Sideswipe (IDW)
| The name or term "Sideswipe" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Sideswipe (disambiguation). |
- Sideswipe is a Transformer from the 2005 IDW portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.
A young, cheerful, and impulsive robot, just like his namesake, Sideswipe has little idea of the important role in the history of his species that he plays: he and his fellow young Transformers are the first generation of Transformers born after the Great War, a momentous occasion and—perhaps—the next step on the evolutionary journey of the Cybertronian race.
Fiction
2005 IDW continuity
- First appearance: Optimus Prime #14
The young robot who would come to be known as "Sideswipe" was part of the first generation of sparks to emerge from Cybertron's hot spots in more than four million years, and the first generation of post-war Cybertronians to be born, some three years after the conclusion of the Great War. Emerging from Alyon's newly ignited hot spot, Redemption the sparks were absorbed by the Titan Trypticon to grow properly, eventually maturing into healthy protoforms by drawing upon Trypticon's own body to form their sentio metallico. Salvation
After several months of development, the protoforms, including "Sideswipe," had begun to cool and develop rudimentary robotic bodies. The Dead Come Home, Part 2 Starscream became aware of this next generation, hidden in the Cybertronian wilderness and manipulated events so that Optimus Prime and an unlikely group of allies to find and them, so that he could claim the protoforms for his own. The Dead Come Home, Part 1
When Arcee trailed Sludge into Cybertron's depths, "Sideswipe" jumped the former from behind, and Arcee's initial willingness to kill the little Transformer caused Trypticon to awaken so as to protect his charges. Once the situation had calmed down, Arcee introduced her new friend to Optimus Prime and affectionately named him "Sideswipe" after her recently departed friend. To ensure that Starscream wouldn't be able to manipulate the future of their species, Prime announced that Trypticon would become Earth's new embassy on Cybertron: as a result, Trypticon and all the protoforms he carried within him were now under human sovereignty. The Dead Come Home, Part 2
By the time that Thundercracker visited Trypticon, Sideswipe and the other protoforms had grown to their adult dimensions and happily played with Buster while her owner chatted with Marissa Faireborn. Starscream: The Movie Arcee would later tell Aileron about the protoforms, mulling that his name was not reflective of the desire to step away from future fighting. Surfeit of Primes
During the Maximal invasion of Cybertron, Trypticon realized that he could not allow his charges to be jeopardized and used his spacebridge to warp to Earth, taking Sideswipe and the others with him The Hallowing and arriving near Mount Rushmore. Ultimately, this catastrophe was merely a precursor to something far worse, and when Unicron devoured Cybertron, Sideswipe stood by Soundwave as the survivors regrouped on Earth, watching as Thundercracker arrived to speak with Marissa Faireborn. Assembly
As Trypticon prepared to join the fight alongside Metroplex, Sideswipe helped unload and secure the Titan's cargo of as-yet-unborn sparks. Ceremony Though Trypticon perished in the battle for Earth, the Sparks survived; some time later, following Optimus Prime's death and funeral, Sideswipe and several other members of the new generation joined Arcee in Little Cybertron as she told the tale of the Autobot leader's final moments. Post
Toys
War for Cybertron: Siege
- Autobot Alphastrike Counterforce (multi-pack, 2019)
- ID number: WFC-S26
- Accessories: "W-10 Photo-Pulser Proton Launcher," "W-5 Gyro Blaster" (combines to form the "RR Gyrofuse Axleswitch Hyper-Blaster")
- "Covert Clone Sideswipe" is a redeco of Siege Deluxe Class Sideswipe in the colours of his Generation 2 iteration and transforms from robot to Cybertronian car and back. Unlike most modern releases of the redeco, he retains the Generation 1 symbol (accurate to the original Generation 2 toy). Sideswipe is included in the "Autobot Alphastrike Counterforce" with Slamdance and the Battle Master Trenchfoot.
- Similarly to the base figure, G2 Sideswipe features the battle damage, weapons, and hard points for "Fire Blasts". The set was an Amazon exclusive in North America, which also labels the set as "Final Strike Figure Series: Part 1."
- Though his name suggests that "Covert Clone Sideswipe" is a separate character from Generation 1 Sideswipe, his actual identity is ambiguous; though his identification as a clone is closer to the Wings Universe Sideswipe clone, in appearance he's much closer to IDW Sideswipe, with any further differentiation being personal canon.
