Lander

Lander is an Autobot Pretender from the Super-God Masterforce portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.

With Richard Dean Anderson as "Lander"

Lander (ランダー Randā) came to Earth during the Stone Age, when he and his fellow Autobot Pretenders crashed on the planet while in pursuit of a group of Decepticons. In order to more effectively hunt down the Decepticons, who had used their Pretender powers to take the forms of monsters, Lander and the Autobots adopted the forms of human beings, and battled their foes down through the ages, inspiring many classical Earthly legends in the process. When the Decepticons were finally defeated and sealed away, Lander and the others elected to remain on Earth, living in their human guises and guiding the evolution of human society.

While his comrades found themselves touched by the beauty of Earth's natural environment, or the extent and complexity of mankind's emotion, Lander was particularly taken by one thing: humankind's great capacity for pleasure. In the present day, he lives in New York City, and fills his off-hours with the finer things in life—he collects wine, attends concerts, and loves, above all else... the ladies. Despite his man-about-town lifestyle, Lander would never shirk his Autobot duties in favour of the fairer sex, but when he is called upon for a mission, it's a very rare thing to find him not in the company of one of his many lady-friends.

Lander is physically the strongest of the Autobot Pretenders, although he's not the most proficient soldier amongst the group, with combat skills that could only be described as "competent". His talents lie in both the mechanical and natural worlds—he is a five-star engineer, and an expert geologist.

“	You gotta make your decisions with style. Otherwise, you won't get the girls.	”
—Lander, "Panic! Protect the Wild Animals!!"

Fiction

Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity

A Tale of the Pretenders

While trying to find Metalhawk in Japan, Lander and other Autobot Pretenders ran into a human woman who pleaded with them to save her siblings from Decepticon Pretenders. They soon found their teammate and were able to fight off the Decepticons. A Tale of the Pretenders

Super-God Masterforce cartoon

Voice actor: Ryōichi Tanaka (Japanese), Alberto Sette (Italian)

Dull Surprise?

When the Decepticon Pretenders were liberated from their imprisonment by the alien Devil Z, Lander's peaceful years of indulgence were interrupted at last when his leader, Metalhawk, summoned him to Japan for a battle with the fiends. Lander happened to be in an elevator with a date at the time, but wasn't especially bothered about donning his Pretender suit in front of her, and running off into the city streets. Converting to vehicle mode, he was pursued by the police, but shook them by launching himself into the ocean and cruising off over the waves. Making his way to Japan, Lander joined Metalhawk in battle and took on Dauros while his leader destroyed the Decepticons' Seacon support, forcing the villains to flee. Rise Up!! Pretenders

While the other Autobots were busy battling the Decepticons in the Karin Islands, Lander remained behind at Professor Gō's observatory, only for the building to come under attack by Blood. As the observatory burned, Lander contacted the Autobots and attempted to get the professor to safety, but was attacked and defeated by Blood. The observatory had already been reduced to rubble by the time Metalhawk and the other Autobots arrived to see Lander clawing his way out of the wreckage; the professor, alas, did not survive. Terror! The Decepticons' Manhunt

Lander joined the Autobots in responding to a Decepticon attack on Rome, subduing their Destroid servants with knock-out gas. The Decepticon Pretenders fled into the tunnels beneath the city, and Lander and Diver gave chase, only to lose track of their foes and wind up in a coastal cave. Kidnapping!? The Targeted Jumbo Jet Shortly thereafter, Lander came to Japan to help Metalhawk when he transformed the Autobots' human allies, Shūta Gō, Cab, and Minerva, into Headmaster Junior warriors Birth! Headmaster Jrs and later joined with the rest of the Autobots on a mission to protect the wildlife of Africa from the Decepticons. Panic! Protect the Wild Animals!!

When the Decepticons' two newest warriors, the Godmaster brothers Hydra and Buster, attacked the Mt Fuji Foothills Hang Gliding Competition Tournament, in which the Headmaster Juniors were participating, Metalhawk and Lander sped to the aid of their young comrades. The two Pretenders proved to be sorely outmatched by the mighty Godmasters, but fortunately for the Autobots, when Phoenix and Diver arrived to reinforce them, the sinister siblings elected to withdraw. Super Warriors - The Godmaster Brothers A rematch with the Godmasters followed quickly, on Viscas Island, and again, Lander and the Autobots only just managed to scrape a victory. A Fierce Battle!! The Autobots Are in Trouble

When Diver discovered the first Autobot Godmaster, Ginrai, in America, he summoned Lander to the Ocean Research Institute of California to educate Ginrai on the threat of the Decepticons and help him convince the trucker to join the Autobot forces. Although Ginrai wasn't completely sold on the idea, he did vow to help the Autobots when he could "for the sake of the world", and Lander and Diver would later help him in battle against Hydra and Buster several times. Ginrai: God On of Rage!! Eliminate the Godmaster Ginrai Despite the increase in fighting, Lander still tried to keep a healthy social calendar, but was less than impressed when the Decepticons decided to kidnap some children just after he'd managed to obtain tickets to a concert. Heroism!! The Birth of Super Ginrai

After Ginrai discovered the next Autobot Godmaster, Lightfoot, in Canada, Lander was part of the Autobot search party that headed into the Rocky Mountains, putting his geological skills to use checking out assorted ores and minerals in the mountain caves in hopes of finding clues to the locations of the remaining Godmasters. The trail eventually led to success in the form of Ranger An Enemy? The Third Godmaster, Ranger and when the fourth Godmaster, Road King, was located, Lander joined with the other Pretenders in insisting that Ginrai accept the position of Autobot leader. The Autobot Warrior, Sixknight?!

This looks cool, but we had the toy. It's not.

Soon thereafter, Lander, Metalhawk, and Diver met with their old ally, Grand Maximus, who arrived from space to inform them of the approach of the Decepticon, BlackZarak, towards Earth. Grand supplied them with the plans and materials necessary to construct a drone named "Godbomber", which would enable Ginrai to fly and fight in space and defeat BlackZarak before he reached the planet, and Lander and the Pretenders focused their efforts into the completion of this "Bomber Project". Life? Death? The Desperate Lightfoot Despite various attempts by the Decepticons to stop them, the Autobots successfully completed construction of Godbomber, God Ginrai - Into the Sky!! and Ginrai headed into space to battle BlackZarak. Like all the other Autobots, Lander was unable to do anything but sit on Earth and wait for news as the battle raged in space, but Lander took the tension calmly, suggesting a drink to pass the time. Needless to say, the Headmaster Juniors were not impressed. God Ginrai - Showdown on the Surface of the Moon

Lander took a big step back from the front lines at this point, participating only in very occasional battles. He helped scan the planet for Decepticon activity Crisis! The Day of Human Extinction and battled the Decepticon Pretenders alongside his fellow Autobots Pretenders in Latin America, God Ginrai - Save Cancer!? but played no hand in the final battle between the Autobots and Decepticons in the Alps, during which Ginrai successfully destroyed BlackZarak and Devil Z, inadvertently bringing the Transformers' transtectors to life. The now-living transtectors departed Earth to rejoin their respective factions in space, but Lander and the other Pretenders elected to remain on Earth and continue their lives there. A Battle... and Then...

Zone cartoon

Lander was among the Autobots standing onstage when the injured Victory Saber passed the mantle of Supreme Commander to Dai Atlas. Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!

Super-God Masterforce comic

Chip Chase finally gets himself some bionic legs.

Lander was present when Shūta, Cab, and Minerva became Headmaster Juniors, presenting their transtectors to them alongside Diver and Phoenix. The Birth of the Junior Headmasters

When Diver discovered the first Autobot Godmaster, Ginrai, in America, and arranged for him to travel to Japan to meet the other Autobots, Lander elected not to make the trip, staying at the Ocean Research Institute with Diver and Phoenix. On Scene! Our Savior's Name Is Ginrai! He later joined with the other Autobots in racing to thwart a mysterious Decepticon scheme, only to be briefly bamboozled by holographic images of legendary Decepticons before Ginrai dealt with them. Burn, Chokon! New Commander Super Ginrai!

Lander and the other Pretenders dropped off the radar after this battle, appearing only briefly to monitor a two-pronged attack by the Decepticons against Earth. God Ginrai's Amazing Divine Combination!

Fortunately for all concerned, they returned to the front lines during Ginrai's final battle with the Decepticons, during which the Decepticon emperor, Devil Z, turned on his subordinates, and attempted to absorb their Jinchōkon in order to transform himself into the ultimate lifeform. Lander and the Pretenders hurled themselves into the path of the villain's Jinchōkon-absorbing beam, saving Ginrai and the Decepticons from its effects, and remaining unharmed themselves, since, as true robots, they possessed no Jinchōkon of their own. Lander subsequently joined with all the other Autobots and Decepticons in combining their energies into the "Perfect Transform Attack", which destroyed Devil Z once and for all. With the alien's death, the humans were separated from their transtectors, and the transtectors themselves were brought to life as true super-robot lifeforms. While the new-born Transformers departed Earth to rejoin their respective factions in space, Lander elected to remain on Earth and continue his life there. The Birth of the Super Life-Forms

2005 IDW continuity

In this continuity, Lander is not a Pretender.

Lander, with his cohorts Skram, Fireball, and Diver, razed planets that aided the Decepticons during the Great War. Forever Is a Long Time Coming

After the war ended, Lander and his friends ended up living in Metroplex, City of Steel where they were killed The Killing Jar by Sandstorm for their crimes. Forever Is a Long Time Coming

Kre-O online comic

On the left.

When First Aid was being all sad in a bar, Phoenix and Lander were present. Bad at Fighting? Rescue Team Protectobots, Dispatch!

Toys

Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers

• Lander (Pretender, 1988)

• ID number: C-200
• Accessories: 2-piece Pretender shell, helmet, belt, "Crusher Blade", "Drill Wave Gun"
• Known designers: Masakatsu Saito (concept artist)

Released in the fourth year of Takara's Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers line under the Super-God Masterforce banner, Lander is identical to the concurrently-released Hasbro Pretender Landmine, transforming into a predominantly grey Cybertronic land vehicle. His "Drill Wave Gun" can be plugged on top of his vehicle mode via 5 mm post.

In robot mode, he can fit inside his large Pretender shell, a human in a yellow and grey armored space suit. The shell has its own "Crusher Blade" sword (which the inner robot cannot hold sadly), and can also hold the "Drill Wave Gun" to boot. The two halves of the shell are further secured by adding the helmet and belt to it.

Lander was available only as part of the "Lander Present Campaign" (previously named as "Mysterious Transformer Present") that actually began during the The Headmasters series, but extended into Masterforce. Entrants had to attach 2 Robot Points from specifically Headmaster, Targetmaster, and Pretender toys (obviously that last one only after Masterforce was released) to a postcard, with their name, address and age on it, and mail it to Takara, with entries needing to be postmarked by June 30 1988. 500 lucky winners were picked each month over the course of six months (what month the actual mailing out started is unknown), with 3000 Landers given away in total. Curiously, he came in packaging that is basically identical in design to his retail-release fellow Pretenders, even down to having a UPC bar-code on the bottom of the box... and a flier advertising the Lander mail-away offer!

• More information on Lander (well, Landmine, close enough) at TFU.info

Notes

Secretarymine

• Lander's animation model shows up in the Armada episode "First Encounter" as a "generic", unnamed Autobot. He is seen carrying a "clipboard" of some kind and reacting to the Mini-Con beacon. He's also the only one in that shot seen clearly, the other three (Streetwise, Wideload, and Sixknight) all being seen only from the back and largely obscured.
• A differently colored version of Lander appears as a field commander chafing under withdrawal orders in "Drift".
• Lander (or maybe Landmine, we dunno) is on display at the Pop Century resort at Walt Disney World sans weapon and pretender shell.

• Kreon Phoenix, Lander, and Sixshot being in a bar is a direct reference to the art of Maccadam's Old Oil House created by Guido Guidi for Transformers: The Ultimate Guide (pictured at right), which featured those characters (or rather, their American counterparts Landmine and Cloudburst).

Foreign names

• English: Landmine (Omni Productions dub, Shout! Factory sub)
• Italian: Folgore ("Lightning")
• Mandarin: Dìlíng (China, 地灵, "Earth Spirit")
• Russian: Fugas (Фугас, "Landmine")