Charger
| The name or term "Charger" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Charger (disambiguation). |
- Charger is a Decepticon Action Master from the Generation 1 continuity family.
Charger's function of "Flamethrower" suits him well. He loves the smell of burning Autobot in the morning. He's hot-tempered, with a hair-trigger. Even when not enraged, this Action Master is introverted and unsociable. He enjoys melting his enemies into pools of molten metal, but won't even take part in a mission unless there's something in it for him. He spends his spare time studying how to harness the energy emitted from a burning meteor. His Action Master partner is Fire Beast.
Fiction
TransTech
Charger and Fire Beast somehow appeared at the interdimensional hub known as the Axiom Nexus and were waiting to be "processed". Transcendent: Part 1
2005 IDW continuity
At some point during the war, Charger served at the Decepticon prison camp, Grindcore. Speak, Memory: Part 1 Charger later served under the command of Turmoil when their second-in-command Deadlock abandoned his post. Drift #1
Wings Universe
Charger was a mathematician and flamethrower trooper allied with Gutcruncher during the days when Decepticon Warlords still struggled for power in the Cybertronian Civil Wars. Under normal circumstances, Charger was an even-toned and level-headed researcher for the Decepticon cause. His astrological research uncovered evidence of a meteor proceeding through nearby space, a meteor which contained an unprecedented output of energy. The Decepticons prepped a survey expedition, hiring an off-the-books crew and their ship, the Darklon. During the flight, however, Gutcruncher's minion Take-Off detected faint traces of Autobot energy signatures in the cargo bay. Charger coordinated a search of the bay with Take-Off and Roadgrabber. His Autobot detector became moot when "Captain Bad Boy" revealed himself as Powerflash, leader of the Autobot Stealth Team.
Fleeing from the hidden Elite Guard agents that emerged from the cargo bay, Charger and his compatriots tried to regroup. Unfortunately for Roadgrabber, his constant aimless gunfire pushed Charger to his breaking point. The Decepticon mathematician's calm veneer broke, revealing an unholy fury that lurked beneath the surface. The "firebeast madness" consumed Charger's spark, turning his rage against his fellow Decepticons. He incapacitated them both before hurling himself at the pursuing Autobots. Charger's vicious, uncoordinated attack left him wide open for Rumbler to strike first, however, decking the momentary lunatic.
Charger and the other Decepticons were soon locked up in a detention cell on board the Darklon, with stasis cuffs reducing them to adle-minded and ultra-pacific states. Charger's inner madness proved beneficial for him, as it rendered him immune to the effects of the cuffs. He was able to free himself, Gutcruncher and the others from the cell. They turned the tables on the Autobots and reacquired their equipment as the Darklon landed on the asteroid.
Returning to their expedition, Charger and Gutcruncher used the Autobots as pack mules to bring the necessary equipment out to the site of Charger's energy readings. They uncovered a crystalline monolith embedded in the rock, which began emitting rays of amber energy as Gutcruncher touched it. These rays somehow changed Charger and the others, robbing them of their vehicle modes, but giving each superhuman strength. The Autobots took advantage of the confusion, overwhelming Charger and the other rogues and taking them all into custody. They were returned to Cybertron and locked up in an Elite Guard detention facility. A Team Effort
2019 IDW continuity
Charger was crew for the Iron Hope and suffered in their fatal incident that left most on board unable to transform. He and his partner Fire Beast hired themselves out as deniable mercenaries to the likes of Swindle. They worked with Bumblebee to rescue Elita-1 from Decepticon custody. They ran across Barricade, a guard Bumblebee held a grudge against. Charger encouraged him to finish their enmity permanently, but Bumblebee ultimately refused to kill Barricade. Instead, Charger burned Barricade's gun hand to ensure their escape. Swindle's II
Toys
The Transformers
- Charger with Fire Beast (Action Master Figure, 1991)
- Accessories: "Titanium Shredder Blaster", Fire Beast partner, Fire Beast's flamethrower turret
- Charger was one of the European-exclusive Action Masters released there after the Generation 1 Transformers line was cancelled in the U.S. His partner Fire Beast forms a backpack/battle helmet for Charger.
Notes
- Charger's function, motto, Tech Specs, and personality description are all cribbed from the Dinobot Slag. Whether they're meant to be the same character, have any connection, or if the UK copy writers just got lazy, is unknown. The bit about the meteor is possibly a reference to the cartoon episode "War of the Dinobots".
Foreign names
- Japanese: Charger (チャージャー Chājā)
- Italian: Lampo
