User:McBaggins/Sandbox/Bluebolt

This article is about Ultra Magnus's weapon. For Ultra Mammoth's weapon, see Blue Bolts (Timelines).

Blue Bolts is an Autobot weapon from the Robots in Disguise continuity family and sometimes future Maximal from the Generation 1 continuity family.

This gun has more attack names than some Transformers get in their whole lives.

Blue Bolts (aka Bluebolt, Blue-Bolts, and Bluebolts) is Ultra Magnus's personal "universal weapon", featuring a laser cannon, a gatling gun, and two smaller missile-like barrels. Ultra Magnus can use a variety of combat abilities with Blue Bolts's specific weaponry, such as the Arm Laser, the Arm Cannon, or even a combination of the two.

Blue Bolts can also be wielded by Omega Prime—the combined form of Ultra Magnus with his brother, Optimus Prime—who can likewise perform variously-named attacks with the weapon.

Incarnations of Blue Bolts can act as an independent Battle Master with their own robot mode. In at least one far flung future, Bluebolt evolved into a Maximal "Universal Weaponizer". With unfailing faith in the great Maximal and Autobot leaders of yore, the former universal weapon now tries to find hope in the midst of a dying universe.

Fiction

Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity

The events of the Robots in Disguise cartoon occur in Japanese continuity as noted above, except that they take place in the world of the original Generation 1 cartoon where the Transformer cast are time travelers from the Beast Era to Tokyo in the year 2000, and Blue Bolts is named "Bluebolt".

Legends comic

After Devil Gigatron reformed and began working with the Dimensional Patrol, God Magnus and Fire Convoy learned to merge with him as well, going even further beyond God Fire Convoy to create "Devil God Fire Convoy". This three-part being still used Bluebolt as attached weaponry. Epiloge

End of G1 Universe

Blue Bird of Happiness

With the universe drained of most energy and soon coming to an end, Bluebolt, on orders from Vector Sigma, went on a long journey to bring the dead body of Leo Prime to Earth where he could be revived with Unicron's remnant energy in the planet's crust. Dark Amber Leo Prime bio The resurrection ritual was interrupted by Untite, who summoned an undead Seeker to restrain Bluebolt while Untite approached the corpse to eat it. However, the magic circle was already complete and activated, unifying Leo Prime with Unicron's energy to create Dark Amber Leo Prime. Bluebolt believed this black warrior to be Leo Prime resurrected, but the new being mocked this belief, only being convinced to save the Maximal by the Energon Matrix within him. After Untite weakened Dark Amber in battle, Bluebolt offered their body for Dark Amber to consume and gain energy from, only to be rejected. Dark Amber instead elected to eat part of the planet, recovering and taking down the Seeker. Dark Amber Leo Prime (First) Bluebolt watched on as the "hero" also took care of Untite, but corroborated the hyena's revelation that Earth was soon to explode with them on it. After the stubborn Dark Amber used Unicron's power to restore the planet to a verdant, living one, Bluebolt joined him and the rebuilt Untite in travelling throughout the universe to fix other planets. Dark Amber Leo Prime (Second)

Dreamwave Robots in Disguise comic

When Ultra Magnus got involved in an attempted Predacon/Decepticon heist of a nuclear facility, he used Blue Bolts to take down the villains while arguing with Optimus Prime. He would drop his weapon in the subsequent confrontation with Scourge. Ultra Magnus...to the Rescue?

Fun Publications comics

In the Universe War, Omega Prime fought with Blue Bolts on his shoulder. During Unicron's collapse, the Autobot combiner escaped through a portal, Revelations Part 2 ending up in another, unexpected universe to deal with Nemesis Prime and his Dead Matrix. He still carried Blue Bolts on his person. Revelations Part 1

Later events would lead to the resurrection of Unicron. Omega Prime soon joined the civil war taking place within the Mini-Con colonies, with Blue Bolts fully mounted on his back now. Revelations Part 4 It was utilized to great degree in taking down the Decepticon Mini-Cons and the full might of the "Omega Arsenal Blast" was unleashed on Unicron himself. Revelations Part 5

Toys

Robots in Disguise (2001)

This thing doesn't even have a robot mode yet and it's already giving Megatron a run for his money.

• God Magnus (2000) / Ultra Magnus (Super Class, 2001)

• Accessories: Two missiles
• Known designers: Hisashi Yuki (TakaraTomy), Masakatsu Saito (concept artist)

Robots in Disguise Ultra Magnus's weapon (referred to as simply "gun" in the English and Japanese instructions and properly named in both bios) can be configured into three different modes (referred to in Japanese as "Vulcan Mode", "Laser Mode", and "Laser & Vulcan Mode" and aligned to the "Magna/God Vulcan", "Magna/God Laser", and "God/God Fire Burst" attacks) and, when plugged into the proper connectors, generate different sound effects. The Japanese release is slightly different in that it uses different missiles, features darker, metallic-flaked plastics, and, as expected, Japanese voice clips. When Magnus combines with the large Robots in Disguise Optimus Prime toy to create Omega Prime, Blue Bolts can be attached to receiving stalks on his shoulder blades to produce three more configurations with an entire second set of devoted sounds. Lastly in something of a freestyle mode Blue Bolts can be stored atop either pair of four devoted raised posts in Magnus's vehicle mode in all manner of (silent) configurations, any of which are just tall enough to allow a deluxe car to still scooch underneath.

Pressing a red button found on the bottom of his jet boosters plays a sound clip of "Ultra Magnus, Transform!" ("God Magnus! Transform!" in the Japanese release), and more clips can be unlocked with the Blue Bolts weapon. The Japanese Bluebolt sound clips for God Magnus are as follows:

• God Magnus
  • Magna Vulcan: "Bababababa!" (バババババ!)
  • Magna Laser: "Bishūn! Bishūn! Bishūn!" (ビシューン! ビシューン! ビシューン!)
  • God Burst: "'Goood' subabababān!" (「ゴーッド」スババババーン!)

• God Fire Convoy
  • God Vulcan: "Dobabababa!" (ドババババ!)
  • God Laser: "Doshūn! Doshūn!" (ドシューン! ドシューン!)
  • God Fire Burst: "'God Fire' sudodododo!" (「ゴッドファイアー」スドドドド!)

For the English release, the Blue Bolts sound clips are similar but different to the Japanese ones, particularly with the combined weapon sound clip now yelling "Fire!" following by blasting sounds for Ultra Magnus, and yelling "Omega Fire!" with more blasting sounds for Omega Prime.

Sonokong also released God Magnus in Korean markets, outwardly similar to the Takara release but using the Hasbro version's sound effects.

• More information on Blue Bolts at TFU.info

• Black God Magnus (2000)

• Black God Fire Convoy (Giftset, 2000)

• Accessories: Two missiles

This black repaint of Ultra Magnus (and Bluebolt) is hugely rare, to the extent that its very existence is occasionally questioned. Only ten units are known to exist, having been offered in a TV Magazine prize draw that seemed to slip under everyone's radar. The toy recieved a second, equally limited run in a box set with Black Super Fire Convoy.

• More information on black Bluebolt at Transformers at the Moon

• God Fire Convoy Special Clear Version (Giftset, 2000)

• Accessories: Two missiles

The God Fire Convoy Special Clear Version (ゴッドファイヤーコンボイ スペシャルクリアバージョン) set includes a unique clear version of the Ultra Magnus figure not available anywhere else, paired with a clear Super Fire Convoy, who together combine to form Clear God Fire Convoy. The set includes a not-actually-very-clear variant of Bluebolt principally distinguished from its retail counterpart by the flip-up reticle (here recolored from its usual blue to a fluorescent lime green) and the red parts (cast in clear plastic).

The giftset was exclusive to Japanese Toys"R"Us stores. Released in November 2000, it was limited to 3000 pieces; reportedly, only 100 Toys"R"Us locations carried the set, and limited customers to one purchase on the day of release.

• More information on "Clear" Bluebolt at TFU.info

Universe (2003)

• Ultra Magnus (Super Class, 2003)

• Accessories: Two missiles

The Universe Sam's Club-exclusive Ultra Magnus was more-or-less unchanged from its Robots in Disguise counterpart, with the only noticeable difference being that his dark blue parts had become a much darker blue. This extends to Blue Bolts's stocks.

Exciting. On the other hand, it was way cheaper than getting the original.

• More information on Universe Blue Bolts at TFU.info

Cybertron

• Ultra Magnus & Optimus Prime (Multi-pack, 2005)

• Accessories: Two missiles

Cybertron Ultra Magnus is a repackaged version of the Universe version of 2001 Robots in Disguise Ultra Magnus, and was sold in a Costco-exclusive multi-pack with a red redeco of the 2003 Universe Optimus Prime. As such, it includes a Blue Bolts identical to the Universe version.

The Cybertron branding left it rather up in the air whether this box set constituted a new iteration of the characters in the Cybertron franchise's fiction or what until the Facebook edition of Ask Vector Prime settled the issue in 2015 by seizing on the resemblance to the original Robots in Disguise decoes to rule it the appearance of the original brothers (with Blue Bolts akimbo) in their various convention comic adventures.

• More information on Cybertron Blue Bolts at TFU.info

Encore

• God Fire Convoy (Multi-pack, 2018)

• Accessories: Two missiles

In this Encore reissue giftset, Super Fire Convoy and God Magnus have slightly different plastic colors such that Bluebolt is marginally more saturated in a gesture towards show accuracy.

Most of the production run had the Bluebolt's voice samples swapped, so that the line "Magna Laser" plays in "Magna Vulcan" mode and vice versa. This issue, along with a printing error on the box and widespread complaints of overall poor quality control, led to the set being recalled by TakaraTomy.

• More information on Encore Bluebolt at RID Forever

Legacy

You need that BLUUUUUEbolts! For a TRUUUUUE jolt!

• Omega Prime (2025)

• Series: Robots in Disguise 2001 / Legacy
• TakaraTomy name: God Fire Convoy (ゴッドファイヤーコンボイ)
• Accessories: Two missiles
• Known designers: Evan Brooks (Hasbro), Hisashi Yuki (TakaraTomy), Dave White (product photography), Nick and Tony (product renders)

Part of Hasbro Pulse's HasLab Omega Prime package, "Autobot Bluebolts"—"Bluebolt" (ブルーボルト) in TakaraTomy markets—is a roughly Deluxe Class-sized figure transforming into Ultra Magnus's signature weapon. While formally billed as a "Battle Master" in Hasbro markets, the figure breaks apart into six modular components in the style of the long-running Weaponizer/Armorizer gimmick to power up any figure with compatible 5 mm ports. Bluebolts can be wielded in "weapon pack" mode by Ultra Magnus and Omega Prime (the combined form of the included Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus) in all modes just like the original, in addition to the new feature of stowing away in Ultra Magnus's legs and chest when not in use.

Omega Prime was revealed on January 30, 2024, with the crowdfunding campaign beginning soon after. The project reached 50% funding in only 24 hours, beating all three previous Transformers HasLabs. It reached full funding on February 9, 2024, in only ten days—three times quicker than the previous record holder, Deathsaurus. On March 7, a Hasbro Pulse livestream revealed that due to widespread fan demand, Bluebolts would now include the weapon's traditional paired white missiles. The non-firing missiles are essentially continuous lengths of 5mm wide pipe with a 3 mm connection point for Generations standard-issue Fire Blast effects on one end. Additional tabs along their width allow the missiles to stow on Bluebolts's back in robot mode.

• Designer commentary on Legacy Bluebolts from Evan Brooks on Instagram

Notes

The first attempt at a robot mode for Blue Bolts.
Also known as "peak performance."

• TakaraTomy designer Hisashi Yuki pitched personifying Magnus's original weapon at the very first design meeting for HasLab Omega Prime, throwing up a rough sketch of a humanoid mode on a napkin.
• Bluebolt's form in the End of G1 Universe comic is a virtual redeco of Kingdom Maximal Skywarp, which was in turn a head retool of Deluxe Class Airazor.
• End of G1 Universe author Hayato Sakamoto dropped an extensive thread on the comic's development in commemoration of the HasLab Omega Prime campaign's success that included quite a bit of information on Bluebolt's Maximal incarnation:
  • Bluebolt's name, given to Sakamoto by TakaraTomy along with the "blue Kingdom Airazor" directive, was explained to him as a play on Silverbolt, the original mold use of Skywarp's original toy, so as to make an elaborate riff on the old Bluestreak/Silverstreak conundrum. The very earliest concepts for the character would have seen Bluebolt literally be Skywarp in disguise.
  • Noting the seemingly coincidental shared name with God Magnus's signature weapon, Sakamoto pitched an elaborate origin for the character where the idiosyncratic wad of guns and hinges was realigned into a crude robot mode before ultimately being rebuilt into a full-fledged Transformer.
  • This scene was cut, but Sakamoto left himself a backdoor to pick up the plotline in future stories by giving bird Bluebolt the otherwise inexplicable title of "Universal Weaponizer" (万能ウエポナイザー Bannō Weponaizā) in Dark Amber Leo Prime's Masterpiece bio, a play on the Blue Bolts cannon's title of "universal weapon" (万能火器 bannō kaki) in God Magnus's original toy bio.
  • He was gobsmacked to see the weapon re-imagined into an independent robot way ahead of his pack-in deeplore plans in a blockbuster HasLab campaign, as a Weaponizer with noticeable shared design cues, no less, which spurred the thread.
• It bears remarking that Yuki is usually Sakamoto's boss as TakaraTomy's "head of localization" for domestic collector product and both projects would have started cooking around the same time in 2022, leaving open the distinct possibility he played Sakamoto like a damn fiddle through this whole affair.
• Bluebolt's gender is something of a mystery at the time of writing. For now the wiki uses they/them pronouns just so we don't have to write their name every time, but this isn't reflected in Bluebolt's fictional appearances and shouldn't be mistaken for an active attempt at portraying a nonbinary character. To wit:
  • As presented in End of G1 Universe, the character uses the first person pronoun watashi (私) when speaking, which is used by most Japanese speakers regardless of gender. Otherwise, Bluebolt is not referred to with gendered language in the comic. However, the character strikes several pigeon-toed and stereotypically "feminine" poses over the course of the comic, which given author Sakamoto's tendency for fanservice has lead to some readers to assume the character is a woman. Sakamoto for his part has kept quiet on the subject when asked.
  • On the Hasbro side of things, HasLab designer Evan Brooks and marketer Ben MacCrae have defaulted to he/him pronouns when referring to the Battle Master figure in various presentations for the Omega Prime set, pretty explicitly for lack of a known characterization.
  • All that said, the weapon used by Ultra Magnus in the original cartoon and its associated media is not referred to as any gender in either Robots in Disguise or Car Robots, being a non-sapient firearm. Knowing Ultra Magnus and his penchant for bullying, this may be for the best.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Bluebolt (ブルーボルト Burūboruto)

Gallery

• 
  End of G1 Universe
  robot mode
• 
  End of G1 Universe
  beast mode
• 
  End of G1 Universe
  weapon mode (unused)