Chromedome (G1)

This article is about the heroic Autobot. For his evil mirrorverse counterpart, see Chromedome (SG).

Chromedome is an Autobot Headmaster from the Generation 1 continuity family.

"You're such a coward, Wally!"

In most universal streams, Chromedome is a comparatively quiet academic. Originally a number-cruncher at Cybertron's Institute for Higher Programming working on ways to improve the processing power of the Transformers' computerized minds, Chromedome found himself forcibly dragged into the Great War when a Decepticon attack destroyed the facility. Chromedome put his work to use programming Autobots so they could outsmart their Decepticon foes, but alas, only wound up fostering an intellectual arms race of sorts, in which both sides competed to repurpose the newest advances in programming into military advantages. Ground down over the years by this inevitability, Chromedome has come to accept that war with the Decepticon cannot be prevented—but only won.

In many of these universes, Chromedome is binary bonded to the egotistical Nebulan Stylor, who is more concerned with the finer things life than intellectual or military pursuits. As such, the two occasionally clash, with Chromedome trying to get Stylor to be a little less superficial, and Stylor trying to bring out Chromedome's more social side, but generally speaking, they get along quite well despite their differences.

As a quiet 'bot of the mind, Chromedome has a tendency to fade into the background, but there also exist universal streams in which he has foregone science and taken to the front lines of battle to become a much more prominent figure. The Chromedome of these worlds is barely recognisable as the reserved scientist of those more well-known realities: instead, he is a hot-headed youth burning with an incredible passion for justice who even serves as Fortress Maximus's trusted, if impulsive and occasionally-irrational, second-in-command.

Japanese name: Chrome/Chromedome (see below)

Italian name: Duobot

French-Canadian name: Chromedôme

Hungarian name: Krómpáncél ("Chrome Armor")

Fiction

Marvel Comics continuity

Events from the UK-only comic stories are in italics.

A long time ago, on Cybertron, Chromedome was part of an Autobot strike unit led by Fortress Maximus. This unit operated out of a cave dug into the Manganese Mountains, and often worked to foil the schemes of their primary nemesis, Scorponok. Their last major mission on Cybertron was to upset a slave march to the smelting pools. After that, however, Fortress Maximus revealed to the Autobots that he had grown sick of warfare, and planned to escape the endless ring of hate by immigrating to a new world altogether: Nebulos. At first, Chromedome was shocked, but eventually he and many others chose to join Fortress Maximus on his quest for peace.

Upon arrival on Nebulos, Chromedome chided Brainstorm for analyzing their new home with his digital readouts rather than just looking around. Indeed, Chromedome Nebulos was "a paradise." But when their attempts to forge an alliance with the native Nebulans failed (due to sabotage for political reasons), Chromedome suggested that they "talk some sense" into their new neighbors. Their unit was met with military force and Fortress Maximus ordered Chromedome and the others into the woods.

Despite these setbacks, Fortress Maximus was determined to wage peace, not war. He brought an envoy of Autobots, including Chromedome, to the Nebulan capitol of Koraja to once again plead for peace. When the Nebulans still were not totally swayed after he and his Autobots disarmed, Maximus removed his own head from his shoulders, leaving his body deactivated and inoperable in the Nebulans' care. Chromedome and three other Autobots joined their leader in his gesture. It was this gesture which finally ushered in a cease fire with the Nebulans. Ring of Hate!

Chromedome and the four others who had removed their heads were kept confined within Koraja while the Council of Peers, collateral for a peaceful Autobot settlement within the forest. Soon, however, Scorponok's Decepticons followed the Autobots to Nebulos and attacked Koraja. The peaceful Nebulan Galen refused to surrender the captive Autobots to the Decepticons, but the terms of the cease fire prohibited the Autobots' heads be returned to their bodies. Instead, a loophole was sought. At first Galen and a few like-minded Nebulans attempted to operate the Autobot bodies by remote control, but this was an awkward solution. The Nebulan scientist Arcana suggested something more elegant yet groundbreaking - the Nebulans should undergo the Headmaster process, surgically altering themselves to become the heads of the Autobots! Stylor volunteered to undergo the process to become Stylor's head, and the procedure commenced.

The new Headmaster Autobots met the Decepticons in battle, and the Decepticons were amazed at how powerful and agile their foes had suddenly become. Chromedome was able to leap out of the way of Scorponok's deadly stinger attack in car mode, to Scorponok's incredulity, though he did land up-side down. When the Decepticons realized how outclassed they were, they staged a panicked retreat, and the Autobots returned to the city streets victorious. Along with the others, Chromedome removed his head so that the Nebulans could see that the terms of the cease fire were not broken, and they were met as heroes. Broken Glass!

Love and Steel! Brothers in Armor!! Worlds Apart! Trial by Fire!

Chromedome was damaged during the battle with the Matrix-powered Thunderwing aboard the Ark at the end of the Matrix Quest. All Fall Down Afterwards, while being repaired by Fixit, he suggested going on a "Leg Quest" instead (since his own had been torn off). Funny, funny guy. Eye of the Storm

He was last seen fleeing in terror from Unicron. Whatever happened to him, it couldn't have been worse than what happened to Brainstorm, Hardhead, and Highbrow in the ensuing battle. On the Edge of Extinction!

The Transformers cartoon

Voice actor: Frank Welker (English), Kunihiko Yasui (Japanese)

Chromedome was stationed on Cybertron in 2007 when the combined forces of the Decepticons attacked the planet with the intention of opening the Plasma Energy Chamber. Chromedome and his allies were able to steal back the key to the chamber, but not before a bolt of its energy was briefly released, hurling them and their shuttle across the galaxy. Eventually, the shuttle began to slow, as Chromedome noted its engines had finally burned out, but it still had enough momentum to lead it to crash on a nearby alien world. The Autobots survived the crash, but before long, they were captured by a cell of rebel natives, who mistook them for robotic agents of the planet's evil ruling council, the Hive. Imprisoned and facing execution by magnetic bombs, Chromedome kept his cool, calmly inquiring as to the name of the planet, and was given his answer by Duros: Nebulos. Before the rebels could destroy the Autobots, a squad of Decepticons arrived to steal back the Plasma Energy Chamber key, and although Chromedome helped repel them by hurling the magnetic bombs, the villains managed to abduct several of the Autobots. Chromedome, Brainstorm, Hardhead and Highbrow tried to give chase, but found their way barred by the Hive's machines. Returning to the rebels' base, they learned the story behind the Hive and their machines, and decided to employ a theory devised by Brainstorm that would see the Nebulans bond with the Autobots as "Headmasters" to help defeat by the Decepticons and the Hive. The enthusiastic Chromedome was the first to volunteer for the process, and was bonded to rebel strategist Stylor. The Rebirth, Part 1

Chromedome and his fellow new-born Headmasters proceeded to smash their way through the Hive's machines and rescue their friends from the Decepticons; during the battle, Chromedome personally shot down Scourge. This defeat prompted the Hive and the Decepticons to join forces to become Headmasters and Targetmasters themselves, and when they attacked once more, Chromedome and Crosshairs found themselves no match for the Horrorcons. The Rebirth, Part 2 With the key back in their hands, the Decepticons departed Nebulos and returned to Cybertron, which Galvatron then moved into Earth orbit, planning to destroy both worlds by opening the Plasma Energy Chamber and using its energy to explode the Sun. Chromedome and the Autobots followed them, but when Optimus Prime insisted that the Plasma Energy Chamber key not be destroyed (in accordance with the wishes of Vector Sigma), their Nebulan allies rebelled and ran off, leaving Chromedome and the other Headmasters stuck in vehicle form. Following their partners into the bowels of the Decepticon city-robot Scorponok, Chromedome and the Autobots were captured, but were thankfully saved by the arrival of Spike Witwicky and his new creation, Fortress Maximus. Subsequently, the Plasma Energy Chamber was deactivated and the Decepticons were exiled to deep space, and with the Golden Age of Cybertron restored, Chromedome returned to Nebulos with the Headmasters and Targetmasters to help to eradicate every last trace of the Hive's evil from the planet. The Rebirth, Part 3

Japanese cartoon continuity

In Japan, Chromedome is a small robot who transforms into a head and controls a larger, lifeless Transtector body. The Headmasters toyline referred to the small robot as "Chrome", with "Chromedome" being the name of the combined small robot/Transtector form, but this distinction of nomenclature is made in fiction only very rarely, with the character usually being referred to as "Chromedome" regardless of what form he takes.

The Great Transformer War

The Great Transformer War #3

The Headmasters cartoon

Voice actor: Hideyuki Hori (Japanese)

Four million years ago, Chromedome was one of the diminutive Autobot refugees who left Cybertron in search of a new home. They eventually landed of the planet Master, where they managed to create a civilization and live in peace. This peace was eventually disrupted when the Decepticon Sixshot attacked an energon mining facility on the planet, and Chromedome's friend Abel tried to drive him off. Sixshot annihilated Abel and his militia group in front of Chromedome's eyes, and as he cradled his friend's dead body, Chromedome felt hatred towards evil-doers for the first time in his life and vowed vengeance against the Decepticon. Terror! The Six Shadows

As the Transformers on Master invented transtectors, Chromedome proved himself enough to be granted one, becoming one of the planet's elite Headmaster warriors. Fortress Maximus's second-in-command and field commander, he was charged with leading a crack troop of Headmaster soldiers with about one personality between the four of them. He also picked up romancing Arcee when Rodimus was on walkabout for a new planet and Springer was apparently otherwise occupied.

Chromedome had a long history of animosity with Sixshot, dating back to when Sixshot killed his friend Abel before Chromedome became a Headmaster. Things got worse when Sixshot killed Ultra Magnus. The final straw came when Chromedome was forced to shoot his friend Jack after Sixshot planted a bomb in Jack and reprogrammed him to blow up the Battleship Maximus. He was finally challenged to a one-on-one fight to the death with Sixshot, but they were stopped by Daniel Witwicky, who had managed to open up Sixshot to the idea of aiding the Autobots.

The Headmasters comic

The Headmasters #1 Great Decisive Battle of Planet Beast! The Headmasters #2 The Headmasters #3 The Headmasters #4 The Headmasters #5 The Headmasters #6 The Headmasters #7 The Headmasters #8

TV Magazine Master File

Following the end of the Headmasters franchise, Japanese cartoon continuity branches off in two separate directions. One version of the story is told through the Super-God Masterforce cartoon, the other is told through the Masterforce manga. Chromedome plays much the same role in both, but gets up to a bit more in the manga.

Super-God Masterforce cartoon

Voice actor: Hideyuki Hori (Japanese)

Chromedome was the one to send the six Master-Braces to the Autobot Pretenders on Earth. Alongside them he sent a recorded message updating his allies on his battles in space with Decepticon forces, namely those of MegaZarak, who would become BlackZarak. Birth! Headmaster Jrs

Super-God Masterforce comic

Chromedome designed the Transtectors and the Master Suits for the Autobot Headmaster Jrs. Headmaster Jrs Are Born

He was later left in charge of Athenia, only for him and Raiden to get beaten by Scramble 7 during a Decepticon assault. The Battle Begins! The United Earth-Space Troops He got beaten again alongside Brainstorm and several others by BlackZarak. God Ginrai's Amazing Super-God Combination!

Toys

Generation 1

• Chromedome w/ Stylor (1987)
  • Japanese ID number: C-101

Chromedome transforms into a Cybertronic sports coupe of vague origin, though it may be based on the Lamborghini Silhouette due to the similar rear styling. Chromedome is equipped with two non-firing laser rifles which can be mounted in both modes (either in the robot-mode fists or on the rear of the vehicle), and a hood-mounted 'infrared red range-finder' which is the socket for Stylor.

A redeco of Chromedome as Arcee was proposed during Generation 1, but never released.

Transform Jr

• Chromedome (1987?)

Merchandise

• Chromedome was in Act 3 of Takara's Super Collection Figure (SCF) line of PVC figurines. Like all pieces in this set, he was blindpacked in both full-color and all-clear versions.
• A Silver Chromedome Trophy was given away as a Lucky Draw figure (alongside the Gold Convoy Trophy) in TV Magazine in 1988.

Notes

Cheer up, Emo-Head.

• In the television commercial for Marvel Comics' Headmasters limited series, the Autobot and Decepticon Headmasters are shown having different head designs than the ones their Nebulan partners would later turn into. These designs were seemingly never used in any other piece of Transformers media. The models for most of them, however, turned up in the excellent Transformers Generations guidebook.

External links

• Chromedome at TFU.info
• Chromedome's Universe profile at NTFA.net