Aileron
- Aileron is a Camien Autobot from the IDW portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.
On the surface, it seems like Aileron is the perfect candidate for the Autobot ranks–idealistic, loyal, and always wiling to see the best in everyone. Her spaceplane alternate mode gives her air and space superiority, allowing her to cross continents in a matter of minutes. Aileron's enduring spirituality led her into what she thought would be an adventure of a lifetime; her religion taught her to deify the Primes, so it's no surprise that she jumped at the chance to work alongside her idol Optimus Prime in a glorious quest to spread the wisdom of the Primes across the galaxy!
As it turned out, however, things on Earth weren't quite as simple as Aileron hoped they might have been. Not only has she discovered that her leader isn't quite the divine, infalliable figure she was taught to worship, but she's also learned that keeping the peace on a troubled planet isn't quite as easy as Prime made it look. She's not quite the optimist that she once was, but Aileron perseveres – even if she can't always rely on Optimus, she's learning to rely on herself. Ironically, Aileron now serves as a grounding force for Optimus. His near constant companion, she's not slow to remind him that for all the import of his status as Prime he's also still just Optimus and far from infallible. This makes Aileron, not long ago just a normal camien civilian, arguably the most vital member of Optimus' crew.
Fiction
IDW Generation 1 continuity
Aileron was born from a hot spot within the Titan Caminus. A 'Bot and Her City Aileron originally lived in a small village, where she once encountered Pyra Magna: a Torchbearer who upheld the legacy of Solus Prime. Aphelion This chance encounter increased Aileron's interest in the mythology of the Thirteen and as her ailing homeworld slowly ran out of resources, Aileron's hope lay with the Primes. Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook #1
Not long after Caminus had joined the Council of Worlds, Aileron, Swift, and Sterling emigrated to Cybertron. The Transgressors Shortly after arriving, Aileron upgraded herself with a pair of cannons. Hasbro Heroes Sourcebook #1 Driven by their faith in the Prime, the Camiens took to handing out religious pamphlets about Optimus Prime in the Decepticon ghetto. This prompted a mixed reaction from passerby Decepticons: Acid Storm looked at their materials out of curiosity, and Sparkstalker defended the rights of the Camiens to do what they wanted as the Camiens treated Decepticons fairly. Needlenose snatched one of Aileron's pamphlet's straight out of her hands; Aileron protested that Prime was a good 'bot, but Needlenose decried him as a false prophet. The Transgressors
Aileron continued to face resistance to preaching about the Primes on Cybertron, even from Autobots less than enthusiastic about Optimus Prime, like the Dinobot, Slag. Redemption Seeking to better understand the Camien viewpoint of him, Optimus Prime approached Aileron and asked her assistance in discovering what it meant to be a Prime. She offered the Torchbearers as a good source of information. Aphelion Aileron and Optimus journeyed out into the Rust Spot, where the remains of Crystal City were collapsed into a singularity. There they encountered the Victorion Torchbearers who had been living in the Rust Spot. Lagrange
When Decepticons raided the spacebridge facility, Aileron and Optimus returned with Victorion to secure the site. Aileron reunited with Sterling at the spacebridge nexus, and together they stood alongside Optimus Prime as he annexed the planet Earth into Cybertron's Council of Worlds to prevent another Decepticon invasion. Perihelion Aileron was awe-struck as the Autobots and Victorion tore into the 'Cons, risking their lives for an alien race.
But it turns out those ungrateful aliens didn't like the great Prime annexing their planet for the greater good. The Chinese People's Liberation Army Mecha Force attacked and Sterling was killed before Aileron's horrified eyes; she switched to rage at these "monsters" killing her friend, before Optimus ordered her into her first battle to take out orbital lasers. Swiftly after, and after Prime had told her she was doing a good job holding it together, she saved the day by using the spacebridge to return to Cybertron and then come back to Beijing with the Skyroller. Optimus was left asking what he'd just started, with Aileron telling him he'd done what he had to. At their rendezvous, Aileron further went and bawled out Pyra Magna and Alpha Trion for questioning the Prime when things were so rough!
Optimus had a vision that included her as the Mistress of Flame while Earth burned and people bowed to him, but that's probably all fine! Once Upon a Time on Earth
Things stopped being fine shortly after Optimus apologized for Sterling's death and again talked about not being divine. Aileron said he hadn't lied and ending war was worth dying for anyway, as long as those stupid fleshbags would just get it. She grew frustrated over her fellow Autobots arguing about whether it was worth talking to Decepticons; as far as she was concerned, it was the humans murdering the Autobots, who were only trying to make things better! And when Prime just referred to Sterling's death as "grievances", Aileron made the entirely sensible decision to storm down to the White House and demand terms of surrender. The humans responded by shooting at her, prompting Optimus Prime and Victorion to intervene and bail her out. Edge of the Earth
Following a disastrous meeting with the Council, Optimus brought Aileron with him when they returned to Caminus, where Optimus met with the Mistress of Flame. Prime explained that he had forgiven Aileron for her rash actions in Washington, and she listened as the Mistress outlined her theory—that Earth was one of the thirteen lost Titan colonies—and Optimus was the thirteenth Prime of legend! With that done, Aileron returned to Monument Valley while Optimus met with Soundwave aboard Sanctuary Station. The Medium and the Message With Soundwave's Decepticons now under Optimus's command, the united Cybertronian force prepared to storm Galvatron's underwater base. Aileron was eager to fight—and incensed that Optimus was being told to sit out the fight—but Arcee ordered the Camien to stay behind. Aileron was therefore present when Circuit and Longtooth bridged to Earth as part of Starscream's propaganda venture, just as the Earth Defense Command moved in to take down the Transformers. It's Beginning To And Back Again
Optimus ordered his troops not to fire on the encroaching humans, but Aileron, still stinging from the death of Sterling, followed Soundwave's call to action and engaged the humans in a dogfight. This was short-lived, however, as Soundwave had an epiphany, realizing that humans and Cybertronians were more alike than different and prompting him to abandon his attack. Seconds later, Optimus reached out and raised a Titan from beneath the ground, driving the humans into a temporary retreat. As Above...So Below Aileron later watched as Metrotitan assumed his city mode, becoming an embassy Optimus dubbed "Autobot City". No Fair Fights
Aileron was subsequently guarding the spacebridge to Cybertron when it was shanghaied by the recently-revived Sentinel Prime, who blasted Aileron before she could warn any other Autobots. The Last Autobot While Sentinel ran amok in the base, Aileron was unconscious and consigned to the city's sick bay. White Light Aileron recovered later and was present when Optimus and Soundwave returned to Autobot City. White Heat
Some months later, at the beginning of Earth's Ore-13 crisis, Aileron travelled from Sanctuary Station to meet with Kup in Germany. Concorde Hymn From there, the duo travelled to Mount Olympus to investigate the recent Ore-13 explosion there. Kup soon realized that the "explosion" wasn't what it seemed—the missing Ore-13 had been transported to another dimension, detonating the remaining crystals. On their way back through the city streets, they were suddenly accosted by the forces of M.A.S.K., a disguised strike team wielding reverse-engineered Cybertronian technology. Aileron clashed with Brad Turner before Matt Trakker and the Thunderhawk took out her long-range communications. With Kup incapacitated and taken prisoner by Miles Mayhem, the elderly Autobot instructed Aileron to retreat and warn Optimus Prime. Aileron managed to evade the airborne M.A.S.K. vehicles and escape. The Divine Source of Liberty
A damaged Aileron limped back to the Autobot base to warn the other Autobots about what she and Kup had learned during their time in Greece. Soundwave correctly identified the other dimension as Microspace, sparking a debate about their next course of action... a debate that only intensified when alien knight templar Rom opted to take matters into his own hands. O Ship of State When the evil Baron Karza revealed himself as the true mastermind behind the crisis, Aileron took part in the massive pan-factional battle that saw the Autobots, Rom, G.I. Joe and M.A.S.K. team up against the Baron's monstrous fused form, incorporating Cybertronian technology and the supernatural powers of the Dire Wraiths. Valley Forge
While she stuck with Optimus in the aftermath, she was souring on him and had stopped believing he was anything too grand. As if to mock her, that's when a whole new group of Prime-worshipping volunteers arrived from other colonies and would constantly, CONSTANTLY, discuss Optimus and leave her worrying that's how she used to sound. Jetfire would somberly tell her that all this One True Prime talk Optimus was getting was causing him to act differently to how he used to.
After leading the new recruits on a raid to recover Transformer tech in Mexico City, Aileron was part of Optimus' big group that met a massive alien spacecraft in the Alps. To Walk Among the Chosen She watched as Prime met with Junkion leaders Wreck-Gar and Rum-Maj, only to be interrupted by G.I. Joe. Back at Autobot City, she provided security as Prime took the two aliens on a tour of their Earth embassy. A Lonely Pillar on the Plain
Aileron accompanied Prime to Cybertron when the Autobot leader met with the Council of Worlds; Behind My Bleeding Back though she snapped at the pious colonists on returning to Earth, she nevertheless stood by them when Pyra Magna finally confronted Optimus and his cynical manipulation of their faith. At a summit between Earthlings, Cybertronians, and Junkions, she provided security, which came in handy when the Junkions betrayed the fragile peace with a school of deadly Sharkticons. Dance Among the Shadows Aileron helped evacuate several human leaders, including the United States President. Future Glories Lost Ultimately, Optimus Prime managed to reach a truce with the defeated Junkions as Aileron and Jetfire watched on. The Cybertronians and Junkions relocated to the Bikini Atoll to begin the construction of "Little Cybertron": a new city for Transformers, Junkions, and Sharkticons alike. Aileron and Jetfire watched as the united races set about building the city; though Aileron was still skeptical about Prime's recent actions, Jetfire was heartened by his leader's ability to show that he had changed for the better. Feel Safe Without Regrets
Aileron later visited Autobot City's medical bay to check up on Sideswipe, who had shown no signs of recovering from his increasingly worsening coma. Remembering the loss of her friend Sterling, Aileron tried to comfort a visiting Arcee... only for the pink Autobot to snap at her that she didn't have any friends, because everyone thought she was crazy. Aileron quietly replied that she didn't think so. The Next Day, and the Next
As tensions continued to mount among the Autobots and their allies, Aileron, feeling increasingly alone, turned to Jetfire for solace. Jetfire told her about a time when he felt the same way. What It's Really Like
When Sideswipe finally passed away, Aileron joined a mourning Arcee on the deck of Metrotitan. Aileron offered her condolences and mentioned her belief in the Way of Flame, which believed in reincarnation. Arcee wasn't quite taken by the idea, wondering what it would be like if everyone she and Sideswipe had killed came back to life... but nevertheless, asked Aileron to stay with her as she looked to the stars and said a final farewell to Sideswipe. The Life of Sideswipe
