convoy/Liger Convoy/Sonic Convoy
• Nitro Convoy
• Flame Convoy
• Live Convoy
• Megalo Convoy

Timelines

• Black Convoy
• "Joe Convoy"
• Galva Convoy
• Galaxy Convoy
• Rhetoric Convoy
• Legend Convoy

Generations Selects

• Magna Convoy
• Blue Big Convoy
• White Gallant Convoy
• Green Tender Convoy
• Yellow Splendid Convoy
• Purple Wicked Convoy

See also

• Autobot Commander
• Supreme Commander
• Prime (rank)
• Hyper Convoy

Note

The name "Convoy" derives from "Battle Convoy", the Japanese name of Optimus Prime's precursor in the Diaclone toyline, because the name "Optimus Prime" is difficult for Japanese kids to remember and pronounce. Starting with the 2007 Transformers film, TakaraTomy abandoned that idea and began calling all new incarnations of Optimus Prime by his English name in Japan as well, including new versions of Generation 1 Optimus Prime. The exception is products aimed at older Japanese fans, such as Masterpiece and Alternity, which still call him "Convoy".