Backstreet (G1)
| This article is about the Autobot Triggerbot from Generation 1. For the Autobot from Animated, see Backstreet (Animated). |
- Backstreet is an Autobot Triggerbot from the Generation 1 continuity family.
Backstreet hates warfare. He is not motivated like Beachcomber by philosophical reasons; quite frankly, he isn't mentally equipped for deep thought, but he at least suspects that a failure to fight would mean Decepticon victory, and that he does not want. No, his temperament is the trouble. He's jumpy and nervous, easily agitated, and prone to jumping to incorrect conclusions from accurate observations. He knows he is like this, and tries to avoid battles when possible. Does this make him a coward? Perhaps, but when he cannot honorably avoid fighting he does his best to crush his fears, lest he be found out. His comrades, unaware of his secret, know him as an adequate soldier.
As a lookout, Backstreet almost excels. His senses are keen, and his nervousness keeps him constantly alert, if edgy. Best of all, he can avoid the worst of the battlefield chaos. Unfortunately, jumping to conclusions is an even worse trait in a sentry than a front-line soldier.
Fiction
Marvel Comics continuity
Marvel The Transformers comics
Around five million years ago, Backstreet was in the Autobot Fourth Computerized Division. Under the command of junior officer Optimus Prime, he, Override, and Dogfight were seeking to end the war with the knowledge of Boltax and the Underbase. On the way to Boltax, the Autobots encountered a series of traps which were placed to keep out unwanted intruders. Backstreet helped with the third trap, a road of collapsing panels. Noting that bigger wasn't necessarily better, the small car zipped past the trap faster than it could ensnare him, and Backstreet deactivated the trap on far side of it. Finally, the four Autobots reached Boltax, where the Disciples of Boltax warned them that pain and suffering would be inflicted on them if they continued. Backstreet didn't like being threatened, but Optimus Prime agreed with the disciples. He ordered Backstreet, Dogfight, and Override to stay behind while he continued. The Flames of Boltax!
He must've hit hard times over the next few millennia, though, as he was languishing in a Decepticon prison on Cybertron in 1988. Funny how your life can fall apart that quickly. Anyway, he was let loose on Earth by the Decepticons in a new rendition on The Most Dangerous Game of All — Backstreet and his Sparkabot companions were to be hunted down by human bounty hunters called Roadjammers, who Scorponok had equipped with mode-lock weapons. The Autobots were captured, but managed to escape after the bounty hunters bit the big metal hand that fed them. Ca$h and Car-nage!
Backstreet's fellow Triggerbots were eventually released from prison under undisclosed circumstances. Returning to Cybertron, Backtreet and the Triggerbots worked for the Autobot Resistance. They were tasked to discover the mysterious package Darkwing and Dreadwind were hired to retrieve by an unknown party. It turned out the Powermasters were hired to recover the dead body of Starscream after the Underbase fiasco. Only problem was, the dead fought back. It was Backstreet who ultimately realized the corpse was driven by the Underbase, not Starscream's mind, and reasoned with the entity until it stopped fighting. Race with the Devil
During the Matrix Quest, the Triggerbots traveled to the desert planet Cheyne in search of the legendary artifact. They were taken in by a group of peaceful settlers, but oddly began to lose focus in their quest. No, not robotic ADD... it was Vrobian Psychic Vampires from the Dark Nebula! Dogfight managed to break their psychic spell on the others, and Backstreet and Override were forced to kill the Vrobians in self-defense. After some off-hand musing about the nature of evil and death, the Triggerbots quickly moved on with their quest. Kings of the Wild Frontier.
In one mission on Earth, Backstreet was made pointman in an Autobot plan to capture Crankcase and Ruckus, two Decepticons carrying valuable information. The Autobots knew the Triggercons should be passing a certain point on their travels, and it was Backstreet's job to send the alert signal to the rest of the army when they reached that checkpoint. Because of their close proximity to a human town, Backstreet was under strict orders from Optimus Prime not to engage the enemy. When he spotted the Double Targetmasters flying as escort for the couriers, though, Backstreet became wracked by indecision and ultimately opened fire against orders. The battle began and caused serious damage and casualties among the humans, while Crankcase and Ruckus got away. Backstreet's backup, Override, was furious at him and overstated the reprimand from Optimus Prime he was to deliver, claiming Backstreet faced court-martial and possible termination. Caught up in another panic, Backstreet went AWOL, believing himself hunted by Autobots, Decepticons and humans alike. Red Alert would be proud of how paranoid the Triggerbot became, as he attacked and destroyed an entire human military patrol before realizing they weren't the Combaticons.
Megatron received word of all this, and came up with the scheme to approach Backstreet and win him over to the Decepticon cause. He extended the "hand of friendship" to Backstreet, but was interrupted by Optimus Prime. Backstreet eventually found his courage and fired on Megatron in order to save Optimus. He returned to the Ark to face trial for his actions, but in the end Prime only decreed that no Autobot would ever stand on lookout duty alone again, to prevent any repeats of this incident.
Good to know Optimus Prime would rather "idiot-proof" his battle protocols rather than simply get rid of the idiots. Slapdash probably let out a sigh of relief at that one. Trigger-Happy!
Backstreet was one of many Autobots and Decepticons present when Primus (through Emirate Xaaron) revealed his plans for the defeat of Unicron. The Void!
Transformers Comic-Magazin
Backstreet was present when the Decepticons unleashed a robotic hell-beast known as 'King Con' on New York; however Optimus Prime rented a helicopter to fly a banner announcing huge raw oil deposit finds in the Rocky Mountains. After a short hesitation, the Decepticons retreated to pursue these findings. New York — A City Sinking in Terror Later, Backstreet was one of many Autobots who fought in defense of a human oil tanker Headmaster of the Dimensions, and again at an oil refinery. He Who Laughs Last...
After Backstreet seriously injured Ruckus with blaster fire, Optimus Prime gave the Autobots a stern lecture about being able to tell friend from foe because Ruckus is apparently an Autobot now? "By their Blasters you shall know them...!"
When the Decepticons attempted to steal a submarine filled with plutonium rods, Backstreet oversaw the Autobot mission to retrieve them. The Energon Trap
Regeneration One
Template:Noterg1 Backstreet, Dogfight, Crosshairs, Sureshot, and Override formed a security team that accompanied the new Autobot leader Hot Rod in apprehending the errant Dinobot Grimlock on his return to Cybertron. Although offered the choice to come quietly, Grimlock chose to do things the hard way, resisting all the way to Bastion-five lock-up. Natural Selection, Part Two
Having survived the battle against the forces of Jhiaxus at the Hub Network, Backstreet returned first to Cybertron, then formed part of a squad under Prowl's command that travelled by space bridge to Earth, where they were ambushed by Linda Chang's troops in the Glass Mountains. After Roadbuster had negotiated a ceasefire, the humans and Autobots united and journeyed to Nebulos, defeating the corrupted Fortress Maximus in the Clar Macro-jungle. The War to End All Wars, Part 5
Dreamwave Generation 1 continuity
After the Decepticons had taken over Cybertron, Backstreet and the Triggerbots accompanied Blaster as he used an ancient map of Cybertron's depths to infiltrate Megatron's slave camp, only for them to be discovered by Megatron himself. The Age of Wrath Pt.4
IDW Generation 1 continuity
When Optimus Prime needed a quick taxi service to Cybertron to investigate the disappearance of Jetfire's survey team, he called up Backstreet and the crew of the Ark-27 to transport him there. Stormbringer #2
Later, Backstreet and the Ark-27 were again called upon to assist Optimus Prime when Monstructor attacked and crippled Omega Supreme. Backstreet was seen assisting in Omega's recovery. Spotlight: Optimus Prime He was present on the Autobot Orbital Command Hub when Blaster announced his return to the airwaves. Spotlight: Blaster Years later after the Surge, Backstreet was serving under Dogfight when they ran into the Decepticon Justice Division while returning from the Serp Mines. When rushing for medical assistance on Delphi, he had his Autobot symbol scrutinized by First Aid. Bullets Backstreet was apparently still in medical assistance in Delphi when the crew of the Lost Light arrived, and Ambulon was seen trying to reconstitute him.Life After the Big Bang
Backstreet was starting to go offline, forcing Ratchet to transform into vehicle mode and activate the Red Rust infection that had hit Delphi earlier and was now in his system to save Backstreet's life. How Ratchet Got His Hands Back
Wings Universe
During the Machine Wars, Backstreet received a battlefield promotion to City Commander of Uraya by Obsidian. With a collection of Autobot and Decepticon defenders, Backstreet held the line at Uraya for several days until Obsidian organized a tactical retreat. The surviving forces of Uraya combined with the various other city-states in secret, an invisible army cloaked by Mirage and assembled by Obsidian at Iacon to eliminate the full force of Megaplex and Jhiaxus's army. Termination After suffering injuries in the ensuing battle, Backstreet was evac'ed by Hoist with the assistance of Bitstream. A Common Foe
Toys
Generation 1
- Backstreet (Triggerbot, 1988)
- Backstreet transforms into a Porsche 962-based Le Mans racing car. As a Triggerbot, in either robot or car modes, pressing a push-button on his back end flips out a pair of chromed spring-loaded (non-firing) rifles. Due to this gimmick, his back tires are just stickers while a single wheel hidden under the rear of the car allows Backstreet to roll.
Notes
Foreign names
- French: Confusion (Canada)
