Solar Needle

The Solar Needle is a device from the cartoon portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.

So it takes energy from the star and puts it in the machine, causing the sun to go supernova… and… uh… have we thought this through all the way?

The Solar Needle was a massive structure built by the Decepticons, which served as a powerful energy collector.

The Solar Needle had a massive central structure with a sharp domed head, where the main computer was located. Energy receptors located around this base sent energy to numerous spherical towers that surrounded the structure, with each spherical tower sending a stream of energy to another spherical tower. The energy web thus generated could destroy a Transformer that attempted to move through it. The energy receptors were also capable of reflecting energy back at an attacking enemy.

This piece of technology drained the energy from a star, collecting it to be converted to energon. While a potent source of power, the process resulted in the destabilization of the star it was being used against causing it to eventually explode—a minor drawback!

Fiction

The Transformers cartoon

Megatron built the device deep within the jungles of Africa and made use of a circuit from Gears that governed his personality in order to power the device. The Needle captured much of the Sun's energy but would have eventually resulted in the destruction of the entire planet had the Autobots not reversed the process. Soon afterward, Gears demolished the Solar Needle. Changing Gears

Notes

• A similar such piece of technology called a Star Harvester was built by Transformers in the live-action film continuity to drain a star of power in order to re-energize the AllSpark.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Solar Needle (ソーラーニードル Sōrā Nīdoru)