Dai Atlas (G1)

This article is about the Zone Autobot. For the Animated cyber-ninja, see Dai Atlas (Animated).

Dai Atlas is an Autobot Powered Master from the Generation 1 continuity family.

An atlas helps you find stuff, Dai Atlas shoots you in the face.

Dai Atlas (ダイアトラス Dai Atorasu) succeeded Star Saber as Supreme Commander of the Autobot forces. A skilled swordsman, his prowess with a blade is considered almost equal to that of his predecessor. Dai Atlas has sworn to defeat the forces of the new Decepticon Emperor of Destruction, Violen Jiger, and protect the Zodiac at all costs.

Dai Atlas is a Powered Master who can combine with his partners. When combined with Sonic Bomber, they become Sky Powered. When combined with Roadfire, they become Land Powered. And finally, when combined with Sonic Bomber and Roadfire, the three form the massive Big Powered.

His son Speeder accompanies him in battle as his Micromaster partner.

Fiction

Zone cartoon

Voice actor: Yūsaku Yara (Japanese)

Nothin' I love more than a lens flare.

Dai Atlas, along with his fellow Powered Masters, created the technological planet Zone which eventually developed the super energy source, Energon Z. After the Nine Great Demon Generals attacked and destroyed the planet Feminia, and the Supreme Commander Victory Saber was lost in the explosion, Dai Atlas and Sonic Bomber left to search for their leader.

The pair eventually found the injured Autobot and returned him to Zone for repairs. On Zone they received word that they were needed elsewhere, so they left for Earth, to counter an attack from the Demon Generals.

Isn't flying too close to the sun more Dai Icarus's thing?

Dai Atlas and Sonic Bomber arrived just in the nick of time (because... y'know, heroes always do), saving the Autobot Micromasters from the all-powerful Decepticons. Dai Atlas then raced Devastator to the underground location of the Zodiac, an energy source capable of creating an entire universe.

Devastator beat Dai Atlas to the punch thanks to the intervention of King Poseidon, who caught the Autobot leader with a chain weapon. Devastator handed the Zodiac to Poseidon and took the chain from him, intending to kill Atlas. But Dai Atlas drove forwards using the treads in his feet and then transformed into his drill form and smashed through into a wall, killing Devastator in a flood of hot lava.

This drill tank mode can effortlessly drive through solid rock. Wait... what?

Free now, he chased King Poseidon to the surface, where he wrestled the Zodiac away from him. However, Trypticon got pissed off and unleashed his Energon Z Beam, which Sonic Bomber threw himself in front of to protect Dai Atlas, nearly getting himself killed by the attack. Taking a risk, Dai Atlas unleashed the power of the Zodiac, and both he and Sonic Bomber (now healed from Trypticon's attack) transformed into their base modes and blasted Trypticon and King Poseidon into oblivion.

Predaking saw this and decided it was time to get the hell out of there. Dai Atlas pursued, riding on Sonic Bomber. He merged his wings into his Z sword and sliced Predaking neatly in half.

Told you so.

After returning to Zone with the Zodiac, Victory Saber inaugurated Dai Atlas as the new Autobot Supreme Commander. Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!

Zone comic and story pages

Following the upgrade of planet Micro into the Autobot Zone, rumors abounded that not Victory Saber, but a new Supreme Commander would be in command. Zone Part 1

Later, Violen Jiger ordered his Nine Great Demon Generals on a campaign to conquer planets and create a Decepticon Zone to counter the Autobot Zone. The Decepticons attacked planet Feminia and destroyed it completely, with Victory Saber lost in the destruction. However, Dai Atlas and Sonic Bomber, the Powered Master space explorers, had arrived in time to rescue the badly wounded Autobot Supreme Commander. The Decepticons then shifted their focus to Earth, where they hoped to obtain a powerful energy source called the Zodiac. Dai Atlas and Sonic Bomber intercepted them on Earth, defeated them, and regained the Zodiac. Impressed with Dai Atlas' courage and power, and too injured to lead any longer, Victory Saber inaugurated Dai Atlas as the new Supreme Commander of the Autobots. Zone

Dai Atlas helped to complete the Zone Operation, leaving Victory Saber relieved he had passed the role of Supreme Commander on to him. Zone Part 4 Dai Atlas's mere presence enhanced the Autobots' morale by a tremendous degree and they enforced the peace of the galaxy with an even greater resolve. Soon after, Evil Spirit General BlackZarak attacked the Earth and took Landshaker and Sky Hyper hostage. Driven by the need to rescue their comrades, Dai Atlas and Sonic Bomber defeated BlackZarak and rescued their friends. Zone Part 5

Dai Atlas and Sonic Bomber then focused their attention on Super-God General Overlord and Saurian General Trypticon, whom they vowed to defeat in under eight seconds. Dai Atlas took on Overlord, the strongest of the Generals, and defeated him with his "Galactic Dash" attack. Zone Part 6

Violen Jiger then created Metrotitan as a rival for Dai Atlas and unleashed him on the Lunar Zone Base on the Moon. Dai Atlas heard the SOS and rushed to aid Sonic Bomber in battle. Zone Part 8 Dai Atlas arrived and combined with Sonic Bomber into Sky Powered, but they were quickly frozen solid by Metrotitan's Freeze Beam Gun. All hope seemed lost until Roadfire appeared and took Metrotitan out. Freed, Dai Atlas and Sonic Bomber happily welcomed Roadfire into the club. Zone Part 9

Violen Jiger at last came out of the shadows and attacked the Earth in person. Dai Atlas and the other Powered Masters attempted to stop him with their "Triple Powered Attack" but failed. Violen Jiger escaped back to the Tenth Planet with the Zodiac and a Galaxy Rocket full of hostages. Dai Atlas and the Powered Masters then combined into Big Powered and gave chase. Zone Part 10

Arriving at the Tenth Planet, Violen Jiger split into his three forms, Vion, Lenja and Igern, and attacked. Dai Atlas destroyed Vion with his Powered Cutters while Sonic Bomber and Roadfire took out the other two. However, the battle was not over. Zone Part 11 Violen Jiger returned as a horrible phoenix-thing and attacked. Upgraded with the power of the Zodiac, the Powered Masters combined into Big Powered yet again, but this time their strength was enhanced thirty-fold. They flew through Violen Jiger and destroyed him with the "Powered Rainbow Attack". The Zodiac then reformed the desolate Tenth Planet into a lush utopia where humans and robots could live in harmony. Zone Part 12

The Battlestars

To counter the threat of Dark Nova, Dai Atlas charged the Battlestars with the task of resurrecting Optimus Prime. Giving the Zodiac to their leader, Sky Garry, Dai Atlas inaugurated the youthful Autobot as temporary Supreme Commander, at least until Optimus Prime was brought back online. The Battlestars Part 1

Dreamwave comic continuity

Dai Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Randroid.

Dai Atlas was an ancient Transformer from Cybertron's lost past. While searching for clues about Cybertron's history, Megatron stumbled across a hidden chamber beneath the planet's surface containing two massive statues of Deathsaurus and Dai Atlas, holding a golden disk between them. This chamber apparently told of a vast Cybertronian Empire that ended prior to recorded history. The Route of All Evil

IDW comic continuity

As the war raged across Cybertron, Dai Atlas and many other Cybertronians were horrified by the actions of both Autobots and Decepticons. They formed the Circle of Light, the self-proclaimed guardians of Cybertron's pre-war culture, and dismissed the idea of factions. Dai Atlas and his allies fled their homeworld, moving further and further away as the war spread before Cybertron. Eventually, they formed a new Crystal City deep underground on a barren world, a utopian society hidden from all other Transformers.

Dai Atlas's utopia was threatened by its first serpent when an idealistic swordsman named Wing broke their laws and brought a Decepticon into their midst after an encounter with Slavers on the planet surface. Although Dai Atlas and Axe condemned Wing for this mistake, he insisted Drift would not be trouble. Drift #2

This proved to be false weeks later when Drift stormed into the meeting chambers and announced he had made a deal with the Slavers to sell them out for his own freedom. But, um...he didn't mean it! He hoped to stall long enough to arm the Knights of the Circle with knowledge in advance of the Slaver's attack, and catch them off-guard. Dai Atlas was furious at Drift for forcing them into a position where they'd have to fight to protect their peace, the very thing they had long criticized the Autobots for doing. When other Knights seemed prepared to listen to Drift, he refused to allow them access to the weapons vault, willing to do anything he could to ensure the Crystal City remained secret and at peace. Dai Atlas ultimately relented, but refused to have any part in the battle. As the oldest of the Knights, he had seen his share of warfare, and dreaded seeing it again. Drift #3

Safe inside Crystal City, Dai Atlas wrestled with his decision as he watched his friends and comrades battle from afar. The death of Wing at the hands of the lead Slaver was too much for him to bear, and it rekindled his fighting spirit. Dai Atlas raised Crystal City from beneath the sands and led the full compliment of Cybertronians into battle against their foes. The tide of battle turned quickly with these reinforcements, and the citizens of Crystal City soon stood triumphant. Dai Atlas declared that the Circle of Light would no longer hide in secret, and that the Knights would go forth and allow their message to be heard. He named Drift the latest of the Knights and passed on Wing's great sword to him. Drift #4

Toys

Zone

Three of these things belong together...

• Dai Atlas (1990)
  • Japanese ID Number: C-348
  • Accessories: Gun, drill, runners/skids, gun platform, dual cannon, 2 wings (left & right), tail fin, 2 large ramps (left and right) 2 ramps, 2 radar dishes, pipe

Dai Atlas is a quad-changer with four distinct (well, that might be stretching it a bit) modes. Robot mode, drill-tank, 'jet' and base mode. He contains a battery-powered motor as a gimmick which could rotate the treads on his legs, allowing him to move under his own power in vehicle and robot mode and spins his drill. In base mode his tank treads become moving walkways, and his gun platform can spin.

He includes a cockpit for Micromasters, which can also become a gunnery station. The gun platform and the two large ramps can be combined to form a shield, while his wings can be combined together to form his Z-sword. In base mode, Dai Atlas can connect to other Micromaster bases, as well as his buddies Sonic Bomber and Roadfire, using Micromaster connector ramps.

In robot mode, Dai Atlas's articulation is limited to mobility in the arms.

Dai Atlas also came with the Micromaster partner Speeder.

Dai Atlas was only released in Japan.

• More information on Dai Atlas at TFU.info

• Big Powered (Multi-figure giftset, 1990)
  • Japanese ID Number: C-353

Dai Atlas was also released in a giftset with Sonic Bomber and Roadfire.

Alternity

• Dai Atras [sic] [Aurora Flare Blue Pearl]
  • Japanese ID number: A-01

Alternity Dai Atlas is a redeco of Alternity Convoy. Dai Atlas transforms into a 1:32 scale Nissan GT-R, featuring die-cast metal parts and an opening hood, trunk and doors. This complex figure stands at 6.5" tall, and is armed with a pair of blasters on each arm.

The mold was used for Convoy Super Black and Alternity Ultra Magnus.

All versions of the mold have a minor design oversight where the rear Nissan badge collides with another part during transformation, often causing the clear plastic socket directly below to crack.

Merchandise

Super Figure Collection Act 8

File:Transformers SCF Act 8 Dai Atlus.jpg

Dai Atlas? That sounds like the name of a Welsh geography teacher.

• Dai Atlas (Super Collection Figure, 2002)

A soft-plastic PVC of Dai Atlas was made in "Act 8" of Takara's Super Collection Figure line. It was available in both full-color and pewter-finish versions, one of each per case of twelve.

Sunrise Mega Action Series

I'm a Toei character but line up with Sunrise characters.

• Dai Atlas (2007)
  • Accessories: Reflec Shield, Magna Shot, Z Powered Cutter, hand (clench)*2, hand (spread)*2, hand (for holding weapons)*2

A Wonder Festival 2007 Summer exclusive, this is a highly posable figure from the Sunrise Mega Action Series of mecha action figures, made by CM's Corporation. With articulation and scaling on par with a Revoltech figure, this set included several alternate hands as well as the character's signature gun and shield accessories.

Notes

Baby got back.

• Dai (大) is a Japanese word meaning "great" or "big", and can refer to physical size, rank or prestige. Similarly, Atlas was a giant in Greek mythology so big that he literally held the sky on his shoulders.

• Grandus's instructions show that Dai Atlas can use his motor gimmick in vehicle mode to tow Grandus.

• Oddly enough, in the industry pitch reel included as a special feature (under 'ads') on the Madman Victory DVD set, all of Dai Atlas's action features are demonstrated using the Micromaster Freewheeler, and not Speeder. Sonic Bomber, on the other hand, is demonstrated using Sonic.

• During the title sequence for the Zone OVA there is a strange mini-montage of shots of Dai Atlas (all of the cartoon screencaps of his robot mode on this page are from that montage) including... a random shot of him from behind.

Ronald McDonaldpants.

• The Dai Atlas toy was redecoed in Takara's Brave Express Might Gaine toyline as "Gōryū" (轟龍), which served as the second mech of the series's anti-hero, Joe Raibaru. The character model was altered in various ways, such as straightened wings in robot mode and a creepier face, but the toy itself had no remolding—although the Gōryū toy did lack Dai Atlas's shield handle, for some strange reason. In a seeming nod to the toy's Transformers origins by the Brave staff, the robot was originally dubbed "Atlas" by its creator on the show, but Joe chose to rename it to his liking. Dai Atlas's design was also used for the "Atlas Mk.II" drones from the same series, which were never made as toys.

• Universe King Atlas was created as an homage to Dai Atlas. The character's lack of any form of bio meant that for years, there existed the possibility he was Dai Atlas (thanks to Universe's multi-dimensional story). Eventually though, King Atlas was established as his own separate character from the Unicron Trilogy continuity family in "Force of Habit".