Ultra Magnus (G1)
| The name or term "Ultra Magnus" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Ultra Magnus (disambiguation). |
- Ultra Magnus is an Autobot in the Generation 1 continuity family.
Ultra Magnus feels he is a soldier and nothing more. He very much prefers taking orders to giving them, and even avoids opportunities for higher responsibility. But when he is forced into those opportunities, he betrays his real talent for the job. He's strong, resolute, dependable, selfless, and courageous. Sadly, Ultra Magnus is the only Autobot who doesn't realize this.
Believing he is nothing but a soldier, Ultra Magnus is perfectly willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good if need be. He knows he's more powerful than the average Autobot, and will throw himself at larger threats accordingly. There is a special enmity between he and Galvatron for this reason, for Galvatron may be the most deadly foe of all.
He is possibly Optimus Prime's brother.
Italian name: Convoy
Fiction
Animated continuity
Voice actors: Robert Stack → Jack Angel (US); Show Hayami (Japan)
By 2005, Ultra Magnus was the full-fledged City Commander for Autobot City. Autobot City was under his authority when Megatron and the Decepticons waged their full-scale attack. Ultra Magnus ordered Springer and Arcee to transform it to battle-mode, but it only held the Decepticons off for so long. In the fight, Optimus Prime was mortally wounded and passed the Matrix of Leadership on to Ultra Magnus, making Magnus the new Supreme Commander of the Autobots.
Autobot City was quickly attacked a second time by Galvatron, the upgraded version of Megatron. Ultra Magnus lured him away on his shuttle, but was eventually shot-down onto the Planet of Junk. Galvatron tracked him there and Ultra Magnus managed to draw him away from the other Autobots to face the enemy alone. Magnus attempted to open the Matrix, but the Matrix would not open, and Ultra Magnus was blown to pieces. Galvatron took the Matrix, intending to use it to destroy Unicron.
After the Autobots befriended the Junkions, they used their expertise to rebuild Ultra Magnus. Magnus joined the other Autobots in the battle with Unicron on Cybertron and helped drive the last of the Decepticons from their home planet.
In 2006 (or 2010, if you're Japanese), Magnus ceased his role as a City Commander and became head-adviser to Rodimus Prime, the new Supreme Commander of the Autobots and chosen one of the Matrix. At various times he was sucked into a black hole, turned into a synthetic human and had a birthday party.
When the Hate Plague possessed all of Earth and Cybertron, Ultra Magnus singled Rodimus Prime out of all the other Autobots and focused all his rage on him, vowing to track him wherever he went. Ultra Magnus was eventually cured of the Hate Plague when Optimus Prime came back from the dead (again).
Some time later, Ultra Magnus helped defend Autobot City from a massive Decepticon assault, which was actually a diversion for the theft of the key to the Plasma Energy Chamber. Subsequent to the battle and discovery of the theft, Magnus accompanied Optimus Prime on a shuttle to Cybertron. After Prime got the answers he needed from Vector Sigma, he decided to go to Nebulos and left Ultra Magnus in charge of Cybertron.
Ultra Magnus' tenure didn't go very well, as the selfsame massive Decepticon assault force was attacking the planet. Nonetheless, he and the Protectobots struck at Galvatron, and may well have done him in if Scorponok's reinforcements hadn't arrived. Magnus then ignominiously had his power pack torn out and slowly began to die from lack of energon. Still, he was able to relay Galvatron's crazed scheme to Optimus Prime and the Autobot Headmasters before blacking out.
When Ultra Magnus next awoke, the Golden Age of Cybertron had come anew, and the Decepticons were seemingly defeated once and for all.
Japanese animated continuity
Scramble City OVA
Voice actor: Banjō Ginga (Japan)
(Note: Scramble City takes place before the events of Transformers the Movie.)
Ultra Magnus first came to Earth around the year 1986 to head-up the Scramble City (AKA Autobot City) project. Under his supervision, Metroplex was built. Unfortunately, Metroplex was discovered by the spy Ratbat under Ultra Magnus' watch, who leaked the location back to Megatron.
The Headmasters
Voice actor: Yoshitada Ōtsuka (Japan)
Ultra Magnus continued his work as Commander of Autobot City on Earth and was instrumental in several victories over the Decepticons. Because of this, Sixshot singled him out for assasination. Ultra Magnus and Sixshot engaged in a one-on-one duel outside Autobot City, and Ultra Magnus was completely wrecked by Sixshot's six transformations. He was finally done in by Sixshot's mysterious 7th transformation, "Wingwolf". After his death, Ultra Magnus was placed in a coffin and buried on Earth, the planet he loved so dearly.
Japanese manga
Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformer
(The "Fight! Super Robot Life Transformer" manga takes place before the events of Transformers the Movie and around the events of Scramble City)
Ultra Magnus first appeared to deliver Optimus Prime his trailer, containing a special cannon upgrade, the "Scramble Power Buster". They engage the Decepticons in battle and Ultra Magnus and Optimus Prime team-up to defeat the villains with their "Convoy Magnus Double Cross Kick".
Ultra Magnus also came up with the idea for the global underground transportation system, the Autobot Road.
(The manga specifically notes that Optimus Prime looks upon Ultra Magnus as his "Kid Brother". Although the manga is a suppliment to the TV series, this family-dynamic between the two characters was never used in the cartoon.)
The Transformer
Transformer: Big War
Kiss Players continuity
When Rodimus Prime's defeat of Galvatron in 2005 led to the catastrophic destruction of Tokyo, the new Autobot leader was consumed by guilt. He passed on the Matrix to Ultra Magnus in order to revert to Hot Rod and return to Earth.
Ladybird books continuity
Ultra Magnus came from Cybertron to take over leadership of the Autobots after Optimus Prime disappeared.
Marvel Comics UK continuity
Ultra Magnus was created just prior to the 'present,' and Operation Volcano was his first mission.
Blackthorne Transformers In 3-D continuity
PD Type mini-comics
At one point, the Blackball was left in the safekeeping of Ultra Magnus. Galvatron, catching Magnus by surprise, managed to blow him up with a powerful energy blast from his fusion cannon. Recovering the Blackball, Galvatron began to gloat about his victory. That's when Magnus' body hurled his head at Galvatron like a bowling ball, causing the Emperor of Destruction to fall over like a set of pins and drop the Blackball. That's using your head, Magnus! *sigh*
Dreamwave comics continuity
IDW comics continuity
 Spoiler warning: Plot details follow. of the next episode/issue in the series or 30 days after release, whichever is sooner |
Ultra Magnus hunts down any Transformers, Autobots or Decepticons alike, that are guilty of crimes. He pursued Swindle to the planet Zull for selling advanced weaponry to unscrupulous customers. He then reluctantly lets Swindle go free in exchange for information regarding the location of Scorponok, who is conspiring with a corrupt organisation on the planet Nebulos.
Notes
- It has been speculated by some fans that, in animated continuity, Ultra Magnus may have been created from Orion Pax's friend Dion, the same way and at the same time Prime and Elita One were rebuilt by Alpha Trion.
- For further elaboration, see Who is Dion?.
Toys
Generation 1
- Ultra Magnus (1986, 2000, 2002)
- Japanese ID number: C-69
- Ultra Magnus is a redeco of the Diaclone Powered Convoy toy, which itself was a redecoed Battle Convoy (pre-TF Optimus Prime) with a new trailer that combined with the cab robot to form a super robot. Whereas the original Japanese use was an upgrade to Convoy, Hasbro released him as a separate character and both the comic and the cartoon ignored the cab robot in favor of the super robot.
- Ultra Magnus transforms into a white Freightliner COE with a blue and red car-carrier trailer. He comes with a rifle that has two pegs that will fit into either the fist of the cab robot or fist of the super robot, and he also comes with two missile launchers that can plug into either the front of the trailer or the shoulders of the super robot. Additional accessories include the cab robot's fists, the super robot's fists, the super robot head, the super robot chestplate, and two crotchplates/trailer hitches.
- The original American toy was released in at least two versions -- one with rubber tires and paint on both heads, and a second with plastic tires and no paint on either head.
- Ultra Magnus was first reissued in Japan in 2000 with little to no changes. Two years later, Ultra Magnus was reissued as a Toys "R" Us exlusive in the United States in the first wave of the Commemorative Series; the American reissue's missiles were elongated to pass modern safety laws. Both reissues had rubber tires and the facial paint.
Generation 2
- Laser Ultra Magnus (e-Hobby, 2006)
- Laser Magnus was packaged in the reissue Laser Optimus Prime's box, along with Prime's instructions, bio card and sticker sheet. Yes, the stickers that have "Optimus Prime" written on them.
Masterpiece
- Ultra Magnus
- Japanese ID number: MP-02
Classics
- Ultra Magnus vs Skywarp: Battle For Autobot City (Multi-pack, 2007)
- A redeco of the Voyager class Optimus Prime, this release is part of the Target exclusive Battle for Autobot City set with Skywarp. The final production toy has several major paint paint application differences compared to the toy depicted on the packaging, including the loss of all light blue paint (including his faceplate and crest, both replaced with silver, darker blue on his thighs. Additionally, it seems the smokestacks/double-barreled gun was originally going to be cast or painted white instead of the final's black.
- Like Optimus Prime, the toy's gimmicks are in his weapons - his smokestacks fold together to become a double-barreled gun, and his aero fairing splits and unfolds to become a large shotgun-like blaster. The two weapons also combine into a double-barreled shoulder cannon.
Titanium Series
- Ultra Magnus (6-inch Cybertron Heroes, 2007)
- Titanium Cybertron Heroes Ultra Magnus is an all-new sculpt constructed mostly of die-cast metal. For the first time, Ultra Magnus's cab and trailer are one piece, rather than a partsformer like the Generation 1 toy version. He transforms very similarly to the original toy, but the aformentioned truck cab now folds down into his back rather than detaching and reconnecting, with his head fliping out of the back of the cab.
- Ultra Magnus is armed with a white laser rifle and two shoulder-mounted non-firing rocket launchers. Unfortunately due to the robot mode-oriented design of this figure, as well as size limitations, the rear ramp is now part of his legs as detail and cannot fold down, nor is there access for vehicles to be transported, in any case.
- Ultra Magnus (6-inch Cybertron Heroes, 2007)
- A redeco of the 6-inch War Within Optimus Prime. In white!
Merchandise
Heroes of Cybertron
- Ultra Magnus (PVC figurine, 2002)
Hard Hero
- Ultra Magnus (bust, 2004)
- The cold-cast porcelain bust of Ultra Magnus was 13th in Hard Hero's series of Transformers busts. It was designed from line art by Dan Khanna.
External links
- Ultra Magnus at TFU.info
- Ultra Magnus' Universe profile at NTFA.net
- Laser Ultra Magnus' profile page at e-Hobby.co.jp
