Super Mode
A Super Mode is an auxiliary transformation some Cybertronians possess that is used sparingly, perhaps due to a higher energy consumption. This transformation often involves combining with unused portions of their alternate mode and bringing normally concealed weapons systems online. This form is often a variation on the robot mode, but there are many who possess vehicular or other Super Modes. In some continuities, it is referred to as a Battle Mode, Brute Mode, or Ultra Mode. A robot-mode super mode is, amazingly enough, often called a Super Robot.
Fiction
Generation 1
One might easily consider Ultra Magnus one of the earliest examples of a Super Mode, due to his toy combining with his trailer to form a Super Robot. However, due to the recognition factor and possible confusion with Optimus Prime, he was never depicted in his primary robot mode. This made his Super Mode his de facto normal mode.
This was later superseded by Optimus Prime's upgrade into a Powermaster, by which he acquired a canonical Super Mode. However, after the first couple of issues he was rarely if ever shown in his smaller robot mode.
The Classics Voyager Jetfire toy has a removable head and large booster-kibble has flip-out reveal cannons in robot mode which could be considered a super mode (the actual reason was to allow a toy that resembles Jetfire in both his toy and cartoon appearances).
Super-God Masterforce
Ginrai, much like his American Powermaster counterpart, possessed both a robot mode and a Super Robot mode from combining with his trailer. As well, he could combine this powerful mode with the Godbomber drone to form a still larger and shinier "God Ginrai" mode. Though Godbomber had no counterpart in the English-language fiction, the rerelease of Powermaster Optimus Prime included the mold improvements featured in Ginrai as well as the Godbomber figure, renamed Apex Bomber, who formed Prime's "Apex Armor."
Victory
Star Saber was a double Brainmaster, starting as a small robot known as the Brain of Courage, combining into a larger robot named Saber, and finally forming an even larger robot known as Star Saber (natch). This robot could then be enhanced further by combining with Victory Leo to form Victory Saber.
Robots in Disguise (2001)
Optimus Prime initially had a smaller robot mode composed of just his vehicle mode cab, which could then combine with pieces of his "trailer" to form a larger, more powerful Battle Mode (this mode was called "Super Fire Convoy" in Car Robots). Later on, he and Ultra Magnus could combine to form the Super Robot Omega Prime ("God Fire Convoy" in Car Robots). Neither was the dominant personality in this fusion, much to Magnus's disappointment.
Also, the three Autobot Brothers Side Burn, Prowl, and X-Brawn were each granted the ability to "Power Up" into a "Supercharge Mode" after receiving a power boost from Ultra Magnus when the Matrix was being shared between him and Prime. In contrast to more typical Super Modes which used unused altmode bits or hidden weapons, their super modes were examples of spontaneous recoloration.
Unicron Trilogy
Armada
- Optimus Prime could combine with his trailer to form his Super Mode. He could also combine with Jetfire to become Jet Optimus. Both of these Super Modes could be further enhanced by mounting Overload on their shoulders. In the Japanese version Micron Legend, the names used are "Jet Convoy" and "Magna Jet Convoy", respectively.
- Megatron could form a Super Mode by combining with the various components that make up Tidal Wave; Micron Legend uses "Burning
GundamMegatron".
Energon
- Optimus Prime could combine with the four drone vehicles stored in his trailer, with each forming an arm or a leg Scramble City-style, leading to a wide variety of Super Robot modes. Prime could be further enhanced by combining with Wing Saber to form either his heavily armed "Fight Mode" or the more maneuverable "Flight Mode." Prime could also combine with Omega Supreme to form "Optimus Supreme." The names "Wing Convoy - Cannon Mode", "Wing Convoy - Jet Mode", and "Omega Convoy" are used in the Japanese version Super Link.
- Also, every Autobot (who wasn't an Omnicon) possessed the ability to combine with the others in pairs to form "Powerlinx" versions of themselves, thanks to the Spark of Combination.
- As well, both Landmine and Bulkhead possessed "Brute Modes," which were formed by combining with previously unused portions of their vehicle forms.
Cybertron
- In Transformers Cybertron, Optimus Prime transforms into Super Mode. Most of his trailer goes onto his back while two leg pieces connect to the blue part of his legs and his mouthplate comes over his face. Optimus Prime goes into Super Mode when fighting in battle against anybody vaguely threatening.
- Optimus Prime could also enter a number of Super Mode configurations by combining with other characters, such as "Savage Claw Mode" with Leobreaker and "Sonic Wing Mode" with Wing Saber. In the Japanese version Galaxy Force, "Liger Convoy" and "Sonic Convoy" respectively.
- Conversely, Megatron could form the "Dark Claw Mode" with Nemesis Breaker, and similarly named "Liger Megatron" in Galaxy Force.
IDW Generation 1 continuity
Nova Prime possessed a Super Robot mode formed by combining with his vehicle mode's trailer. This form also granted him wings and thus the power of flight.
Thunderwing revealed that not only were his robot and jet modes enhanced by the Pretender process, but he also possessed an extremely powerful tertiary Ultra Mode. However this form drew heavily from the reserves of Ore-13 that were powering him, causing the enhanced energon variant to go critical and burn him out from the inside. Damaging him beyond repair. Or not. Stormbringer
Live action film series
Revenge of the Fallen film
After being critically injured by Scorponok, Jetfire offered his parts to Optimus Prime, who was still recovering after being resurrected and needed assistance in fighting the Fallen. Jetfire then ripped out his spark core and died. Ratchet then instructed Jolt to transplant the afterburners and weapons onto Optimus Prime's structure. Once completed, Optimus Prime was left with two winged rocket thrusters, extra armor, an arm-mounted missile launcher, and an arm-mounted machine gun. Flying off, Optimus broke through the debris The Fallen had raised to protect the Star Harvester and destroyed the machine, then attacked the Fallen. Megatron came to the aid of his master, but Optimus broke off his arm, shooting off about a third of Megatron's head and finally used the rocket thrusters to send Megatron flying through some ruins. Optimus Prime and The Fallen then resumed their duel. The Fallen was able to tear off Prime's left thruster and strike him in the face with it, but Optimus Prime ultimately triumphed and ripped out the Fallen's spark, forcing Megatron and Starscream to retreat. Following this, Optimus detached Jetfire's donated parts. Revenge of the Fallen
Dark of the Moon film
Optimus Prime keeps the sacrificed parts from Jetfire, as well as the upgrade in power that came with it, keeping the rocket engine pieces inside his trailer in the form of flight-capable combat armor. Additionally, the trailer itself also contains an impressive arsenal, deploying into a mobile weapons base as Optimus transforms. Additionally, many Transformers are capable of boosting their agility and deploying numerous weapons directly from their vehicle modes. Bumblebee and the Wreckers in particular can access "Stealth Force" vehicle modes that are significantly more weaponized, being filled to the brim with weapons and rocket boosters. Dark of the Moon
Aligned continuity family
While super modes do not seem to be a commonplace in this continuity, some characters seem to have something close to super modes, in toy form, while others have something that falls under a different category altogether. The Apex Armor could arguably serve as a "super mode" for those who wear it.
High Tide, however, does have a super mode. He can combine with his Rescue Rig, forming the head of a Megabot Mode, while his rig transforms into a giant body, which greatly resembles the Headmaster or Brainmaster technology. Turning the Tide Years later, while fighting Megatronus, Sideswipe, Strongarm, and Bumblebee discovered that when they combined their Decepticon Hunters, in Prime form, the energy surge would create armor for them to wear. Battlegrounds, Part 2
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