Nightstick (Headmasters)

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

Nightstick is an Autobot Targetmaster from the Generation 1 continuity family.

Because poor literacy is KEWL.

Nightstick (ナイトスティック Naitosutikku) is the Targetmaster partner of Artfire. He transforms into a "space beam gun", the exact effects of which are unknown.

Fiction

The Headmasters comic

In an Earth city, the Decepticon Targetmasters Slugslinger, Misfire and Triggerhappy set a blazing inferno. Chromedome and Daniel were having trouble controlling the fire when Artfire and Ricochet, accompanied by their partners Nightstick and, uh, Nightstick, showed up to help. Artfire quickly quenched the blaze while his Nightstick helped rescue the people trapped in burning buildings. With the fire under control, the Autobots then set their attentions on the Decepticons and sent them into a retreat. The Headmasters #7

United

Eep, hope Cyclonus doesn't show up, or there might be a Nightstick-off.

Nightstick accompanied Artfire to Nebulos, where he and a group of Autobots led by Stepper were sent to retrieve an antidote for a devastating nano-virus. Unfortunately, the nano-virus was only placed by the Decepticons to draw the Headmasters and Targetmasters out to battle so that Straxus could claim the Nebulans for the Decepticons. Artfire fired Nightstick at Straxus (in concert with other Autobots and their weapons), and once Straxus was defeated, the Decepticons panicked and fled. The Fierce Fighting on Planet Nebulos

Toys

The Headmasters

• Artfire (Targetmaster, 1987)
  • Japanese ID number: C-108

Nightstick is identical to Fracas, Scourge's Targetmaster partner. Nightstick was released with Artfire, a retool of Inferno. This was the only release of Nightstick in Japan; Scourge was never sold as a Targetmaster.

• More information on Nightstick/Artfire at TFU.info

Notes

• Nightstick's name is a source of confusion. Here's the story: Cyclonus and Scourge weren't Targetmasters in Japan, but Takara still sold their weapons, partnered with the Autobots Ricochet and Artfire. Takara tried to carry their names over, to varying degrees of success. One was called "Nightstick", but the other was called "Nebulon" (which is how Scourge's on-package bio referred to his partner). On top of that, they were switched: the Nightstick-lookalike was called "Nebulon" and vice-versa. To the Japanese audience, there was no problem, since they had no knowledge of the English-language versions. But, years later, Hasbro would release the Nebulon toy in North America as the Autobot "Nightstick". Which, while technically "corrected", really only makes everyone's heads hurt just a little bit more.
  Here's a grid to explain this a little better.

• Like how Artfire in United is a non-existent redeco of Universe Inferno, United Nightstick is a non-existent redeco of Power Core Combiners Pinpoint. He's there to taunt you.

External links

• Headmasters #7 translated in English