Minerva (G1 robot)
| The name or term "Minerva" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Minerva (disambiguation). |
- Minerva is an Autobot from the Generation 1 continuity family.
Minerva (ミネルバ Mineruba) is a former Transtector who gained life from and independently of her former owner, Minerva, via the power of Masterforce. As such, the robot takes after the human's personality and even her skills in medicine.
Fiction
Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity
Super-God Masterforce cartoon
The Transtector that would become Minerva was manufactured by the Autobots of Master under Chromedome's eye, to allow the humans of Earth to defend their planet against the Decepticons if needed. When the human Minerva and her friends requested to join the battle, Metalhawk granted the children their wish in the form of Master-Braces and the Headmaster Junior Transtectors. With her Transtector, Minerva participated in the epic war against the Decepticons led by Devil Z. Birth! Headmaster Jrs
In the wake of Devil Z's destruction, the bond between the Autobot humans and their Transtectors was broken, and Minerva became a normal kid again as her now-living Transtector and those of all the other Autobots headed into space to continue the fight against the Decepticons. A Battle... and Then...
Legends comic
At G Nebula 89, Minerva watched on as Grand Maximus unveiled the "Super Convoy Project", a new body in which a resurrected Optimus Prime would occupy. LG24 Shockwave & Cancer Prologue She was later present to defend the transtector factory when Overlord and his forces attacked. Bonus Edition Vol. 39 She worked with Perceptor to upgrade Godbomber's armor plating, Late Xmas Present Chapter and came with him to the Legends World where she helped save him from Katsu Don's clutches. Bonus Edition Vol. 56 She was defeated by Katsu Don when he returned to steal the Targetmasters Perceptor was working on. Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part One
Victory cartoon
- Voice actor: Tomoko Maruo (Japanese)
Several years later, when Ginrai's now-living Transtector was fatally wounded in battle with Decepticon leader Deathsaurus, Minerva's own Transtector, having taken its partner's name for its own, was summoned to Earth along with Perceptor and Wheeljack for medical support. Unfortunately, it was soon determined that nothing could be done for Ginrai, save to rebuild him in an entirely new form. Ginrai Dies!! Using a design crafted by Autobot Supreme Commander Star Saber, Minerva, Wheeljack, and Perceptor rebuilt Ginrai as Victory Leo Fight!! Victory Leo and subsequently implanted a circuit in Star Saber's head that would allow him and Victory Leo to combine. Awaken! Victory Leo Perceptor was wary of the strain on Star Saber's body when the combination was first used, but when Minerva pressed him for details, he assured her everything would turn out fine. The Tide Is Turned! The Ultimate Weapon, the Victory Unification
Wars manga
Following a devastating attack by Metrotitan, Minerva, with the help of Glit, rebuilt Manta Ray from his Master Class body into a new body, sans Energon Matrix. She filled Manta Ray into what was happening with Metroplex after Metrotitan's attack. Metrowars
Minerva was at G Nebula 89 with Cab when the Second Army came under attack by Darkwings, Black Shadow, and Blue Bacchus, who sought out the transtector factory. Minerva called out to their commander, Goshooter, to help, and he sent the Decepticons fleeing with the power of his partner, Shūta Gō. Afterwards, though, Minerva found herself annoyed at the two's constant attempts to one-up each other. Train Wars: Goshooter & Shūta Gō Chapter
Super-God Masterforce manga
Minerva and her friends were recruited by Metalhawk to fight Devil Z's Decepticons. After a period of intensive training, they were given Master-Braces and Transtectors, becoming Headmaster Juniors. Headmaster Jrs Are Born
Later, the death of Devil Z caused the bond between the humans and their Transtectors to be broken, and Minerva became a normal kid again as her now-living Transtector and those of all the other Autobots headed into space to continue the fight against the Decepticons. The Birth of the Super Lifeforms
Kre-O online manga
When Wheeljack's new invention "Skeletron" gave Optimus Prime a new see-through torso, Minerva blushed at just how embarrassing the look was. Wheeljack's Bizarre Invention! Optimus Power Up!? She apparently treated Red Alert after a roof collapsed on him. Dive Into the Fire! The Rescue Operation of Friendship
Toys
Super-God Masterforce
- Minelba [sic] (Headmaster Junior, 1988)
- Japanese ID number: C-303
- Accessories: Transtector, seat/helmet, left & right "Shock Blasters", "Shock Gun"
- Minerva's Transtector is referred to as an ambulance, but let's be honest - it's a Porsche 959 with an emergency rescue color scheme that wouldn't likely be very useful in transporting patients around. The roof is hinged and can be opened to reveal an interior cockpit that Minerva herself can sit inside of; the prominent hinge itself is rather cleverly disguised as a lightbar, something that Minerva's American mold-partner, Nightbeat, lacks. Her Shock Blasters plug in just above the vehicle's headlights, while her larger Shock Gun can be plugged onto the roof.
- In robot mode, Minerva's cockpit seat becomes a helmet, into which the small Shock Blasters plug as antennae. Like all Headmaster toys, Minerva has a flip-down panel on her chest which covers a spring-loaded mini-Tech-Spec-meter which gives readings for Speed, Strength and Intelligence. The tumblers are activated when Minerva (or any other Headmaster unit) is plugged into the neck socket. Minerva has her robot mode face plainly visible on her back because, as a smaller Headmaster toy, she lacks the flip down panel that covers the face featured on larger Headmasters. As another consequence of being a smaller Headmaster, Minerva's chest cavity was apparently too small for 3 individual tumblers. As a result, all Headmaster heads inserted will display her pre-molded (and painted) Speed, Strength, and Intelligence readings (7, 5, 8) on one large sliding plate.
- As noted above, Minerva shares a mold with the American Headmaster Nightbeat, but it is unclear which character came first in the design process.
- Minerva Night Beat (Headmaster Junior, 1988)
- Accessories: Transtector, seat/helmet, left & right Shock Blasters, Shock Gun
- Essentially just a Japanese release of Hasbro's Nightbeat toy, this version of the Minerva toy was only available by mail order, for the price of 1800 yen and four Robot Points. It is unknown if this version of the toy came in a simple mailer box or in Hasbro packaging.
Merchandise
Super Collection Figure
- Minerva (2001)
- A PVC figurine of Minerva, based on her robot mode character model, was available in the second "act" of Takara's Super Collection Figure line. Like all the figures in the act, it was available as both a standard full-color figure, and as a colorless clear plastic version, one of each in a case of twelve blind-packed PVCs.
Notes
- Upon her release, Minerva was the first female Transformer toy. Many years later, though, her position would be retroactively usurped when Freezon was retconned into being female.
- Although Minerva's Transtector doesn't have room to ferry patients like a real ambulance would (which is what it's referred to being as), it would qualify as a fly-car due to it having a faster response time to emergencies (and saving ambulance resources if the situation is minor).
- Minerva's color scheme was used for the DVD-exclusive "White Version" redeco of Cybertron Thunderblast. It made her look quite like Override.
- Like all non-toy robot Kreons in the Kre-O manga, Minerva is made from existing Kre-O parts. She uses the ever-popular Hound helmet, though it's a little hard to tell just what she has attached to her arms due to the small size of the comic.
Foreign names
- English: Nightbeat (Omni Productions dub)
- Italian: Phantom
- Russian: Vetochka (Веточка, "Tree Branch")
- Spanish: Cher (America)
