Sureshock (Armada)

This article is about the Unicron Trilogy Mini-Con. For the Universe Mini-Con, see Sureshock (Universe).

Sureshock is a Mini-Con from the Unicron Trilogy continuity family.

Ha HA! Ambiguous.

Sureshock is the thinker of the Street Action Mini-Con Team. With the other members of the team, Grindor and High Wire, Sureshock forms the Mini-Con combiner Perceptor.

Numerous sources list Sureshock as a female character during Armada, however, the bio for the Cybertron toy identifies her as male. Awk-ward.

Japanese name: Arcee (Armada), Charge (Energon)

Russian name: Shocker (Armada)

Fiction

Cartoon continuity

Armada

When High Wire led Rad, Carlos, and Alexis to the derelict Mini-con ship, he also introduced them to Grindor and Sureshock's panels. Alexis put two and two together, and brought Sureshock to life by placing her hand on one of the panels. Carlos copied, and while he acted out a scene from E.T. with Grindor, Alexis took the time to greet Sureshock with actual words. Later, after Grindor used Carlos's skateboard as his Earth form template, Alexis noticed the trend and took the trouble to present her scooter to Sureshock. At least one of the silly humans was actually polite.

Afterward, the Mini-cons took their pet humans for a spin and demonstrated that they were, in fact, three robot Jesuses. Jesus's. Jesii. How do you pluralize "Jesus"? Then Megatron popped out from behind a cliff because, yeah, giant tank robots are great at Hide and Seek. He and his Decepticons boxed in the kids with their vehicle modes, but when Optimus collided with him and slowly backed up, it confused the Decepticon long enough for the good guys to escape. Metamorphosis

Much later, Sureshock disguised herself in silly-looking heavy clothing to go grocery-shopping with Alexis. At least one small child was not fooled. Overmatch

Dreamwave comics continuity

Armada

Sureshock was among the Mini-Cons who escaped from Cybertron only to crash on Earth. Alongside High Wire, Grindor and Sparkplug, she lay deactivated in a cave for a million years until Rad White stumbled into it and accidentally awakened them. After repairing themselves, the Mini-Cons befriended Rad, Carlos and Alexis, and asked them to be their guides to Earth during their search for the other lost Mini-Cons. Dreamwave Armada issue 3 However, as Sureshock and the others were entertaining the kids with a ride on Project Supernova, they suddenly came under attack by Megatron, who had tracked them to Earth. After telling their human friends about the Autobot-Decepticon war from whic they had escaped, the Mini-Cons scanned new alternate modes and led the Decepticons away from populated areas. Dreamwave Armada issue 4 In a nearby canyon, the Street Action Team found a team of Autobots out to put a stop the Decepticons' search for Mini-Cons, and they watched the ensuing battle. After another group of Mini-Cons joined in and helped the bulks drive the Decepticons away, Sureshock and her friends allied themselves with the Autobots. Dreamwave Armada issue 5

The Street Action Team was present when Sparkplug tried to convince Optimus Prime to let him infiltrate the Decepticon base. Dreamwave Armada issue 6 Later, after Sureshock helped scare off Billy and Fred as they bullied Rad, the team took the kids on a ride around town. Their fun and games ended when a Mini-Con beacon summoned them to a large monolith which turned out to be a starship. Alongside all other Mini-Cons on Earth, the Street Action Team entered the monolith, which rocketed off into space. Dreamwave Armada issue 8 The Mini-Cons were taken to the Moon, where another group of Mini-Cons led by Dualor had constructed a moonbase where their race could live in peace forever. The Street Action Team were against this, as they'd much rather have lived on Earth with their human friends. Dreamwave Armada issue 9 Sureshock began to doubt that the Autobots would come save them, and she wondered aloud if she and her teammates would ever see Rad, Carlos and Alexis again. Fortunately for them, the Decepticons invaded the base shortly afterwards, and everyone inside was forced to evacuate to Earth. Dreamwave Armada issue 10

After returning to the Autobot base on Earth, the Street Action Team were seen listening to one of Rook's speeches about Mini-Con independence. Fire & Ice When the Mini-Cons learned that Unicron was targeting Cybertron, they gathered together in order to return to their homeworld and fight him. Saying their goodbyes to Rad, Carlos and Alexis, the Street Action Team joined the other Mini-Cons at the Loop on Cybertron and poured their energies into the Mini-Con Matrix. This allowed Over-Run to fire a massive energy blast at Unicron, crippling him. The End

Energon

Ten years after the defeat of Unicron, the Terrorcons began assaulting various Earth cities. As Jetfire prepared to send troops to Earth to deal with this new threat, the Street Action Team showed up and offered to lend a hand. Sureshock explained that they were worried about their old human friends, then combined with her teammates into Perceptor to get the "size thing" out of the way. Multiplicity, Pt. 2 Under Jetfire's command, the Mini-Cons defended Los Angeles from thousands of Insecticons. Multiplicity, Pt. 3 The strike team was vastly outnumbered and quickly began to run low on energy, but Sureshock and the others were saved when their old buddy Rad used the E.V.A. to power them up with Energon gas. Multiplicity, Pt. 4

Panini Armada comics

Sureshock was among the Mini-Cons who fled from Cybertron to Earth, where they lay dormant for four million years before waking up and meeting Rad White and his friends. After introducing herself and her friends, Sureshock explained to the humans how they had come to the planet, but regrettably refused to get involved with the war again by saving Optimus Prime. First Encounter! They soon realized that running away wouldn't solve anything, though, and Sureshock helped distract Megatron long enough for Optimus Prime to recover and call for reinforcements. Friends and Foes! The Street Action Team quickly befriended Rad, Carlos and Alexis, and after some racing around, they followed the humans into the wreckage of their ship in search of its locator log. Inside, they were attacked by Demolishor, who downed Sureshock and High Wire with a single blast. Deep Trouble!

In order to learn more about how to behave on Earth, the Street Action Team began following their human friends during their daily life. Sureshock came with Alexis to the local observatory, where she decided to "help" by uploading her information on space into their mainframe. Unfortunately, it was more than the human-made computer could handle, and it promptly crashed. Just a Memory! The Autobots later attempted to keep Sureshock and the other Mini-Cons safe by sending them back to Cybertron, but the plan failed due to the Mini-Cons' refusal and a Decepticon attack. No Way Back!

While racing with their human friends, the Street Action Team came under attack from Starscream. While Alexis and the other humans ran for help, the Mini-Cons kept the Decepticon busy by combining into Perceptor. They almost lost to Starscream's Star Saber, but were saved thanks to the timely intervention of Optimus Prime. The Two-Edged Sword A while later, Sureshock and the other Mini-Cons surrendered themselves to the Decepticons in order to buy the Autobots some time to prepare for an incoming missile strike. Earthshaker! While en route to the Decepticon base on the Moon, they easily broke out of their cells, took control of the prison craft and returned to Earth. Lost in Space!

Legends anthology

Puzzled by the concept of Halloween, the kids decided to take their Mini-Cons Trick or Treating. As Alexis was collecting money for UNICEF, Sureshock opted to do the same. Thousands of years later, after the Mini-Cons returned to Cybertron, he continued to tell the story of that night, and encouraged the young Mini-Cons to Trick-or-Treat. He also wore an Alexis mask to honour her memory. Something Robotic This Way Comes

Toys

Armada

• Street Action Mini-Con Team (Basic, 2002/2003)

Part of the initial wave of Armada Mini-Con sets, Sureshock transforms into a motorized scooter. She also forms the legs to the Street Action Team's combined mode, Perceptor. She was only available in a three-pack with her teammates High Wire and Grindor

• More information on Sureshock at TFU.info

• Street Action Micron Anime Color (CD w/ toy, 2003)

This redeco of the Street Action Team was available only with the CD single of the first Micron Legend theme song, "Transformer: Dream Again" by Psychic Lover. The toys were decoed to be somewhat more cartoon-accurate; in Sureshock's case, this meant somewhat lighter orange plastic and a light blue-gray paint on her face and bike seat.

• More information on Anime Color Arcee at TFU.info

• Arcee (Change Micron, 2003)

Part of the first assortment of Kabaya Change Microns, this candy toy version of "Arcee", despite appearances, is actually an entirely new molding based on the original. She retains her combining ability with her teammates. This version lacks the yellow paint on her headlamps and has darker gray for her face and seats. She came in an individual box, packed with a baggie of sugar-pellets. Mmm.

• More information on Change Micron Arcee at TFU.info

• Magna Convoy DX Set (Gift set, 2003)

The last of the X-Dimension Mini-Con redecoes despite being the first Mini-Con team released in Japan, this version of the street action team was available only as part of the massive Toys "R" Us-exclusive Magna Convoy DX set, with the Japanese version of Powerlinx Optimus Prime and a clear-plastic version of Overload. Sureshock was redecoed in a scheme somewhat inspired by her Japanese namesake Arcee; white plastic with red and black, and pink paint applications.

• More information on X-Dimension Arcee at TFU.info

Energon

• Perceptor (Basic, 2004)

For Energon, the Street Action Team (who were never referred to as such on the packaging, interestingly) got all-new, more powerful bodies. Sureshock upgraded to a four-wheeled, off-road, one-man ATV. This time around, she forms the main torso and arms to their combined Perceptor form. She was only available in a Basic-class multi-pack with Energon High Wire and Grindor.

This mold was also used to make Mudbath and Throttle.

• More information on Energon Sureshock at TFU.info

Universe (2003)

• Mini-Con Team Perceptor (Basic, 2005)

The Energon version of Perceptor was "repackaged" without changes onto a Universe basic card and sold through discount chains in the US like Family Dollar.

Cybertron

• Backblast vs Sureshock (Mini-Con 2-pack, 2006)

A rather stunt-bike-showy redeco of her Energon toy, Cybertron Sureshock was available only in a Mini-Con 2-pack with the Decepticon-allied Backblast. This is the only version of Sureshock that is branded on the toy with an Autobot faction symbol.

The Deep Space vs Street Action sets were the last of the Cybertron Mini-Con 2-packs released and apparently were not very well distributed at retail, making them difficult to find.

• More information on Cybertron Sureshock at TFU.info

Merchandise

• Bumble (SCF, 2003)
  • Accessories: SCF stand

Available in ACT-10 of the Takara Super Collection Figure PVC line (the last "Act" of the line), this small PVC figurine of Perceptor was available in both full-color and an all-pewter-paint version, packed one each per case of twelve figurines.