Targetmaster (technology)

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Cambot! Gypsy! Tom Servo! Croooooow!

The Targetmasters are a subset of Transformers binary-bonded to smaller partners, who transform into their weapons. The partner is often an organic life form that has been bio-engineered to be partly mechanical, or wears a suit of armor that transforms around them to become the weapon.

The Targetmasters benefit from being able to take two minds into battle. A Targetmaster possesses a living weapon that is capable of making its own tactical decisions and target priorities. The advantage is similar to that of having a dedicated gunner aboard an aircraft or tank.

The Targetmaster process is often seen to follow shortly after development of the Headmaster process. The earliest known Targetmasters were among the Autobots and Decepticons involved in the war on Nebulos, and were paired with a bio-engineered Nebulan humanoid which wore a transforming exosuit. Later Targetmasters included virtually any Transformer specifically partnered with another being that becomes their weapon, not limited to Nebulans or organics. The term has been applied to the Seacon team<ref>Hasbro's 1988 toy catalog</ref> and several Action Master pairings.<ref>More than Meets the Eye</ref>

Some Transformers, known as Double-Targetmasters, are bonded with two smaller partners who can form individual weapons or combine with one another to form a 'double weapon', with the power of whichever weapon forms the 'barrel' boosted by the other.

Fiction

Marvel Comics continuity

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

The first Targetmasters were a group of six Autobots under the command of Fortress Maximus. Having traveled to the planet Nebulos in search of peace, this group surrendered their weapons to the natives to prove their peaceful intentions. Ring of Hate!

Nebulon minds were duplicated and installed into transformable Nebulon-sized robots, creating the Targetmasters. The Final Conflict

This depiction of Targetmasters as robots with duplicated Nebulon minds and not actual Nebulons is unique to this story.

Some time later, Lord Zarak and his Decepticon Headmaster partner Scorponok had discredited the Autobots, turned public opinion against them, and driven them into retreat. A group of six Nebulan dissidents undertook a great risk to join the Autobots, allowing themselves to be bio-engineered into replacement weapons for the six unarmed Autobots. Worlds Apart!

Mouseketeer Roll Call! Cubby! Bobby! Gregor! Jimmy! Darlene! Annette!

The Autobot Targetmasters' first trial by combat came at The Nursery, a horticultural research facility that was under threat by Zarak's Decepticons. The newly-minted Targetmasters engaged Scorponok and the Terrorcons in a battle for the Nursery, but retreated as the facility was being destroyed by the battle, regardless of who was winning.

Vorath was soon able to duplicate the Autobots' experiment, creating a group of five Decepticon Targetmasters, though they weren't quite a match for the Autobot Headmasters. All of the Targetmasters left Nebulos soon after, as the Autobots retreated to spare Nebulos further warfare, and the Decepticons pursued. Brothers in Armor!!

At some point before leaving Nebulos, the Decepticons captured Sureshot, Crosshairs and Pointblank and took them back to their Fortress of Despair, apparently because they couldn't perfect the Targetmaster process. After a brief skirmish with the Autobot Headmasters, they retreated and let the Autobots follow them...directly into a trap! It was not creating Targetmasters that Scorponok was struggling with, but Headmasters. Although Hardhead was able to release the Autobot Targetmasters, and with their partners Peacemaker, Pinpointer and Spoilsport they pretty much won the battle, Scorponok was able to escape with a captive Highbrow to study. Worlds Apart!

Only the eleven "large" Targetmasters are given an origin in the Headmasters mini-series, and there isn't a lot of room in the plot for others to have been made off-panel. Nevertheless, the Marvel bios for several of the "small" (1988) Targetmasters imply they became Targetmasters at this time.

After arriving on Earth, the Autobot Targetmasters subsequently went on a mission to rescue the human Buster Witwicky from the Decepticons. They were repulsed from the Decepticons' island base by a phalanx of hidden weapons. The Desert Island of Space!

Having left Scorponok's forces, Cyclonus and Scourge attempted to force their former leader Galvatron to hand over his time-jump trigger device, backed up by their Targetmaster partners. When the meeting was interrupted by the Wreckers and battle ensued, Springer attempted to relieve Cyclonus of Nightstick but was taken aback when the gun transformed and ran away from him. Wrecking Havoc

Nightstick would not prove to be nearly so fortunate when Cyclonus and Scourge attempted to forge an alliance with the current Decepticon leader Shockwave. When negotiations went badly, Shockwave sent a clone of Megatron to kill Cyclonus and crush his gun. Dry Run!

Misfire, along with Triggerhappy and Slugslinger, led an attack on an Autobot shuttle to retrieve Scorponok's head from Highbrow, but once he had been reassembled they were spirited away to Limbo to make way for Soundwave and the Terrorcons from the future. Meanwhile, Scourge and Fracas were fighting alongside Galvatron and the Megatron clone against the Wreckers and Mayhems. Ultimately the present-day Targetmasters reappeared when Soundwave returned his troops to their own time, but Cyclonus and Scourge vanished into the time rift. Time Wars

Additional Targetmasters may or may not have been created as the war went on. Quickmix and Needlenose were both seen using weapons resembling their Targetmaster partners, but their individual circumstances do not seem to easily allow for them to have been on Nebulos to acquire Targetmaster partners. Yesterday's Heroes!

Recoil was among the weapons surrendered by the Autobots to the Decepticons as part of preparation for an alliance against Unicron. Surrender!

Marvel UK future timelines

Hot Rod is no longer a Targetmaster as he mourns Firebolt's death.

In the year 2007, Autobot leader Hot Rod reminisced about the war; on Nebulos where he first teamed up with his Targetmaster partner Firebolt and later, on Earth, when Firebolt died under unspecified circumstances. Headhunt

Earthforce

These stories do not fit into the normal Marvel continuity. See Earthforce for details.

Prowl noted the double-paired Targetmasters known as Double-Targetmasters among his list of complaints about how complicated things had gotten in his absence. Starting Over!

Dreamwave comics continuity

The Targetmaster process was developed eons ago on Cybertron, as a process to forge a warrior and his weapon into a cohesive fighting team. The two are linked on a mental and physical level, allowing them to draw energy from each other and multitask with extreme efficiency. Targetmaster weapons cannot be wielded by another being without their consent unless they are somehow incapacitated in their weapon configuration. Severe injury or death of one partner can have a profound physical and emotional impact on the other.

The Targetmaster process was further expanded upon on the planet Nebulon. This would allow organic humanoids, not just mechanoids, to function as weapons when adorned with removable armor. The strength and endurance of these modified beings were greatly enhanced, though their appearance does not change. More Than Meets The Eye issue 8

American cartoon continuity

Here's me, and here's my gun!

The creation of Targetmasters and Headmasters, in this continuity, started with an initial idea of Brainstorm's that Autobots should use human partners while driving to help with steering and speed, this idea was confirmed when a race between Hot Rod and Blurr was won not by Blurr's speed, but by Daniel's help in driving Hot Rod. Hardhead, however, was very sceptical about this idea.

After a large scale Decepticon attack, several Autobots, Spike, and Daniel Witwicky crash landed on Nebulos; where the Autobots were taken captive by the inhabitants. After a Decepticon attack in which Daniel Witwicky was injured and put on life support, several Autobots were kidnapped by Decepticons.

The Nebulan warriors explained their situation with the Hive to the Autobots, and why they didn't trust them at first, and came to an agreement. Using Brainstorm's idea, they would use their and Daniel's minds with the Autobot's bodies to be powerful enough to defeat the Hive and save the others. Thus were born the Headmasters. The Rebirth, Part 1

Once the Headmasters got to know their partners, they set off to rescue the five captured captured Autobots. After some torture, Hot Rod, Kup, Blurr, Crosshairs and Pointblank were all saved by the Headmasters.

After witnessing the power of secondary operators, the Decepticons and other Autobots saw the logic in having some of their own.

The defeated Decepticons were captured by the hive and taken to their underground base of operations. Lord Zarak, the leader of the hive gave the Decepticons an opertunity to become powerful like the Autobot Headmasters at the literal cost of their heads. Cyclonus and Scourge agreed to let the Nebulans make Headmasters only out of the Decepticons there with beast modes, they however would only let the organic beings into their weapons. So Skullcruncher, Apeface, Snapdragon, Weirdwolf and Mindwipe were turned into Headmasters, Triggerhappy, Misfire, Slugslinger, Scourge and Cyclonus had their weapons modified so that hive members could fit into and transform into them.

*ptew ptew*

Cerebros, meanwhile had found a city and told the news to the other Autobots, damaging himself in the process. The Nebulans fixed him and believed the city he talked about to be the hive's old base from before they moved underground. The Decepticons, now with their Nebulan partners, attacked the Autobots again. Brainstorm was mad that the Decepticons stole his idea, the Head and Targetmasters and the Decepticons overwhelmed the Autobots and stole the key to the plasma energy chamber from them before the hive convinced the Decepticons to go back to Zarak to await orders.

"Haywire you're grey and black, now stop looking like my old gun." "Aww, but this model is so much nicer."

Brainstorm, to even the odds, showed his fellow Autobots scans of Nightstick, showing how the Decepticons modified their guns and used the Nebulan tech to modify the non-Headmaster Autobot's guns and have Nebulan partners inside them. Hot Rod, Kup, Blurr, Crosshairs, Pointblank and Sureshot's guns were modified and became the Autobot targetmasters.

Optimus Prime then showed up on Nebulos and was introduced to the Autobot's Headmaster and Targetmaster partners. He was also informed that the Decepticons also had access to the same technology and the key to the plasma energy chamber. The Autobots went to the Decepticons to fight but they and their Nebulan partners had nearly completed their project. The Decepticons engaged the Autobots in combat but were surprised to see that the Autobots now Tergetmaster partners too.

The Autobots, however, were much more surprised to see that Zarak had created something big using the same Headmaster technology both factions had: Scorponok. The Rebirth, Part 2 The Rebirth, Part 3

Japanese cartoon continuity

Headmasters

FIRE IN THE HOLE!

In Japanese continuities, Targetmaster partners hail from the planet Master, but unlike the Headmasters they are partnered with a regular Transformer as opposed to a Transtector. This fusion came about in a blast which binary-bonded a group of refugees from Master to the arms of the new Autobot recruits, as well as the Decepticon marauders, who were terrorizing the refugees in the first place. Unlike in the US continuity and toys, when the Masters transform into gun mode, they take the place of their larger partner's entire hand instead of being held by it.

Ricochet, Artfire, Hot Rod, Kup, Cyclonus, and Scourge have Targetmasters, even though they were not present for the explosion. The Japanese Targetmasters speak in a series of electronic beeps (like the Mini-Cons) that only their bonded partner can understand, instead of speaking normally like their Headmaster brethren.

Shattered Glass

In this reverse universe, the connection Targetmasters have to their smaller partners seems not to go beyond simple personality complements, i.e. Crosshairs is lazy, so his partner Pinpointer is enthusiastic. The small partners are Micromasters with three modes: robot, vehicle, and weapon.

Ricochet devised a plan to keep the Decepticons stranded on Cybertron while the Autobots fled to Earth. To execute this plan, he, Scoop, and Crosshairs took Targetmaster partners. Nightstick was easily able to take down Megatron, but the Decepticon Micromasters were able to thwart the entire group of Targetmasters, allowing Megatron to free himself. Do Over

Toys

Generation 1

File:G1Crosshairs toy.jpg

Crosshairs

• Autobot Targetmasters (1987)
  • Blurr with Haywire
  • Crosshairs with Pinpointer/Pointech
  • Hot Rod with Firebolt
  • Kup with Recoil
  • Pointblank with Peacemaker/Peaceman
  • Sureshot with Spoilsport/Spoil

The Autobot Targetmasters were sold boxed with their Targetmaster partners, and consisted of three all-new molds alongside slightly retooled versions of Hot Rod, Kup and Blurr from the previous year's assortment. The three older molds featured enlarged fist holes, allowing them to hold their new weapons. Both old and new molds transform into futuristic/Cybertronian ground vehicles. All six can mount their Targetmaster weapon on their roof or hood while in vehicle mode.

File:G1 Misfire toy.jpg

Misfire

• Decepticon Targetmasters (1987)
  • Cyclonus with Nightstick
  • Misfire with Aimless/Aimless
  • Scourge with Fracas
  • Slugslinger with Caliburst/Caliburst
  • Triggerhappy with Blowpipe/Blowpipe

Similar to their Autobot counterparts, the Decepticon Targetmasters feature three new jet molds alongside retooled versions of Cyclonus and Scourge with enlarged fist holes. All five transform into futuristic/Cybertronian aircraft. Their weapons can be mounted on top of them in jet form. The three newer molds were also sold in 1988.

File:Double targetmasters.jpg

Nebulan-on-Nebulan action!

• Autobot Targetmasters (1988)
  • Landfill with Flintlock and Silencer
  • Quickmix with Boomer and Ricochet
  • Scoop with Holepunch and Tracer

Often referred to as the "small Targetmasters" to distinguish them from the larger 1987 releases, these toys were sold carded. Each toy includes two smaller Targetmaster partners, each of which can form a gun or combine together as a larger gun. The two guns can also mount on the robot's vehicle form. The three Autobots share a construction vehicle theme. These toys were never released in Japan.

• Decepticon Targetmasters (1988)
  • Needlenose with Sunbeam and Zigzag
  • Quake with Tiptop and Heater
  • Spinister with Hairsplitter and Singe

The Decepticon "small Targetmasters" were sold carded with two Targetmaster partners each. Like the 1988 Autobots, these partners can form independent or combined weapons, and mount on their partner Transformers' vehicle forms or be wielded by them in robot mode. The three Transformers all turn into military vehicles. These toys were never released in Japan.

• Seacons (1988)
  • Nautilator
  • Overbite
  • Seawing
  • Skalor
  • Tentakil

The Seacons are a Scramble City-style combiner team, with a large leader toy who forms the torso of a larger robot, with four smaller toys plugging in to form the limbs. The team was given an additional fifth small toy, however. All five small toys have a "weapon" mode—essentially their creature mode with a gun barrel attached—allowing any of them to be used by the combined robot as a Targetmaster weapon. Each small toy could also form a free-standing gun by attaching to a small stand included with the toy.

• Japanese-original Targetmasters (1987)
  • Stepper (Ricochet) with Nebulon (Nightstick)
  • Artfire with Nightstick

Artfire and Ricochet are redecos of the original toys for Inferno and Jazz, respectively. They each come with the Targetmaster partner molds that were used as Fracas and Nightstick in the US.

• Action Masters (1990)
  • Banzai-Tron with Razor-Sharp
  • Jackpot with Sights
  • Krok with Gatoraider
  • Mainframe with Push-Button
  • Rad with Lionizer
  • Rollout with Glitch
  • Skyfall with Top-Heavy
  • Treadshot with Catgut

Several Action Master figures include robotic partners who transform into weapons for the robot's use. Though not labeled as such at the time, 2003's More Than Meets The Eye profile books retroactively dubbed these characters Targetmasters.

Beast Wars

• Basics
  • Break
  • Stampy

Several of the Beast Wars Neo toys include third-mode weapon forms, which could be wielded by other toys.

Beast Machines

• Deployers (2000)
  • Dillo
  • Mol
  • Rav

Universe series

• Chro<ref>Chro was called a Targetmaster in Cryotek's BotCon online bio. Chro is repurposed from Rav's blue deco.</ref>

Universe (2008)

• Cyclonus with Nightstick

A re-imagining of their original designs.

Gentei! (2009)

• Strafe with Rocketbot

Redecos of the Universe Cyclonus and Nightstick molds.

Shattered Glass

• Ricochet with Nightstick
• Scoop with Holepunch
• Crosshairs with Pinpointer

All of these characters except Ricochet are repurposed toys from previous toylines.

• Cyclonus with Krunix

Redecos of the Universe Cyclonus and Nightstick molds.

United

Targetmaster Microns

The Power Core Combiners Mini-Con molds are released as Targetmaster Microns in the Japanese toyline Transformers United:<ref>Transformers United official site</ref>

• Recoil (2011)
• Fracas (2010)
• Haywire (2010)
• Caliburst (2011)
• Spoilsport (2011)

Transformers (2010 toyline)

Masterpiece Rodimus Prime

The North American release of Masterpiece Rodimus Prime comes with a "Limited Edition" Targetmaster partner named Offshoot.

• Rodimus Prime with Offshoot

References

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