Leader-1 (Armada)

The name or term "Leader-1" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Leader-1 (disambiguation).

Leader-1 is a Decepticon-allied Mini-Con from the Armada portion of the Unicron Trilogy continuity family.

This is every freakin' day of his life.

Leader-1 was once a wise and benevolent leader of the Mini-Con settlements on Cybertron, but when Megatron appropriated the Mini-Cons for his evil purposes, he kept Leader-1 as his own personal attendant. Megatron was cruel to the peaceful Mini-Con, delighting in his misery, and all Leader-1 could do was silently plot his escape.

Slowly, maliciously, a dark corner was being tugged at within Leader-1's mind, as he realized he enjoyed his growing love for domination and sadism. One day, he insists, he'll do away with Megatron once and for all, in the most humiliating and painful way possible. It will be a delicious irony.

Fiction

Unicron Trilogy cartoon continuity

Armada cartoon

Leader-1 is adorable.

Millions of years ago on Cybertron, Leader-1 was one of the Mini-Cons suborned by the Decepticons to increase their personal power. He became the official partner of Megatron during the war, until he somehow broke free and joined his fellow Mini-Cons in fleeing their homeworld through a series of warpgates. Their escape vessel finally crashlanded on Earth's moon four million years ago. Prehistory

Early in the search for the Mini-Cons scattered across Earth, Megatron found a Mini-Con storage panel near the Decepticons' base on the moon. He activated the panel and was pleased to see Leader-1 appear, as he was Megatron's personal Mini-Con from before their escape. Returning to the base, Megatron chastised the other Decepticons for missing a Mini-Con who was right under their noses. Leader-1 punctuated Megatron's displeasure with an incredibly powerful laser blast from his chest. Metamorphosis As they went into battle on Earth against the Autobots, Megatron used Leader-1 to supercharge his fusion cannon, making it so powerful that he was blasted backwards with each shot of his cannon. Base

Leader-1 spent most of his time perched cutely on Megatron's shoulder, only springing into action when Megatron needed to unlock one of his powerlinx features. He deployed in Big Canyon to help Megatron annihilate Optimus Prime, but Starscream warped in and interrupted the fight before Megatron could unleash his Mini-Con enhanced firepower. Comrade As if being a slave wasn't bad enough, Leader-1 also had to act as the Decepticons' janitor around the moon base, and keep a careful eye out for the clumsy Demolishor accidentally stepping on him! Carnival

Your meager offering does not - wait, are those Ruffles?

When Cyclonus kidnapped Billy and Fred to use as hostages, Leader-1 stood guard over the duo in an abandoned barn. Fred tried to befriend the Mini-Con by offering him a potato chip, but ultimately Leader-1 was only part of the trap, as Megatron lay buried unmoving under some wreckage in the barn. When the other kids and the Street Action Team came to rescue Billy and Fred, Megatron revealed himself and took them all hostage to force Prime to hand over all his Mini-Cons. All the kids but Rad managed to wiggle free, and Megatron sent Leader-1 to stop Fred from poking him with Laserbeak's stunner mode. Leader-1 actually showed a moment of reluctance to harm his potato chip buddy. Confrontation

During a Mini-Con search in the cramped confines of a city subway system, Leader-1 and the other Decepticon Mini-Cons were dispatched to comb the catacombs more quickly than their bulk counterparts could manage. Underground He and Bonecrusher also assisted Megatron in an underwater mission. Leader-1 powerlinxed with Megatron to create a new "Evolution Transformation" mode, maximizing his firepower to new heights. Ruin Leader-1 also assisted Megatron on a volcanic island, as the Decepticons fought for possession of the last Star Saber panel. Prehistory

After invading the Autobot base, Leader-1 briefly powerlinxed with Megatron to help him recover the Star Saber Mini-Cons, but to no avail. Swoop

Megatron used Leader-1 in his Targetmaster pistol mode against Hot Shot and Sideways when they invaded the Decepticon moon base. Credulous The Decepticons captured the Star Saber in that fight, but direct possession of it went to Starscream. Seeking to correct that mistake, Megatron had Leader-1 help him arrange to relieve Starscream of that burden. Searching for a Mini-Con in the foggy English countryside, Leader-1 covertly cast some friendly fire Starscream's way. With the proper placement, he maneuvered Starscream into taking a swing at his fellow Decepticons with the Star Saber. When Megatron took a hit in the arm "protecting" Demolishor from Starscream, Cyclonus and the others questioned letting him keep such a dangerous weapon. With popular opinion turned against him, Starscream was forced to turn the Star Saber over to Megatron for "safe-keeping". Conspiracy

As Megatron prepared for a major strike against Optimus Prime, he and Leader-1 worked with a septet of captured Mini-Cons to arrange for the trap. When Megatron finally snared Optimus, however, the Mini-Cons began to show doubt in working for him. Leader-1 tried to motivate them with a couple of well-placed laser blasts from his chest, but ultimately the other Mini-Cons turned against Megatron and joined the Autobot team. Vow

Battling the Autobots on a small island in the ocean, Megatron employed Leader-1 in his Targetmaster pistol mode for additional firepower. Awakening Demolishor later assembled the Decepticons' military Mini-Cons (Crumplezone, Leader-1, Blackout and Inferno) into a ground warfare squad to confront the enemy. As he led them into combat, the Mini-Cons kept the Autobots busy on the ground while Tidal Wave and Thrust dealt with the aerial Jet Optimus. Desperate

When the Autobots invaded the Decepticon base to free the Mini-Cons, Leader-1 powerlinxed to Megatron's arm to boost his power. During the struggle, Perceptor managed to override the servility program of the Decepticons' Mini-Cons, and they began to sing their song of freedom. Leader-1 almost succumbed to the song and detached from Megatron as well, but the Decepticon leader held fast to his personal Mini-Con, and forced Leader-1 into his Targetmaster pistol mode to continue the assault on the Autobots. Rescue

Leader-1 was attached to Megatron during combat in space in Optimus Prime returned to life. Miracle Shortly thereafter, Leader-1 appeared over a nameless planet where the Autobots and Decepticons were fighting with Nemesis Prime. He and several other Mini-Cons used their combined power to repair the damage the Cybertronians had suffered, upgrading Megatron into Galvatron in the process. Puppet

Cybertron comic

During the chaotic times of the Unicron Singularity, Leader-1 was part of an army of insurgent Mini-Cons fighting against the Mini-Con Council of Sages over control of one of Cybertron's moons. Revelations Part 4 When a team of Autobots joined the fray, he attacked Sentinel Maximus alongside the Deep Space Mini-Con Team. Revelations Part 5

Dreamwave Armada comic

Leader-1's head design changed from artist to artist (no biggie), issue to issue (it's possible), and sometimes page to page (whaa?).

Leader-1, head of Mini-Con village D10, was one of the Mini-Cons whose entire village was captured by the Decepticons at the beginning of the war one million years ago. He managed to get a distress call sent to Hot Shot, who then showed it to Optimus Prime. Armada #1 When the Mini-Cons escaped from the Decepticon fortress, Leader-1 had the misfortune of being with Megatron at the time, and thus had to serve him for the next four million years. Armada #2

When Megatron left for Earth to hunt down the escaped Mini-Cons, he took Leader-1 with him. During a battle between Megatron and Optimus Prime, he and several other Mini-Cons were powerlinxed to their cruel master. Armada #5 After losing the battle, Megatron tried to force more power out of poor Leader-1, which only served to weaken the Mini-Con. Luckily, a chance for a bit of revenge opened up shortly afterwards when Megatron captured the Air Defense Team. The Decepticon ordered Leader-1 to jam any distress calls from the captured Mini-Cons, but he happily ignored that order, allowing Sparkplug to learn about the kidnapping. Armada #6 He later combined with Megatron during another clash with the Autobots. Armada #7

Eventually, Leader-1 and the rest of the Mini-Cons on Earth were suddenly compelled to gather around a mysterious monolith, which took off into space after they all entered it. Armada #8 The Mini-Cons were taken to a fortress on the moon, where they were imprisoned. Leader-1 suspected that someone had decided to end the war by getting rid of all of them, but soon learned that it was Dualor who had summoned them. Armada #9 When the Decepticons assaulted the fortress, Leader-1 shot the Destruction Team in the back and took over the control room, Armada #10 immediately contacting Megatron and giving him directions through the fortress. Ultimately, it turned out that Leader-1 had plans of his own, as he led Megatron into a security chamber and sealed the doors, before turning all of the automated weapons on him. As he gloated about finally getting his revenge for millions of years of indignity, pain, suffering, and torment, Dualor came to and punched him. This brief interruption provided enough time for Megatron to escape and tear his way into the control room, recapturing Leader-1. Armada #11

After being forced to spend some time in the Punishment Cube, Leader-1 was ordered to analyze the Decepticons' malfunctioning space bridge. The Mini-Con found that there was some kind of stress on the inter-spatial network, and scratched it up to outside interference. Worlds Collide, Part 1 of 4 He later reported to Megatron that the Autobots had sent a probe into sub-space to search for the missing Optimus Prime. Worlds Collide, Part 2 of 4 Leader-1 was powerlinxed to his master during his battle with a interdimensional visitor. Worlds Collide, Part 3 of 4

Leader-1 ultimately regained his freedom when Megatron released him and the other Decepticon-held Mini-Cons in order to battle Unicron. And, as Megatron was slowly, tortuously, and systematically disassembled and destroyed by Unicron's internal defense systems, Leader-1 ended up having the last laugh. The End

More Than Meets The Eye

When Megatron gained a more powerful form and renamed himself "Galvatron", he discarded Leader-1 because he was not strong enough by the reborn Decepticon's standards. However, Galvatron was unable to find a better Mini-Con than Leader-1, so he built himself one that was genetically related to but stronger than Leader-1: Clench. Rumors existed that Clench even was Leader-1's brother, but neither Mini-Con wished to comment on them. Clench's More Than Meets The Eye profile

Panini Armada comics

Leader-1 was in Megatron's grasp as far as four million years in the past. Friends and Foes! He was power-linked to his master when the Decepticons first arrived on Earth and clashed with Optimus Prime First Encounter!, and Leader-1's power would've allowed the Decepticon to win if Sparkplug had not decided to help Prime. Friends and Foes! Pretty much the same thing happened a while later, when Megatron tried to stop Prime from sending his Mini-Cons back to Cybertron. No Way Back!

Leader-1 was present at the Decepticon base in Silver Ridge when Sparkplug and two other Autobot Mini-Cons broke in and offered to save them from Decepticon captivity. Leader-1 was deeply grateful to Sparkplug...for surrendering himself to the Decepticons! Knowing that Megatron would reward him if he delivered more Mini-Cons to him, Leader-1 grabbed Sparkplug and ordered Crumplezone and Swindle to capture the others. The Autobot Mini-Cons fought back and managed to escape, and later pondered if Leader-1 and the others had been corrupted or if the Decepticons had just "let out something that was already there." Into the Lions' Den!

After the Decepticons relocated to a base on the Moon, Leader-1 reported to Megatron that Cyclonus was returning from a failed mission. As it turned out, Cyclonus was possessed by the Destruction Mini-Con Team, who attacked the base. Leader-1 power-linked with Megatron in order to fight back against the possessed Decepticon, but the link was severed when Starscream brought out the sonic destabiliser. Dawn of Destruction!

Games

Transformers (PS2)

Leader-1 appeared as part of Megatron's arsenal during the battle in the volcano from Level 6.

Transformers

Toys

Armada

The toy's head doesn't ever change appearance...

• Megatron w/ Leader-1 (Ultra-Con, 2002/2003)
  • Japanese ID number: MD-01

Available only with the larger Megatron toy, Leader-1 transforms into a Cybertronic buggy with twin top-mounted blasters. He also has multiple "gun" configurations that allow him to be mounted on Powerlinx plugs or held in the hands of most toys with a 5mm hand-hole.

This mold was also used to make Clench and Caliburn. He shares engineering with the Cybertron new-mold Mini-Con Drill Bit.

• More information on Leader-1 at TFU.info

...Well, okay, but just this one time.

• Megatron Supermode w/ Spark Barrel (Ultra, 2003)
  • Japanese ID number: MD-08

In Micron Legend, Megatron kept the same Mini-Con in his new form, as opposed to Armada where it was a new character. This version of Leader-1 is basically identical to Clench.

• More information on Spark Barrel (well, Clench) at TFU.info

...TWO times. At MOST.

• Black Megatron w/ Barrel (Black) (Ultra, 2003)

A contest prize limited to 100 pieces, Megatron and Leader-1 were redecoed in primarily black with dark purples, grays and olive-greens. The contest was listed in the June 2003 issue of Tele-V Magazine in Japan.

• Megatron with Leader-1 and Cyclonus with Crumplezone (Built to Rule, 2003)

Built to Rule Leader-1 is made out of building blocks that can be reconfigured from a reasonable robot to an inaccurate buggy to anything you can think of (as long as it's limited to the few pieces he's made up of). He was only available with the largest Transformers Built to Rule set, which also included Megatron, Cyclonus and Crumplezone.

• More information on Built to Rule Leader-1 at TFU.info

Merchandise

Mega Super Collection Figure

• Micron Legend Micron Megatron (2002)

A small soft-plastic mini-PVC of Leader-1 came with the Mega Super Collection Figure version of Megatron.

Notes

• Leader-1's name is a homage to Leader-1, leader of the Guardians from the GoBots franchise of the 1980s.

• During the course of American dub of the Armada cartoon, several characters were mistakenly referred to as "Leader-1". Sparkplug in particular seemed to bear the Leader-1 brunt.

• An abandoned character concept for Leader-1 was revealed by the Hasbro team during their panel at OTFCC 2003. The idea was that Leader-1 would have been deranged, thinking of himself as being the dominant one in his Mini-Con/Bulk partnership, with Megatron actually being HIS minion. This, obviously, was not used.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Barrel (バレル Bareru)
• Hungarian: Vezér, 1-es Vezér, Vezér-1