Laser blaster

Laser blasters are relatively common weapons amongst both the Autobots and Decepticons.

Fiction

Marvel The Transformers comics

Crankcase was armed with two high-impact laser blasters and a distortion modulator. Crankcase's Universe profile In robot and battle station modes, walking armory Fortress Maximus was armed with dual laser blasters equipped with a heat-seeking target lock system. Fortress Maximus's Universe profile Once Scourge had located his target, he had many ways he can destroy them: dissolving acid rays, disintegrator beams, and laser blasters. Scourge's Universe profile

Dreamwave Generation One continuity

Nightbeat was armed with laser blasters in vehicle mode. Nightbeat's More than Meets the Eye profile Doubleheader's jet mode had twin laser blasters. Doubleheader's More than Meets the Eye profile

Toys

The Transformers

• Optimus Prime (Autobot Commander, 1984-1986)

• Accessories: laser blaster, left & right fists, trailer/Combat Deck, Roller, 4 rockets, hose, nozzle, fuel pump

The Transformers Optimus Prime came with a black gun that, by design, he cannot hold straight, identified as a laser blaster in his instructions. This mold has been reissued, redecoed, and/or retooled more than any other Transformers toy over the subsequent years; releases since 2004 may call this weapon an ion blaster.

I have more... many more weapons of destruction beyond this one.

• Scourge (Decepticon Jet, 1986/1990)

• Accessories: disintegrator ray, laser blaster

The Transformers Scourge wields a blue blaster, which is referred to as a laser blaster by his instructions and packaging bio.






• Fortress Maximus (Headmaster Base, 1987)

• Accessories: Spike Headmaster unit, Cerebros large Headmaster unit, Gasket, Grommet, photon rifle, dual laser blaster, Cerebros's mini-laser rifle, Cog's laser, radar scope, Master Sword (Japanese release only), Cerebros's sword (Japanese release only)

According to his instructions and packaging bio, The Transformers Fortress Maximus was armed with a dual laser blaster. This mold was also used to make Super-God Masterforce Grand Maximus, Car Robots Brave Maximus, and Robotmasters "Cybertron Base".






• Crankcase (Triggercon, 1988)

Crankcase featured two blue guns that could deploy in both robot and vehicle modes, identified as laser blasters in his packaging bio.






• Thunderwing (Mega Pretender, 1989)

• Accessories: Pretender shell, 2 large lasers, small laser

The Transformers Thunderwing came with three weapons, labelled as two large lasers and a small laser in his instructions and specified to be heat-seeking laser blasters and a cyclone cannon in his packaging bio.

Notes

• Despite being labelled as a laser blaster in his toy's instructions, Optimus Prime's iconic weapon would not retain this name for long: his Marvel Universe profile (and indeed much of the Marvel comic's run) called it a laser rifle, as did the cartoon, his Dreamwave More than Meets the Eye profile upgraded it to a laser cannon rifle, and with the release of the Masterpiece toyline's 20th Anniversary Optimus Prime it would be renamed as an ion blaster.
• Nightbeat's More than Meets the Eye profile replaced his traditional photon pistols with laser blasters, while Crankcase's profile replaced his laser blasters with laser cannons, and Thunderwing's profile replaced his heat-seeking laser blasters with cyclone cannons.
• A number of early character models created for The Transformers: The Movie depicted various characters as having laser blasters of some kind: Galvatron's shoulders contained maxi laser blasters; Rewind and Eject both carried mini laser blasters; Scourge had a maxi laser blaster mounted atop his head and access to two further mini laser blasters in vehicle mode; Wreck-Gar had laser blasters built into his chest; and one of Hot Rod's forearm-mounted exhausts functioned as a laser blaster.

References