Power Core Combiners

This article is about the real-world toyline. For the in-fiction technology, see Power Core Combination{{#switch:{{#sub:Power Core Combination|-1}}

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Power Core Combiners is a toyline, released concurrently with the 2010 Transformers and Generations toylines.

The design of the toys relies heavily on the titular gimmick, combination. Every main character is a "Commander" sold with either a Mini-Con (which connects in several configurations) or a set of four drone vehicles (which connect as limbs to form a larger robot). The Mini-Cons and drones can be attached to any Commander, leading to millions of possible combinations between all of the figures.

Unlike the Mini-Cons of previous lines, the Power Core Combiner Mini-Cons lack their own independent vehicle or animal modes. Rather, they turn from robots into accessories for their Commanders. In vehicle mode, a Commander can use a Mini-Con as a weapon or tool. In robot mode, a Commander can wield a Mini-Con as a hand-held weapon or wear him as armor.

The drones are similar to Energon Optimus Prime's "Prime Force", being vehicles with no robot modes. While the drones are left/right interchangeable, an arm-drone cannot become a leg-drone (or vice versa) making them more limited than the Prime Force drones. However, the fact that there are several teams of drones who can be swapped among Commanders adds a Scramble-City-esque dimension of play. Also, people who love Transformers but hate transforming can breathe easy in the knowledge that the drones automorph into and out of limb mode simply by being plugged into and removed from a Commander.

Fictionally, the Power Core Combiners are not strictly connected to any other continuity,<ref name=continuityqa>"...they basically exist on their own." October Hasbro Transformers Q&A Answers for Cybertron.ca</ref> although Smolder and Chopster have made an appearance in the Movie continuity via Cyber Missions, and Bombshock via the Classified novels.

Fiction

The toys' packaging presents a simple storyline about Power Core Combination technology being found on Earth. A more robust account was published in the Collectors' Club magazine #32. As of yet, there has been no narrative fiction, only summaries and bios.

Place in continuity

As for which larger continuity family (if any) this fits into, clues are scant and contradictory. The strongest evidence appears to suggest the live-action film series:

• The storyline blurb on the packaging references "monsters like Devastator" in terms that best match the live-action version.
• Salvage's bio is fairly explicit that he is his movie counterpart, even referencing his origin as an AllSpark Mutation.
• Smolder has made an appearance in movie-related fiction.
• Icepick received a new toy in the Dark of the Moon toyline.
• Bombshock appears in Transformers Classified: Switching Gears novel.

However, other elements seem to hint towards Generation 1:

• Huffer's bio says that he's "just as inclined to grumble as he's ever been,"<ref name=hufferbio>Huffer's on-package bio</ref> implying that he is a preexisting, familiar character. There are only a few Huffers, and this points pretty clearly to the original.
• While less explicit, several characters have bios that are too similar to same-named characters in the Generation 1 continuity family to be a coincidence. Leadfoot is good at infiltrating Decepticon bases, Sledge is noted for his loyalty and love of destruction, Icepick wants to scrap the obsolete, and Stakeout is a former loose cannon cop on the edge who has since mellowed out. Compare this to what Sea Spray got.

Hasbro's official stance on the matter is that Power Core Combiners are not tied to any particular continuity family.<ref name=continuityqa /> This is in keeping with the company's recent apparent reluctance to tie its toylines to specific universes, and can be interpreted as "both," "neither," or not actually even an answer. Any conclusions are up to the reader to make.

Toys

Power Core Combiners

Commander 2-packs

Smolder...

... and his pack-in partner Chopster.

Each 2-pack contains a roughly-Scout-class-sized Commander figure as well as a partner Mini-Con.

Commanders transform from a robot to vehicle mode, as well as a "power up" torso-mode that can be combined with any of the drone sets from the 5-packs (see below). Commanders also have standard Mini-Con Powerlinx plugs, so they are compatible with any Mini-Cons, not just their pack-in partners.

Mini-Cons have multiple configurations to enhance their larger partners. Each one transforms from a robot to "armor" that any Commander can use (though with limited usefulness on the 5-pack Commander molds due to placement of their Powerlinx plugs). They also have weapon modes; most have separate configurations for Commanders' robot and alternate modes, though a few only really have one that works on both.

Wave 1

• Huffer (semi cab) and Caliburst (anti-aircraft cannon/rifle)
• Searchlight (rescue helicopter) and Backwind (winch/rifle)
• Smolder (fire department brush truck) and Chopster (flamethrower/axe)

Wave 2

• Icepick (arctic vehicle) and Chainclaw (missile launcher)
• Leadfoot (F1 racer) and Pinpoint (engine-cannon/rifle)
• Sledge (rockwheel trencher construction vehicle) and Throttler (drill)

Wave 3

• Windburn (rescue helicopter) and Darkray (anti-aircraft cannon/rifle)
• Darkstream (stealth jet) and Razorbeam (cannon/axe)
• Steelshot (cannon truck) and Beacon (winch/rifle)

Wave 4

• Heavytread (tank) and Groundspike (mine plow/claw)
• Skyhammer (fighter jet) and Airlift (gun emplacement)

Wave 5

• Undertow (speedboat) and Waterlog (gun emplacement)
• Salvage (monster truck) and Bomb-Burst (missile launcher)

5-packs

Bombshock...

...and his Combaticons.

Each 5-pack contains a Commander and four drone-units.

Unlike the Commanders designed for the 2-packs, most (if not all) of the Commanders designed originally for the 5-packs do not have Powerlinx hardpoints that normally function for the 2-pack Mini-Cons' armor modes while in their standard Commander robot modes. However, these Commanders' power up modes allow for the proper placement of their Powerlix hardpoints.

The drones each automatically transform into a super-robot limb when they are attached to the bright blue connector points on any Commander's "power up" mode, and snap back to drone-mode once removed. Arm-drones and leg-drones cannot swap functions; they can be attached to each others' connection points, but arms will always be arms and legs will always be legs. Each drone also has Mini-Con Powerlinx hardpoints.

Wave 1

• Bombshock (cannon truck) with Combaticon drones
• Skyburst (stealth jet) with Aerialbot drones

Wave 2

• Double Clutch (sports car) with Rallybot drones
• Mudslinger (monster truck) with Destructicon drones

Wave 3

• Stakeout (fire response truck) with Protectobot drones
• Crankcase (semi cab) with Destron drones

Wave 4

• Steamhammer (bulldozer) with Constructicon drones
• Grimstone (Styracosaurus) with Dinobot drones

Wave 5

• Over-Run (F1 racer) with Stunticon drones

Exclusive value packs

Toys"R"Us

• Skyburst with Aerialbots (Includes Skyburst, Searchlight, Backwind, and the Aerialbots)

Walmart

After most stores had long gotten rid of Power Core Combiners (and a few waves of product virtually never hit normal retail shelves), Walmart put out these Black Friday bonus packs of a 5-piece combiner team with a two-pack taped to the side... all for the whopping price of ten dollars. TEN DOLLARS. These were placed mostly on pallets pretty much wherever there was room in the aisle. There does not appear to be any particular order to who got packed with what, but reported combinations include:

5-pack	2-pack
Crankcase with Destrons	Salvage with Bomb-Burst Skyhammer with Airlift Sledge with Throttler Undertow with Waterlog
Double Clutch with Rallybots	Huffer with Caliburst Salvage with Bomb-Burst Steelshot with Beacon Undertow with Waterlog Windburn with Darkray
Grimstone with Dinobots	Icepick with Chainclaw Leadfoot with Pinpoint Salvage with Bomb-Burst Skyhammer with Airlift Undertow with Waterlog
Mudslinger with Destructicons	Darkstream with Razorbeam Icepick with Chainclaw Searchlight with Backwind Smolder with Chopster
Over-Run with Stunticons	Salvage with Bomb-Burst Sledge with Throttler Steelshot with Beacon
Stakeout with Protectobots	Heavytread with Groundspike Huffer with Caliburst Searchlight with Backwind Skyhammer with Airlift
Steamhammer with Constructions	Heavytread with Groundspike Icepick with Chainclaw Leadfoot with Pinpoint Salvage with Bomb-Burst

References

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