Slingshot (G1)
- Slingshot is an Autobot Aerialbot from the Generation 1 continuity family. He is sometimes called Airazor.
Slingshot is a loud-mouthed, bragging jerk. Many believe that his annoying, self-aggrandizing, and abrasive personality is a cover for his insecurities over being the smallest and weakest Aerialbot. Just as many couldn't care less and just wish he would shut up, and/or go away.
He can combine with his fellow Aerialbots to form Superion.
- French-Canadian name: La Fronde
- Japanese name: Sling
Fiction
Cartoon continuity
Generation 1 cartoon
- Voice actor: Rob Paulsen (English); Hirotaka Suzuoki (Japanese)
Slingshot was created from an old carrier drone along with the rest of the Aerialbots by the Autobots as Optimus Prime's answer to the newly created Stunticons. However, Slingshot quickly made it clear that he didn't care for Earth, the humans, or the other Autobots, and he certainly had no respect for his new commander, Silverbolt, whose fear of heights caused him to abandon Slingshot when Motormaster attacked him. Ironhide threatened to install some humility programming into Slingshot via his fists on more than one occasion. However, Silverbolt was able to convince Slingshot and the other Aerialbots of the noble natures of the Autobots and humans. Slingshot even saved Silverbolt after the latter destroyed the Key to Vector Sigma. The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2
Slingshot was once a major fanboy of the Decepticon jets, and believed Megatron would be a real swell guy to have as a friend. He changed his mind while in Cybertron's past, after seeing Megatron casually destroy the young Orion Pax. After that, he declared that Megatron will never be able to run from the Aerialbots, and they won't stop hounding him until he is finished. Man, he is such a bandwagon jumper. War Dawn
Soon afterward, the Aerialbots helped spray Corrostop on the Statue of Liberty. When Perceptor was kidnapped by the Stunticons and Blitzwing, Slingshot led the pursuit, only for Air Raid and Fireflight to be zapped by Megatron's Lightning Bug. Later, when the Decepticons tried to destroy Lady Liberty to prevent the Autobots from mass-producing Corrostop, Superion soundly defeated Menasor and destroyed the Lightning Bug. Cosmic Rust
While in the Middle East to help the local governments discover why military jets have been disappearing from hangers, the Aerialbots were lured into a trap by the Combaticons and Slingshot was buried alive in a cave by Blast Off. With his weapons console destroyed, Slingshot volunteered to act as a regular jet plane at an air force hanger in the hops of uncovering the plane-nappers. He and Skydive got more than they bargained for when they were dismantled by the Decepticon-backed criminals and smuggled across the border. Fortunately, they befriended a young boy named Hassan who identified Ali, the ringleader of the plane thieves who is helping the Decepticons rebuild the stolen planes into drone planes and has deposed the young ruler of the country, Prince Jumal. Hassan managed to recover all the parts removed from the two Aerialbots except for Slingshot's chest panel, but luckily Hassan borrowed the grill of Prince Jumal's Rolls Royce. During the subsequent battle between the Aerialbots and the Decepticons, their drone fighter jets and the Giant Purple Griffin, Hassan snuck on board the Griffin to try and steal a weapons console for Slingshot, but was trapped when the Decepticon fortress took off. Weaponless, Slingshot bravely attacked Onslaught and came to Hassan's rescue. With his weapons restored, came to his friends' aid by causing Bruticus to trip with his tow cable. Superion defeated the Griffin and the Aerialbots blew Megatron, Bruticus and oil prices away by destroying the oil fields beneath them. Afterwards, Hassan revealed himself as Prince Jumal and assured his friend Slingshot that he would always consider the young Aerialbot a Rolls Royce. Aerial Assault
After the death of Megatron and the retaking of Cybertron, Slingshot and the Aerialbots became part of the Autobot Fleet. When Ultra Magnus, Kup and Spike were kidnapped to Quintessa, the rescue party alerted the Aerialbots to swoop by for covering fire and pick-up. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2 When the Quintessons destroyed their own planet to get at the Autobots, the resulting blast wave destroyed the Aerialbots' ship, sending Slingshot and the rest hurtling through space. Although they clearly survived, Skydive, Fireflight and Slingshot were not seen after the explosion. They eventually impacted on Goo #8739B, and were rescued by Wreck-Gar and the Junkions. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3 In the Decepticon attack on Cybertron that followed, Slingshot was seen fighting alongside Perceptor. He used his sharpshooting skills to send Cyclonus and the Sweeps into a tailspin. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5
Before long, history repeated itself (literally) as Slingshot and the Aerialbots had another time travel adventure involving Alpha Trion, only this time it involved the ancient Autobot himself traveling into the present from the past, back from when he was merely A3. The Quintessons were experimenting with Time Window technology when Perceptor and a group of Autobots came across their work. Summoned for reinforcements, Rodimus Prime arrived with Superion and the other Autobots to drive the Quintessons off the asteroid. As the time window was left open, a robot named A3 materialized on the asteroid. It wasn't until after the Quintessons convinced the Autobots that the window needed to be closed for the sake of the universe, and A3 returned to his own time, that Slingshot and the Aerialbots realized they had once again been in the presence of "the father of the Autobots". Forever Is a Long Time Coming
Once, Air Raid led the Decepticon duo of Scourge and Cyclonus into an asteroid field where Slingshot and his fellow Aerialbots were waiting to spring an ambush. The Aerialbots messed the Decepticons up pretty badly, especially after they transformed into Superion. Eventually, Slingshot and the others chased the Decepticons through a strange warp in space. This proceeded to have no consequences for anyone whatsoever. Fight or Flee
Slingshot and the Aerialbots were spending a relaxing day watching home movies on Teletraan II when things suddenly get serious, as the Autobots' computer off-handedly informed them Trypticon was never destroyed in his last battle with Metroplex. When they tracked Trypticon to his new staging grounds, Slingshot and the Aerialbots launched from Broadside, but the Decepticon presence in Carbombya was more than they had anticipated. The Aerialbots made a hasty retreat when confronted with overwhelming firepower, but soon returned with reinforcements and drove the Decepticons from Carbombya. Thief in the Night
During a battle in space, Slingshot and the Aerialbots may or may not have been present. Superion, at least, was surely there on the planet Eurythma... sometimes. Carnage in C-Minor
After Sky Lynx took some hostile fire over the planet of Junk, Rodimus Prime dispatched Slingshot and the Aerialbots to investigate. They were caught in a crossfire between the brain-addled Junkions and the Quintessons, who were responsible for messing with the Junkions' air waves, and their minds. Even after becoming Superion, the Aerialbots took heavy fire and had to be brought back to First Aid on Cybertron for repairs. The Big Broadcast of 2006 Later, Slingshot and the Aerialbots were working with Rodimus Prime and Ultra Magnus in Europe to fend off the latest wave of Decepticon attacks. When Trypticon arrived, they played the bi-planes to his King Kong. The Ultimate Weapon
Alongside Blades and Wheelie, Slingshot was one of the first Transformers whose energy was consumed by Tornedron. Call of the Primitives
During the Decepticon invasion of Japan, the Aerialbots fought against Astrotrain when he tried to derail a bullet train full of passengers. The Burden Hardest to Bear Sometime thereafter, Slingshot and the Aerialbots were recruited by Rodimus Prime to rescue the body of Optimus Prime from Swofford and Morgan. Unfortunately, this only meant they were among the first Autobots exposed to the hate plague. Despite the madness induced by the red dust, the Aerialbots were apparently still willing to form Superion. Superion ran amok, causing serious property damage, infecting Defensor, and taking several other Autobots out of action. The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1
When the Decepticons invaded Cybertron searching for the Plasma Energy Chamber, the Aerialbots tried to stop them. Unfortunately, they didn't reckon with Sixshot. Slingshot was caught off-guard when the Six Changer jumped modes from winged wolf to armored carrier, and was shot down. The Rebirth, Part 1 The Combaticons then took his power pack to use as fuel for the giant rocket engine they were constructing for Galvatron. The Rebirth, Part 3
Fight! Super Robot Life Form Transformers comic
As part of Superion, Slingshot helped drive Menasor and Bruticus away from a baseball field. Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 5 Slingshot was later ordered to stay at base while the other Aerialbots went on a mission to save some kidnapped Autobots, as Optimus Prime believed he might damage the flora and/or fauna of the area. His place on Superion was instead taken by First Aid, and Slingshot had to spend the rest of his day moping about it. Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 6
Scramble City
The Great Transformer War comic
When the Aerialbots attempted to rescue Doctor Dalton from the Decepticons at Trypticon, they were repulsed by the awesome launching power of the Stunticons and Combaticons. Slingshot and his comrades were repaired in the field by Hot Spot of the Protectobots, and then Silverbolt used his own launching power to deploy the Aerialbots in a high-speed flurry around Bruticus and Menasor, confusing the giant Decepticons long enough for the Autobots to escape with Dalton. The Great Transformer War issue 1
The Headmasters cartoon
- Voice actor: Masato Hirano (Japanese)
Four Warriors Come out of the Sky The Mystery of Planet Master The Great Cassette Operation Approach of the Demon Meteorite Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1 Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2 Head On!! Fortress Maximus Return of the Immortal Emperor The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)
Marvel Comics continuity
Generation 1
Thanks to his previous connection to the Creation Matrix, Buster Witwicky began experiencing dreams and visions of new Transformers, beginning with an etching of Superion he made without even being consciously aware of it. Devastation Derby! By sharing his visions with Optimus Prime, Buster was able to clarify the images and understand the future of the evolution of the Cybertronian race—amalgam model robots like the Constructicons' Devastator, capable of a more-streamlined merging into a more powerful form. It was these visions which allowed Optimus Prime and Wheeljack to conceive of and construct the Aerialbots. Second Generation!
Working on a plan to reverse engineer the gestalt technology the Decepticons used to create Devastator, Optimus Prime and the Autobots staged a daring raid on the Decepticon base of operations, giving Bumblebee enough time to digitally record the Constructicons' electrical transformation pattern for study. Command Performances! Working off that blueprint, Wheeljack successfully created Slingshot and the Aerialbots. During the new warriors' testing phase, however, the Autobots were alerted to a Decepticon operation at Hoover Dam. Only the Aerialbots were fast enough to reach the location in time, and so Prime was forced to send them into battle before their programming was completed.
As the Aerialbots arrived and engaged the Decepticons in aerial combat, Slingshot was blindsided by Ramjet, who literally rammed him out of the skies. He recovered, but only to take another shot from Shrapnel's electro-blasts, and had to be rescued from a nosedive by Silverbolt.
The Aerialbots eventually turned the tide on the Decepticons and drove them off, giving them time to focus on the energy siphon which was the core of the problem. At Silverbolt's command, they merged into Superion and began dismantling the drill device. A problem arose, however, when Bombshell's cerebro-shell controlled pawn Ricky Vasquez pointed Megatron (in his gun mode) at the giant Autobot. Because the majority of the Aerialbots were not programmed specifically to protect human life, Superion only saw a potential threat that needed to be eliminated. As the human fought against the Decepticons' control, Silverbolt too fought inside Superion's gestalt mind to protect the human. In the end, Silverbolt was forced to disengage Superion to keep him from destroying the human. Luckily, Ricky was more successful and managed to break the cerebro-shell's hold long enough to point Megatron at the drill and destroy it, ending the threat. Aerialbots over America!
After the near disaster at Hoover Dam, Optimus Prime had the Aerialbots shut down and their programming completely erased. Returned to a blank slate, he then inputted fully-programmed personalities for them with the Matrix before their next mission. It, uh... didn't help. In battle with Menasor as Superion, the Aerialbots were attacked by Circuit Breaker, deactivated, and captured by RAAT. It was only a lucky break that they were eventually freed. Heavy Traffic!
As Grimlock took over the Autobots, Slingshot and the other Aerialbots took an extended leave of absence from the war, since the Dinobot commander focused Autobot resources on repairing their fallen comrades and prepping the Ark to become spaceworthy again.
Sometime later, the combined Autobot and Decepticon forces went into battle with Starscream, who had acquired the nigh-infinite power of the Underbase for himself. The Aerialbots were his first victims, wiped out in a single blast of cosmic power in the skies over New York City. Dark Star
Along with the other deactivated Autobots aboard the Ark, Slingshot and the Aerialbots were eventually revived by the Nucleon super-energy Grimlock and the Dinobots recovered from Hydrus Four.
Earthforce
Slingshot was present with the entire Earthforce team outside Autobot Earthbase when Wheeljack unveiled his brand-new unbreachable defensive system. This was unfortunate, as Wheeljack had forgotten that, once activated, the system could only be turned off from the inside. Prowl elected to run the gauntlet and reach the shutdown console inside, and the Aerialbots provided air support for him. Slingshot and his buddies gunned down the Acid Bats at the entryway, giving Prowl his chance to get through. The House that Wheeljack Built!
Marvel UK future timelines
In 2008, Slingshot was one of several Autobots deactivated by the Quintessons when they invaded Autobot City. Space Pirates!
Generation 2
After the defeat of Bludgeon and his Decepticons on Klo, the Autobots split into smaller combat units throughout the universe. Once Optimus Prime and Grimlock learned of the threat posed by the second generation Cybertronian army, though, the Autobot forces reconsolidated under their command. Slingshot and the other Aerialbots were first seen after the Autobots had retreated to an asteroid sanctuary for retraining. They were, um, outsmarted by Hot Rod. The Power and the Glory He was later seen fighting the Cybertronians with his fellow Aerialbots on Ethos. Escalation! In the final battle with the Swarm on Earth, Slingshot was heavily damaged and then consumed by the entity alongside Slag. A Rage in Heaven!
Young Corgi continuity
When human scientists discovered a mysterious city beneath the ice of the North Pole, they placed a call to Autobot City in order to get the Transformers' perspective on the discovery. Slingshot, Skydive and Hot Rod were dispatched with the research team to investigate. On their way, the humans' research plane was shot down by a powerful laser, and the Aerialbots were unable to locate the craft in the terrible blizzard. They instead made their way to the on-site research team, only to happily discover that Hot Rod and their human friends had been saved by the city-dwellers themselves. While The Watcher, leader of the city-dwellers, showed the humans and Autobots around their hidden home, monitor screens alerted the group that the Combaticons had arrived, and were investigating the crash site. The Aerialbots concluded that Blast Off's orbital firepower was responsible for the crash, and flew out to engage the Decepticons in battle. Eventually, however, Autobot and Decepticon alike learned that the city-dweller were the real threat, and joined forces to vanquish the strange but malevolent beings. Slingshot rather reluctantly complied with the truce and allowed Ravage and the Combaticons to leave without incident once the fighting was over. Battle Beneath the Ice
Dreamwave comics continuity
At some point in Cybertronian history, roughly around the time of the Dark Ages, Slingshot and his Aerialbot comrades became a combiner sub-group, able to merge to form Superion. After Superion and his fellow super-robots began causing too much sheer devastation during the war, however, the Crisis Intervention Accords were signed by the various factions, prohibiting the use of super-robots. Combiner sub-group members could either join different factions separately (like Motormaster) or remain together as a neutral, unaligned group (like the Protectobots). What Slingshot and the Aerialbots chose to do is unknown. The War Within: The Dark Ages
In some unexplained way, the Aerialbots eventually made their way to modern 20th century Earth, becoming some of the few Transformers fighting on that planet who hadn't arrived via either the Ark or the Nemesis. Slingshot and his comrades fought alongside Optimus Prime and his crew until Operation: Liberation eliminated the Decepticon threat in 1999. Tragically, they and the rest of the Autobots were believed destroyed following the explosion of the Ark II. In 2002, Superion's inactive body was revived in the Arctic Circle by Optimus Prime, using the power of the Matrix. He flew the Autobots to Lazarus's frozen base in an attempt to free their Autobot comrades, but Megatron had freed himself first. As the Decepticons attacked San Francisco, Superion flew Optimus, Sunstreaker, Sideswipe and Trailbreaker to the battle. Superion's own fight with Devastator and the Seekers was too much for him, and he split back into Slingshot and the individual Aerialbots, who then fought Starscream and his men hand-to-hand. The Aerialbots eventually recombined, sending Superion out over the ocean to stop a nuclear warhead from striking the city. He/they were successful, but were taken off-line in the process. Prime Directive
Superion's head, and presumably the rest of the Aerialbots' remains, were being held for study by Earth Defense Command. Generation One issue 0
Toys
Generation 1
- Slingshot (Aerialbot, 1986/1992)
- Team ID number: A4
- Japanese ID number: C-53
- Accessories: "Neutron rifle"
- Slingshot transforms into a white Sea Harrier jumpjet with VTOL capabilities. While the other three Aerialbot limbs follow a standard design with similar proportions and parts distribution, Slingshot is unusual in that he is much, much thinner than the other jets (partly due to his vehicle mode), with stick-like arms and his front landing gear is mounted on his chest, as the Harrier nose cone on the toy is far too short to accommodate fold-down landing gear. Additionally, due to a lack of the interior space the other Aerialbots have, Slingshot's arms cannot fully collapse into his torso (and thus the sides of the plane).
- As a Scramble City-style combiner, Slingshot can be connected to any free arm or leg slot on Silverbolt to form Superion, and indeed can also combine with any other Scramble City combiner. However, his nominal placement is as the left arm of Superion.
- Slingshot, along with his teammates, were released in the 1992 European/Australian "Classics" reissue series of Generation 1 toys.
- Superion (Gift set, 1986)
- Japanese ID number: C-55
- Accessories: "Neutron rifle"
- Slingshot was also available in a Superion boxed giftset, along with the rest of his teammates. All of the toys in this set are identical to their individual releases.
Generation 2
- Slingshot (Aerialbot, 1994)
- Team ID number: A4
- Accessories: "Neutron rifle"
- For Generation 2, Slingshot was redecoed in gold and silver with orange and blue tiger striped stickers on his wings which proudly proclaim his name.
- This toy is noted to suffer from Gold Plastic Syndrome, so be careful.
Universe (2008)
- Superion (Multi-pack, 2008)
- Accessories: 2 dual-barrel cannons, connector piece, Autobot-type energon star
- Renamed "Airazor" due to trademark issues, this version of Slingshot is a redeco of Energon Windrazor/Treadshot in white and steel blue. He was released, along with the others in this box set, in Universe (2008) packaging in Australia and Singapore, but it is unknown if this version will be released anywhere else. This set has recently been announced as a Target-exclusive set in Revenge of the Fallen Superion packaging for North America. Thus, this toy doubles as Movie Airazor.
- Airazor transforms into a jet based on the F-22 Raptor. He can also form a leg or arm to any Energon-series "Powerlinx Combiner" super robot, though his nominal placement is as the right arm to Superion. He comes with two double-barreled guns and a connector piece, which can form hand-held weapons as well as become a footplate or "hand" for his combined mode, plus a blue "super energon" Autobot-style energon star.
- Airazor shares his mold with fellow Superion pack-mate Air Raid. This mold was also used for Classics Breakaway and Revenge of the Fallen Air Raid.
Henkei! Henkei!
- Cybertron Sling (Micron, 2009)
- A redeco of the Classics Mini-Con Thunderwing, Sling(shot) now transforms into an F-14 Tomcat swing-wing fighter jet.
- Sling is only available by—brace yourself—signing up for a Transformers-themed Visa credit card through Pocket Card Co., Ltd. Sling is available only to those who get the Autobot-themed card. Also available is Vorter for those who get the Decepticon card. How one gets both without paying out the butt is anyone's guess.
- This mold was also used to make Cybertron Nightscream, Noise Effect and Boltflash.
Notes
- The Canadian giftset of Superion accidentally misspelled Slingshot as "Slingslot".
- Because of an apparent inability on Hasbro's part to secure the trademark on Slingshot's name, Slingshot was the only Aerialbot not to get a new toy or homage for fifteen years.
