Sparkplug (Armada)
| The name or term "Sparkplug" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Sparkplug (disambiguation). |
- Sparkplug is a Mini-Con from the Armada section of the Unicron Trilogy continuity family.
Sparkplug is a good-natured, energetic young Mini-Con who through the fates of war has become partnered with Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots. Through this and his heroic actions, he's become something of a leader to his fellow Mini-Cons. He is also one of the few Mini-Cons to advocate siding with the Autobots. While most Mini-Cons view the differences between the Autobots and the Decepticons with apathy at best, Sparkplug is firmly aware of what those differences mean to Mini-Cons. He's seen the way Megatron treats Leader-1 compared to the way Optimus Prime treats him. Given the choice, Sparkplug gladly prefers the Autobots.
- Japanese name: Prime
- Polish name: Liderus (Leaderus)
Fiction
Animated continuity
Armada cartoon
Soon after arriving on Earth, both the Autobots and Decepticons detected a Mini-Con signal located in the Grand Big Canyon. The Autobots were at a considerable disadvantage during the inevitable confrontation due to the Decepticon strength in numbers and the fact they had to protect their human passengers. But with the help of the kids, Optimus Prime managed to find the Mini-Con panel, whose occupant turned out to be Sparkplug, Optimus Prime's old Mini-Con ally and friend. Together, they Powerlinxed, activating Optimus's powerful Maximum Blast, which sent the Decepticons into retreat. Comrade
While exploring a forest for other Mini-Cons, Optimus Prime left Sparkplug to guard his trailer. Later when the trailer was needed to stop a forest fire, Sparkplug drove it to the Autobots by sitting atop of it in vehicle mode. Jungle
Sparkplug stood in front of Optimus Prime to protect him from Megatron and the Star Saber. He then spoke English and summoned the Skyboom Shield for Optimus to use to fend off Megatron. Decisive Battle
After Optimus Prime's destruction, Sparkplug was left floating in space clutching the Matrix of Leadership. Crisis He then handed it off to Jetfire, who then presented it to Hot Shot as the new Autobot leader. Remorse Sparkplug later took the Matrix and held it above his head. Doing so harnessed the power of the Mini-Cons and revived Optimus Prime, who Sparkplug powerlinked with. Miracle
Linkage comic
Sparkplug and Perceptor appeared as holograms to tell Redline and his group that they were leaving Earth for Cybertron with the Autobots. Linkage Part 12
Dreamwave comics continuity
Having miraculously avoided capture by Cyclonus and Demolishor Armada #1, Sparkplug was instrumental in helping the Air Defense Mini-Con Team free his Mini-Con brethren from their initial imprisonment by the Decepticons (by getting strapped to a rocket pack by Runway and drawing fire from the laser-based security system). Armada #2 After the escape ship broke up and crashed on Earth, he was with High Wire, Grindor, and Sureshock when Rad accidentally reactivated the Mini-Cons. Armada #3
Later, he convinced the Space Mini-Con Team to help rescue Rad, who was himself strapped in a space mine in a mine field surrounding the Mini-Con moon base. Armada #10
In the Arctic soon after, when one of the escape pods from the Moon Base had been tracked there, he powerlinxed with Optimus Prime, without holding back power, in order to stop Cyclonus (who'd been driven mad by the Destruction Mini-Con Team because they were overloading him with their power). Optimus then confronted Sparkplug, asking why he'd held power back even though the two trusted each other. Sparkplug explained the lore about their power and that it could save or destroy the universe, only to discover Optimus had mysteriously vanished. Power. Armada #13
Sparkplug accompanied the dimension-traveler, Over-Run, and Comettor in Over-Run's travel pod to find Optimus (who had been sent to a Cybertron about to be eaten by Unicron), and was upgraded along with Optimus by the Mini-Con Matrix. Worlds Collide He was last seen standing with Optimus after the Chaos Bringer had been dealt a crippling blow by the Mini-Con Matrix. The End
Transformers Playstation 2 Game
He is Optimus Prime's Mini-Con partner. You can run him over!
Timelines
With the Unicron Singularity forcing the evacuation of Cybertron, Sparkplug and a number of Autobot leaders were summoned to the Iron Hope, where Ultra Magnus dispatched them across the galaxy to locate the lost Autobot colony worlds. Sparkplug was given command of the Valiant and sent to the Betelgeuse region. Force of Habit
Toys
Armada
- Optimus Prime with Sparkplug (Super, 2002/2003)
- Japanese ID Number: MC-01
- Sparkplug transforms into a Lamborghini Diablo sports car. His robot mode bears a passing resemblance to the Generation 1 Autobot Bumblebee's cartoon model. He was only available with his larger partner Optimus Prime. The Takara release made a minor change to Sparkplug's deco, giving him medium-gray windows rather than the dark purple of the Hasbro version.
- Prime Super Mode (Mini-Con, 2003)
- The August 2003 issue of TV-kun magazine in Japan included a special promotional "powered up" redeco of the Sparkplug toy in green. Also included was a little cardboard roadway and punch-out "targets" of various Decepticons for him to knock over.
- According to the brief Transformers section of the magazine, Sparkplug takes on this coloration when the other Mini-Cons give him their strength. When Powerlinxed to Super Optimus Prime in this mode, he causes Prime's cannon to fire a powerful energy blast that takes the shape of Sparkplug's robot mode.
- Powerlinx Optimus Prime with Corona Sparkplug (Super, 2003)
- For the "Powerlinx" redeco of Optimus Prime, the original Sparkplug was retooled into a Cybertronian sports car with roof-lights and given a gold-chrome finish. (This finish seems to be a lot more durable than the chrome found on the Transmetal toys, being very resistant to flaking.) It is the only part of the set that was retooled, possibly because the yellow parts of Sparkplug are on their own mold tree (i.e., there are no other yellow-plastic parts to Super Optimus Prime), meaning an easy change to make.
- This mold was used to make Chrome, Synapse and Road Rebel.
- Battle for the Matrix (Multi-pack, 2003)
- Released on "Black Friday" (the day after Thanksgiving), this K-Mart store exclusive bundled together Super Optimus Prime, Sparkplug, Jetfire, Comettor, the Adventure Mini-Con Team and (oddly enough) Longarm. This release of Sparkplug is identical to the original; out of the entire set, only Optimus received a deco change.
- Optimus Prime with Sparkplug (Built to Rule, 2003)
- Available only in the large Built to Rule Optimus Prime set, this version of Sparkplug is a building-block "figure" that partially transforms, partially gets rebuilt from robot to vehicle mode and back.
Energon
- Overload with Rollout & Optimus Prime with Corona Sparkplug (Multi-pack, 2004)
- Part of a very large CostCo exclusive set during Energon, Corona Sparkplug comes with extensively redecoed versions of Armada super-class Optimus Prime, Overload and Rollout. Despite the extensive color changes made to Optimus, Corona Sparkplug is identical to his normal Armada release.
Trivia
- Sparkplug's robot mode design appears to be an homage to G1 Bumblebee's cartoon model, with a similar head, "pipe" biceps, hood-feet and roof-chest. Well, and being yellow. His own cartoon model kind of downplays the similarity of the noggin. The Dreamwave comic changed his head design practically every issue, with some being more Bumblebee-esque than others. Some people think he looks like Sunstreaker due to his exotic car mode and his roof chest.
- Due to bad American dubbing of Armada, Sparkplug has been called Leader-1 several times through the course of the series. In fact, the first episode he appeared in, EVERYONE was calling him Leader-1. Talk about an identity crisis.
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