Outback (G1)

This article is about the Autobot Outback. For the member of G.I. Joe, see Outback (G.I. Joe).

This article is about the Generation 1 Autobot that is sometimes "Fallback". For the 2010 Transformers line Autobot, see Fallback.

Outback is an Autobot from the Generation 1 continuity family. He is also known as Fallback.

File:G1 Outback MarvelUniverse.jpg

Alligatorcon Dundee.

No by-the-book soldier is Outback; for him, the rules of war are the rules of Rafferty. If the beaten track winds, it's a fair bet he'll go straight. He's more comfortable out in the never never anyway, up grades as steep as 50 degrees, or kicking up willie willies at 110 mph. His insubordination gains him little respect from his mates, and often he finds no partner on his missions but Pat Malone and his trusty rooftop tank-jigger, loaded with armor-piercing shells.

Way in the back blocks of Outback's mind, however, there lurks a dark certainty. By the rules of Rafferty he lives, and by these rules, he is sure, Outback's bound to be a write off. The army's run by Wallies and the war's a no-hoper, but he's not totally clapped-out yet, so he'll give it a fair go. It's not the best attitude, but he'll share it with anyone without reserve. Outback calls a spade a bloody spade.

Let a mission go down the gurgler, though, and Outback's the one who'll sort it. He may be largely a mediocrity; he may be an insubordinate grizzle, but his courage is beyond reproach. By the rules of Rafferty he lives, and so far they've served him well.

Fiction

Cartoon continuity

Voice actors: Dan Gilvezan, Gregg Berger (English); Yoku Shioya (Japanese), Davide Lepore (Italian), Roberto Alexander (Latin American)

Now you wanna talk, and make it snappy. 'Cause my buddy here is trigger-happy.Blaster, threatening Dirge and Ramjet with Outback's Explosive Drunken Australian Rage, Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1

He's bloody agro about his pozzy for the footy match.

After an attack on the Galactic Olympics, Outback and Blaster were charged with tracking down any Decepticons on Earth, whom the Autobots believed were responsible for the assault. With reason to believe some 'Cons were hiding out at a Carbombya air field, the duo still had to deal with a needle in a haystack (or rather, a jet in an airport). In order to get results, Outback bluffed his way through the inspection with a "Decepticon detector", pointing it at random things and hoping for a response. He got one. Astonishingly, the two jets with giant Decepticon insignias on them were actually Decepticons(!), Dirge and Ramjet, who tried to run for it in fear of Outback's respectable scanning abilities. Outback caught them with a nuclear bomb smoke bomb, though, and he and Blaster managed to interrogate the Coneheads and get the location of the Decepticons' new base on Chaar. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1

Shortly thereafter, Outback was among a cadre of Autobots who failed to defend the Ark from an attack by Trypticon. He didn't even get a chance to open a can of Foster's. Bugger. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5

Oy, lookit the size o' that lion!

Later, Outback was teamed with Blaster again aboard Sky Lynx when Perceptor radioed in that a mysterious Quintesson signal was broadcasting from a nearby planet. Investigating, the Autobots discovered a lost Quintesson recorded journal, containing secret information about how the Quintessons had purposely escalated a war between Xetaxxis and Lanarq, two feuding worlds for which Rodimus Prime was attempting to negotiate a peace summit. Galvatron and the Predacons also arrived looking for the journal, and soon the Autobots, Decepticons and Quintessons began a game of "hot potato", bouncing possession of the journal back and forth between each party over and over. Outback and the others eventually claimed the journal and brought it to the peace summit, ending the war at least temporarily. The Quintesson Journal

Japanese cartoon continuity

Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformer manga

That's not a punch. This is a punch.

When the Insecticons attacked Kyushu, Outback and the rest of the 4-Wheel-Drive Brigade, as well as Kenji, arrived to investigate. Outback and friends were briefly trapped inside craters by land mines but escaped once they united into some kind of crazy human pyramid. Using their combined attack, the 4-Wheel-Drive Robo Combination Scrumbuster, they drove the Insecticons away and saved Kyushu. Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #3

Marvel Comics continuity

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

Strewth, I'm a pie floater!

Surprised by a lone Decepticon killer, Outback was saved from death by Optimus Prime, who had accidentally returned to Cybertron along with Megatron. The Harder They Die! He later tried to save Optimus Prime from being executed as a spy by the Wreckers due to a rumor spread by Megatron.

When Ultra Magnus refused to believe him, Outback helped Optimus Prime to escape. The two went on the run together, pursued by the Wreckers and a squad of Guardian Droids. Outback was later seriously wounded in battle with the Guardian Droids and Optimus Prime was forced to carry him to safety. Under Fire!

I said to meself, "Outback, old son, find yourself a nice, comfortable spot and lay down and die."

Hiding in the Dead End of Cybertron, hoping that Outback would recover, Optimus Prime told him the story of what happened when he was displaced to the limbo dimension when Galvatron traveled back in time.

Outback ultimately survived when Prime's tale was overheard by Ultra Magnus and Emirate Xaaron, convincing them of his identity. Distant Thunder! At no point did Outback have the opportunity to throw a couple of shrimps on the barbie.

Crikey!

Outback next appeared on the Moon, watching a battle for Autobot supremacy between Blaster and Grimlock, when he and the other Autobots were suddenly attacked by the Decepticons and their island spaceship. He wanted to know what was going on! Totaled! Later, he partook in a training session with Blaster, alongside Mirage and Runamuck. Club Con!

Along with fellow Autobot Military Academy cadet Pipes, Outback later went after Tailgate to Cybertron's underground. They arrived in time to see Tailgate battle with the Mutants, but Outback didn't intervene, sure of the fact that Tailgate could handle the Muties himself. And he was riggerty right. Underworld!

Dreamwave comics continuity

Because when they strike, it can be that quick that if they're within range, you're dead, you're dead in your tracks. And his head weighs more than my body, so it's WHACK!

Outback was operational during the early days of the war. He was one of the many Transformers at work at the Central Spaceport to prepare for the Autobot evacuation. The War Within #2

Outback was among the group of new recruits who failed to take on the auto-combatant training drones on Cybertron after Shockwave's rule was toppled. Black Sunshine

Timelines: Descent into Evil comic

She's a feisty sheila!

Outback, having at this point renamed himself Fallback to complement his revived sense of optimism, led an Autobot strike force consisting of Chromia, Flareup and Ricochet to the planet Ceti Alpha Seven. Their target was the Insecticon cloning facility constructed there by the Decepticon general Deathsaurus. The first batch of Virulent Clones had already been completed, and the team found itself under attack before they ever reached the lab. Fallback and his team destroyed a number of clones, but, when Deathsaurus himself joined the fight, they were overwhelmed and captured. The arrival of their teammates Ironhide and Ratchet on the planet ultimately resulted in Deathsaurus's defeat and the rescue of Fallback's team. Descent into Evil

IDW comics continuity

He's a good kid, that Outback. Always willing to give a hand... good 'ole Outback.Kup, on the long-dead Outback, Spotlight: Kup

Millions of years ago, before the outbreak of the war, Outback learned that the famous racer Drag Strip had gotten in league with the increasingly dangerous criminal Megatron. He decided to take action and assassinate Drag Strip on his way to a race, but was interrupted and disarmed by the security guard Ironhide, who had never heard of Megatron and was only doing his job. As Outback was taken into custody, he told Ironhide that it was thanks to blind, apathetic 'bots like him that a civil war was imminent. Iron in the Blood

A bit daggy, but a little amber fluid and she'll be apples!

During the war, Outback and Kup crash-landed on an unknown planet covered with radioactive crystals. When they attempted to use parts of their ship to create a transmitter, the radiation overloaded the generator, and Outback was killed in the explosion. Kup, however, was eventually driven insane by the radiation and not only talked to Outback's charred remains as though he were alive but used his severed arm as a club.

Springer was able to hack into the deceased Autobot's holo-emitter to try and send Kup a message that the Autobots were coming to rescue him, but the delusional Kup saw this as a ghost making threats upon his life. Outback's remains were further crushed by an errant swipe from one of the rescue party, sending Kup into another homicidal rage.

What they did with what was left of Outback is unknown. Spotlight: Kup

After Ironhide mysteriously woke up alone on an abandoned Cybertron, he had a strange vision or hallucination featuring Outback. With half his body still missing, Outback delivered some cryptic comments about Optimus Prime being angry at Ironhide for letting the Stunticons get away, and that nobody recognized him anymore. Iron in the Blood

Wings Universe

Outback gained a job as Magnum's administrative assistant, though he preferred the freedom of the outdoors and would explore the wilderness sectors of Cybertron whenever he could. Outback's profile He answered the door of the Elite Guard Auxiliary Weapons Locker when Magnum brought a team to stock up on weapons, though he refused to let them in until Magnum gave the correct code. He, Ricochet and Moonracer joined the team as they set out to attack Deathsaurus's base. Battle Lines, Part 2

Shortly after encountering Side Burn, the team was attacked by Deathsaurus's troops and forced to fight for their lives. Outback, Moonracer and Flak gathered around Ricochet's fallen body, though it took a few moments for Outback to realize that the Autobot had perished from his injuries. They had little time to mourn, as they were promptly attacked by Lyzack. Battle Lines, Part 3 A week after the battle, he was part of the Autobot forces at Iacon's city walls as the Decepticons broke through with Devastator. Battle Lines, Part 5

Toys

Generation 1

File:G1toy outback.jpg

• Outback (Autobot Mini Vehicle, 1986, 2008)
  • Japanese ID number: C-59
  • Accessories: "Mortar cannon"

Outback is a khaki and brown retool of the 1984 Mini Vehicle, Brawn. His head, arms, and chest have been changed, plus he has been equipped with a vehicle-mode gun.

• More information on Outback at TFU.info

Throw some more shrimp on the barbie?

• Bumble & Minibots (Multi-pack, 2008)
  • Encore number: 10
  • Accessories: "Mortar cannon"

In 2008, Outback was reissued in the Transformers Encore line, bundled with Bumblebee, Pipes, Tailgate and Swerve. This version has a few extra paint applications, most notably a new blue visor.

Timelines

I see you've played knifey-axey before!

• Descent Into Evil (multi-pack, 2005)
  • Accessories: Crane boom/rifle, spare tire halves, Autobot-style energon star

Available only as part of BotCon 2005's Descent into Evil set (along with Buzzclaw, Chromia, Deathsaurus, Dirge, Ironhide and Ricochet), Fallback (renamed due to trademark reasons) is a brown and tan redeco of Energon Strongarm, transforming into a jeep of made-up model. His clear-blue spare tire and crane/cannon can be assembled to form an energon battle-axe, plus he comes with a clear-blue energon chip.

This mold was also used to make movie-universe Strongarm and Crosshairs.

• More information on Fallback at TFU.info

Notes

Outback went overboard on the Aborigine facepaint.

• In the pre-Toy Fair 1986 catalog, Outback is shown with a solid red face. Upon release, he had a solid silver face (then for his Encore release many years later, he had a silver face with a blue visor).
• The character Fastback from Megatron Origin was written and designed to be a pre-Earth version of Outback. However, Fastback is killed during the events of the comic, contradicting how Outback died during the war in the previously established Spotlight: Kup, necessiting a quick name change that turned Fastback into a nobody.
• Roche wanted to use a "name" character as a victim in Spotlight: Kup, knowing it has more impact when they die than when a generic buys it. Why Outback? He doesn't know!
• Oddly, so far as we can tell, Outback has never actually been to Australia.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Outback (アウトバック Autobakku)
• French: Bled (Canada)
• Hungarian: Mucsai ("Hillbilly")
• Russian: Dikar' (Дикарь, "Savage")
• Italian: Raid'

External links

• Outback's Universe profile at NTFA.com