Cosmic Rust (disease)

This article is about the disease. For the episode in which it first appears, see Cosmic Rust (episode).

Ewwww...

Cosmic Rust is a microorganism that devours Cybertronian metals. An infected Transformer starts growing a rust-like substance all over their body. Eventually, the corrosion causes the Transformer to waste away to nothing.

Fiction

Generation 1 cartoon continuity

The Transformers cartoon

Cosmic Rust was first discovered in the ruins of an ancient Autobot colony in deep space, on the planet Antilla. The Decepticons who visited the planet were accidentally infected by the rust courtesy of a stray meteor. The radiation provided from a weapon found on the planet (known as The Lightning Bug) caused the virus to accelerate substantially.

The only cure for Cosmic Rust was a substance called corrostop, invented by Perceptor to remove corrosion of any form and protect substances from future corrosion. Cosmic Rust

Story of Binaltech

A new and improved 'Cosmic Rust' disease once again surfaced in the year 2003, thanks to Swindle's tampering. Here, the Decepticons flood the Earth with it, destroying the original bodies of most of the Autobot garrison stationed there—before apparently backfiring on the Decepticons once again. The bulk of both forces however was unaffected as the bulk of the war's fighting has shifted to the Cybertronian-Theater. The Rust itself is never cured, but thanks to a fusion of Cybertronian technology and human car manufacturers, new temporary-bodies were built for the damaged Autobots. While the Decepticons had to resort to Mind Control in order to trick the human engineers into building them bodies of their own. Binaltech

Shattered Glass

Nightbeat, head of the Autobot Secret Police, suffers from a chronic case of Cosmic Rust due to a failed assassination attempt. Though usually kept in check by an unspecified treatment, it can flare up and cause him to malfunction and become contagious if not monitored continually. Shattered Glass

Animated cartoon

Perhaps they will disassemble him to make bronze medals...

Events from IDW Publishing comics are in italics

During the War, Cosmic Rust (technically called "Cyber-Oxidant") was created by Oil Slick to infect both Autobots and Decepticons alike. Unfortunately for him, when he tried it out at the Hydrax Plateau, he unintentionally infected himself. He was found by the medical officer Ratchet, who helped him create an antidote for the Cosmic Rust, unaware Oil Slick was the disease's creator. This ignorance was remedied when Oil Slick showed gratitude the Decepticon way—by trying to kill him slowly with an infection of Cosmic Rust. Ratchet survived and managed to steal a sample of the cure for his faction. 'Bots of Science

As Rodimus Prime stood as the last line of defense between Team Chaar and the Autobot's Space Bridge, Oil Slick nonchalantly tossed a vial of Cosmic Rust at Rodimus' feet, infecting him. TransWarped

Dark of the Moon film

Sentinel Prime carried a cannon capable of delivering a payload of Cosmic Rust, and used it to slay Ironhide, whose body was reduced to oxidized dust. Sentinel also turned the cannon on Bumblebee, but he proved agile enough to evade the shots, which corroded away various metallic structures behind him. Dark of the Moon

The original script of the film called for Skids and Mudflap to also meet their ends courtesy of Sentinel's Cosmic Rust cannon. Their scenes remain in the novelization and comic book adaptation of the film. As well, Optimus would have turned the tables on Sentinel by killing him with his own cannon, as opposed to using Megatron's Fusion shotgun in the actual film.

Notes

Foreign names

• Japanese: Uchū Sabi (宇宙サビ, "Cosmic Rust"), Cosmic Rust (コズミックルスト Kozumikku Rusuto or コスミックルスト Kosumikku Rusuto)