Korlonium crystal

Korlonium crystals are a mineral from the cartoon portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.

Autoscout's last-known photo.

Korlonium crystals are humming, high energy, light-emitting minerals. First seen on Earth after an earthquake, the energy emitted from the crystals readily attracted the Decepticons. It is known that these crystals are lethal to electronics; contact through any conductive material causes machinery to catastrophically explode.

Fiction

The Decepticons discovered a huge deposit of korlonium crystals and, instead of simply mining the energy contained in them, hatched an overly complicated plan involving a fake clone of Optimus Prime in order to lure the Autobots into it. Once the false Prime had infiltrated the Autobot ranks, Megatron was able to use energy amplifiers to cause an apparent increase in energy from the korlonium, luring the Autobots to the location.

During the execution of the Decepticon plan, Windcharger was knocked into the crevasse full of crystals, but transformed into vehicle mode, allowing his tires to act as insulation. Once he had climbed out of the pit, he was able to warn the Autobots and expose the false Prime. A Prime Problem

Notes

• It's unclear whether korloium is common knowledge or not. Windcharger knew right away how to protect himself and Megatron was able to recognize the danger and attempt to recall the autoscout before disaster struck. The noted scientist Starscream, however, had never heard of them and the rest of the Autobots were prepared to march right in to an entire field of the stuff. These crystals are clearly rare, as they have not played a significant part in the Autobot-Decepticon conflict outside of one unnecessarily complex trap.

• Other notable lethal crystals:
  • Bipolar energon crystals Go with the Flow
  • Raw energon in both Beast Wars and Energon.