Perceptor (G1)
| The name or term "Perceptor" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Perceptor (disambiguation). |
- Perceptor is an Autobot from the Generation 1 continuity family.
Perceptor is a scientist, one of the most astute minds the whole of Cybertron can offer. He is perpetually seeking to increase knowledge, and his discoveries have repeatedly proven invaluable. Though his specialties lie in metallurgy, electrical engineering, and additional sciences closely concomitant to Transformer physiology, his thirst for knowledge has made him a kind of scientific jack-of-all-trades.
One of Perceptor's most infamous mannerisms is his tendency to engage in verbal communication using scientific terminology. This has the unforeseen result of exasperating and occasionally frustrating his comrades. One might hypothesize that the jovial mechanoid is unaware that not everyone with whom he seeks to communicate shares his extensive vocabulary.
Engaging in physical melee is not his preferred activity. He is content to make his contributions to the Autobot cause in the manner in which he deems sufficient, but will engage in combat if the situation requires. Optimus Prime often relies on Perceptor's perspicacity, and considers him as inestimable as any of his officers.
- French-Canadian name: Percepto
- Italian name: Supervista ("Super-sight")
- Hungarian name: Észlelő
- Victory Omni Productions dub name: Doctor Baster
Fiction
Cartoon continuity
Generation 1 cartoon
- Voice actor: Paul Eiding (English), Chikao Shiroyama (Japanese)
Perceptor appeared on Earth during a period of time occurring after the initial impact of the Ark into the planet. Dinobot Island, Part 2 It is unknown exactly when he had arrived, but the malfunctions he suffered during the Cybertonium depletion crisis would lead one to conclude that he had been present when the Ark crashed onto prehistoric Earth during the encounter wih the Nemesis. Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1
During his period of habitation on that planetary body, he experienced a myriad of adventures. Included in that scope were incidents such as reconfiguring his mass ratio to a microscopic scale using the transmat reduction beam in order to sever the connection of the Heart of Cybertron to Megatron's body. Upon doing so, he proceeded to dispose of the object by having Brawn throw the volatile energy source approximately two thousand feet into the sky and shooting it with his mobile cannon mode. Microbots
When Megatron perpetrated an egregious assault on the Autobots' reputation and had them forcibly expelled from their residency on Earth, Perceptor was indubitably among their number. A fortuitous sequence of events allowed the Autobots to return to their former planetary location and extradict the Decepticons from their dominion over the humans. Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2 During another adventure, a series of aberrant mechanical malfunctions began afflicting the Autobots. Perceptor was incapable of altering from his microscope configuration, and expeditiously determined that the complication was a depletion of Cybertonium. Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1
During a constitutional along a seaboard, Perceptor, Beachcomber, Warpath, Powerglide and Seaspray were assailed by an assortment of Decepticons. Remarkably, Thrust appeared impervious to damage, and both Perceptor and Seaspray were captured and escorted to the submerged Decepticon headquarters. With the inclusion of Beachcomber, the three Autobots were able to effect an adequate escape and rejoin their cohorts in time to confront the Electrum-coated Decepticons. The Golden Lagoon
In an endeavor to assist Cosmos, who had run into difficulty on Titan, one of Saturn's attendant moons, Perceptor and Jazz traversed space in Omega Supreme. Although Omega's energy was depleted by the journey, Perceptor was able to locate a prodigious accumulation of energy crystals, with which he subsequently reenergized Omega, allowing them to repel the Decepticon invaders and effect a peregrination back to Earth. The God Gambit
On another occasion, Perceptor and an assemblage of Autobots and Decepticons were propelled across the interstellar void by the space bridge, landing on an unexplored world in which Cybertronian lifeforms were minuscule in relation to the immense indigenous population. After a series of alarming endangerments, Perceptor determined that a toy rocket ship possessed by the boy Aron, whose abode they had happened into, could be modified to return the Autobots home. Child's Play Calamitously, their mode of transport was intercepted by an alien named Bosch, who utilised a mechanism to place the Autobots in a submissive state, intending to barter them for energon. Smokescreen was eventually able to emancipate Perceptor and his fellows with the assistance of the bounty hunter Devcon. The Gambler
Examining a sample of extraterrestrial matter transported to Earth on Bumblebee's back, Perceptor was able to ascertain that Cosmos had inadvertently imported Morphobots, a genus of robotic flora which consumed mechanical life. His exhortation was sufficient to save Cosmos and the Morphobots were soon dispatched to a more suitable biosphere; however, the sample he had acquired had also propagated to the point where it threatened to consume him along with his laboratory. Quest for Survival
Perceptor's spectrographic analysis of an ore sample determined that the asteroid from which it originated was, in fact, alive. In an unfortunate turn of events, Optimus Prime had just commanded Omega Supreme to obliterate said asteroid. The Secret of Omega Supreme Yet another enterprise took Perceptor to a world inhabited by transforming organic creatures who had been enslaved by the Decepticons. He assisted in liberating the Tlalakans, and was subsequently bemused by Bumblebee's notion that they should make a wish on the first stellar object they sighted. Sea Change
He also synthesized a panacea to remedy all corrosion, with the appellation corrostop, and was decorated by the humans for his ingenuity. Megatron also coveted his assistance, but for a dire emergency — the Decepticon had become afflicted by Cosmic Rust and it transpired that corrostop was the only counteragent. Not content with merely being ameliorated, Megatron exploited Perceptor in a machination to infect the Autobots with Cosmic Rust, and all sources of Ingredient X, an imperative component of corrostop, had been exhausted. Perceptor and Wheeljack labored to make the matter duplicator operational so that more corrostop could be constituted and the Autobots saved. Cosmic Rust
Perceptor and Spike Witwicky discovered a disquieting fact — that an aberrant disruption emanating from Cybertron was causing a shift in Earth's orbit, resulting in the planet's imminent collision with the nearest stellar body! The Autobots and Decepticons were forced to collaborate to avoid destruction in the Sun; however, the Insecticons masticated the space bridge controls, rendering the possibility of its use dubious. With donated components, Perceptor repaired the space bridge and dispatched the amalgamated force to Cybertron to subjugate the Combaticons. The Revenge of Bruticus
Perceptor's actions continued to be of intrinsic strategic import, particularly following the distinct tactical deficiencies during the battle of Autobot City that resulted in the expiration of Wheeljack, and pointing out that "gamma waves in this sector of space create marginal navigation probabilities" as the Autobots fled Earth. As a member of Ultra Magnus's company, he was marooned on planet Junk, where he contended with the indigenous race of mechanisms, designated Junkions. During the decisive battle against Unicron, Perceptor was stationed aboard the Junkion vessel when Unicron crushed it in his grasp, though fortunately was not a casualty of the catastrophe and could later be distinguished celebrating the antagonist's defeasance. The Transformers: The Movie
Perceptor had a mission of paramount importance and tasked it to Blurr and Wheelie. After the Galactic Olympics were disrupted by unknown assailants, he examined some debris but was unable to determine the exact nature of the attackers. He proposed he accompany Rodimus Prime on an undertaking to investigate the Decepticons, but Rodimus elected to procure Grimlock's abetment instead. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1 Perceptor later valiantly defended Cybertron against Decepticon intrusion. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5
The inexplicable resurrection of Optimus Prime led Perceptor and the rest of the Autobots on a mission of retaliation against the Quintessons for the supposed termination of a selection of Autobots, including Rodimus Prime. When it transpired that a shuttle Optimus commanded the Autobots fire on in fact contained their still-functioning comrades, Perceptor was all too happy to arrest the ill-fated assault. Dark Awakening
On a second entanglement with the Quintessons, Perceptor was incapacitated early in the conflict and unable to prevent several of his fellow Autobots from traversing a chronal displacement aperture to Cybertron's distant past. Although Pipes was an adequate physician, Perceptor regained normal function subsequent to the resolution of the situation. Forever Is a Long Time Coming
After Fort Knox dematerialized, a preliminary examination by Perceptor of energon cubes discovered at the locale indicated they were contaminated with Dinosaur transform static. Further analysis indicated the cubes were of Decepticon manufacture, exonerating the Dinobots and Sky Lynx. Tracing the point of origin to Carbombya, the Autobots located the appropriated architecture and liberated the country from the habitation of the Decepticons. Thief in the Night
Perceptor was part of an ambush set for Galvatron when the incorporeal spirit of Starscream possessed Cyclonus. Starscream's Ghost When Wheelie and the Spike's immature offspring developed curiosity over Ultra Magnus's construction date, they consulted Perceptor, who suggested they scrutinize the Hall of Records, unaware of the endangerment the pair would soon face. Surprise Party Investigating another disappearance on the part of Daniel, this time complemented by Grimlock, Perceptor operated a Quintesson contrivance which transposed a rescue party to the domain of Menonia. Madman's Paradise While excavating isodrite in an asteroid belt, a team of Autobots was beleaguered by Decepticons, however as Perceptor observed, Galvatron was wreaking more havoc with his own troops than the Autobots. Webworld
Perceptor's calculations later tracked the Decepticons down to a comet, where the blackguards were installing an apparatus to propel it into Metroplex. During the altercation, a resonance of extreme amplitude disrupted proceedings, causing all present to expeditiously descent towards a nearby planetary body named Eurythma. As the Decepticons prepared to resume hostilities, Perceptor dismantled Devastator with one discharge of his artillery mode. He proceeded to participate in a diversionary engagement while Ultra Magnus and Blaster contacted the indigenous sentient life who communicated entirely in melody. Carnage in C-Minor
Detecting an aberrant semaphore on a Quintesson frequency, Perceptor allocated the mission to Sky-Lynx, Blaster and Outback. The Quintesson Journal He later oversaw the installation of a new power core on Cybertron. Not long after this occurrence, Galvatron unleashed a grotesque monstrosity with the ability to metamorphose Transformers into energy vampires. Perceptor not only formulated a remedy involving the infusing of a plethora of energy, but was able to effect the catharsis of the Dweller from Cybertron. The Dweller in the Depths He was equivalently successful in restoring Ultra Magnus, Rodimus, Arcee and Springer to their mechanoid forms after they were transplanted into organic bodies. Only Human
During the instatement of another power generator, Perceptor expressed a desire for an increase in the Dinobots' brainpower, to which Grimlock responded with a aggressive exclamation regarding his fist and Perceptor's cranium. Malfunctions caused by strange energy emanating from the generator resulted in Grimlock's intelligence being increased manifold, outstripping even Perceptor's own acumen. The Autobots journeyed to Unicron's skull in orbit around Cybertron, where they were incapacitated by anti-electrons. Providentially, Grimlock was able to construct a brigade of Technobots to salvage the situation. Grimlock's New Brain
During one of his final known excursions with Rodimus, Perceptor plummeted onto an alien world in a state of transformation paralysis. What's worse, his universal emulator was taken from his body and transplanted into the Zamojin construct called Nijika, which resulted in Perceptor's consciousness taking up residence within that form. All things considered, he took it quite well, and his alterations to the emulator resulted in the Quintessons inadvertently extricating the world from its incarceration. The Face of the Nijika
Japanese cartoon continuity
Fight! Super Robot Lifeform manga
Victory cartoon
- Voice actor: Masaharu Satō (Japanese)
Perceptor, Wheeljack and Minerva were summoned, called forth, or otherwise sought out by Star Saber to save, preserve, and defend the life of the critically damaged and weakened Ginrai. They succeeded, converting the former Transtector into the mighty Victory Leo.Ginrai Dies!! Later when Victory Leo's programing was going haywire Preceptor explaned to Jean that his curcits were not completly kicked in yet.Fight!! Victory Leo Awaken! Victory Leo When Deathsauras desined a missile system to keep the Autobots at bay, Star Saber told him the only way to stop him was to combine with Victory Leo. At first he refused to let it happen but Star Saber changed his mind.The Tide is Turned! The Ultimate Weapon, the Victory Unification Later Preceptor was seen in a ship headded off Earth but Wheeljack and Minerva were not seen going with him but thats what most likely happened. Jean - Defend the Campus
Japanese Generation 2 story pages
Perceptor, along with Wheeljack and Jetfire, discovered new properties of the Matrix which allowed Optimus Prime to revive himself as Laser-Rod Optimus Prime subsequent to a crushing defeat by Megatron. G-2 Part 4
Teletraan Go! Go! comics
Sent to gather data on Perceptor, Teletraan 15 found him giggling creepily over a microchip and telling it that it was time for its check-up.
As she recoiled in horror, Perceptor's tone became clinical and, retracting his faceplate, he demanded that she identify herself. After Teletraan 15 recorded her notes on the Autobot scientist, he transformed into his seldom-seen mobile battle mode and took her for a ride... whether she wanted it or not.
Marvel Comics continuity
Generation 1
On Cybertron, Perceptor was often considered an officer or otherwise highly ranked personage by other Cybertronic life forms in the vicinity, inspiring in the aforementioned others a tendency to view him as a "commander" of a faction of Autobots who engaged in armed conflict against localized enemy forces until such a point as the aforementioned combat unit, or the surviving portions thereof, crossed the multidimensional warp system for transport, otherwise known as the Space Bridge, to join the forces based on the planetary body known to the overwhelming majority of those of his species who had shifted their operations to its locality as Earth. The Smelting Pool! The Bridge to Nowhere! His most recent appearance had him suffering from defective circuits in the Arctic, preventing him fom detecting the presence of the Seacon of the multipod variety. He was later listed as deactivated for a somewhat extended period of time, by human standards if not by those of his species, by the opposing faction (as judged by an outside observer who insists on a binary classification system) as a result of the Underbase conflict, so named for the goal of the conflict, a legendary storehouse of Cybertronic knowledge. Dark Star Yesterday's Heroes!
Marvel UK future timelines
In a parallel junction of quantum-temporal values, Perceptor aided his fellow residents of Autobot City in the initiation of combat proceedings against unwanted Quintesson visitors possessing acutely nefarious intent. Unfortunately, said combat proceedings proved to be incapable of properly sustaining the necessary level of applied force to rebuke and rebuff the forward progress of the invading hostile xeno-biological entities, leading to a cessation of proper operating status for Perceptor and several of his Autobot co-actors. Space Pirates!
One solar-terrestrial revolution cycle later, Perceptor again responded to the presence of hostile activities when an Autobot interstellar transport shuttle made a sudden and disastrous relocation from space to earth at velocities far exceeding safety protocols. At the shuttle's location, Perceptor fell into a paradoxical situation necessitating that the Autobots save their commander Rodimus Prime from his own disparate mental status. White Fire
Generation 2
Perceptor did not engage in random fisticuffs and altercations with the Cybertronians, for that would most emphatically be in a milieu of activity not of his preference. Alternatively, he participated in an expedition of a scientific nature to the lunar orbiting body of J'asik to determine what nefarious entity had structurally destabilized the populace at a molecular level. His findings unveiled astonishing and almost inarticulable obfuscations from deep in the Cybertronian past. Swarm
Universe: The Wreckers
Perceptor counseled Rodimus Prime against making a leadership decision that, when one considers both the opinions of observers that are generally regarded as wise, to such an extent as observers with finite capacity for knowledge can comprehend the infinite, and the final results of the decision in question, could be regarded as less than optimal.
Knowing the commander in question many of those reading this documentation may surmise the result... Betrayal
Dreamwave Generation 1 comics continuity
Perceptor was again held to be an officer or leader, a position he occupied with Blaster, among a group of underground Autobots on Cybertron after the unexpected return of Megatron, who had disappeared along with Optimus Prime many years ago in an early space bridge test, commanding the Aerospace Extermination Squadron, an army of Seeker-form drones. The combat efficiency of these Air Warriors, as they were also known, led to a Decepticon conquest of Cybertron, as well as the enslavement of many Autobots. During this period, Perceptor theorized that if Megatron had survived the space bridge explosion, one could logically conclude that Optimus Prime also survived. At a base appropriately designated the Think Tank, Perceptor designed and built a device intended to locate Optimus Prime. Before a proper test of the device could be conducted, Perceptor's group managed to capture an Air Warrior, with the intentions of examining its systems with the hope of finding an effective counter measure against the drones. War Within: The Age of Wrath Unfortunately, financial irregularities on the part of Dreamwave's President resulted in the company filing for Chapter 11, where it currently remains in Bankruptcy court to this day, precluding any possible end to the story at this time.
Millions of years after the aforementioned events, Perceptor again allied with a group of Autobots who opposed the oppressive regime of the Decepticon Shockwave, but these activities were covert in nature and he publicly remained a respected Autobot scientist. He presented evidence of Shockwave's unorthodox experiments on various Transformers, as well as the fact that Cybertron's spatial coordinates seemed to have changed, to the High Council. The High Council was unwilling to take any constitutional action against Shockwave, over feelings of gratitude for his assistance in restoring the peace, even after they were verbally accosted by Ultra Magnus. Ultimately, any censure or movement against Shockwave was discontinued due to a rampage on the part of the Stunticons. After Optimus Prime escaped custody and united the various resistance movements, Perceptor participated in the Autobot leader's offensive against Shockwave's fortifications within Hub Capital Iacon. He also helped to repair Grimlock, commander of the Dinobots, despite the latter's well known bias against intellectuals. War and Peace
Transformers/G.I. Joe
In the year 1985, Perceptor and Blaster hastily took off for Earth in an starship poorly-suited for interstellar travel, despite Perceptor's protests. Upon arrival, they unsurprisingly crashed, landing in the forests of Oregon near Mount St. Hilary. They were discovered there by a G.I. Joe team led by Flint. Targets of Opportunity
G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers
Perceptor accompanied Ultra Magnus to Teletran 3, where he providing covering fire for Magnus and captured Starscream with an energy rope. He then tapped into Teletran 3 and learned that it had transported a random number of Cybertronians into various points in Earth's timeline, which would cause a temporal feedback that would destroy the planet unless they were retrieved. Thankfully, G.I. Joe and Cobra were happy to save their planet, and Perceptor operated Teletran 3 to send them after the missing Transformers. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #1 After that, all he could do was wait inside the slowly dying force field erected around Teletran 3. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #2 Unfortunately, the field went down before all the rescue teams had returned, and the Autobots were captured by Shockwave, who taunted Perceptor as he allowed his Earth-destruction scenario to play out. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #3 It was not to be, however, as the Dinobots were retrieved from Earth's distant past and ripped Shockwave's forces apart, saving Perceptor and the other prisoners. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #4
Some time later, Perceptor was sent to Area 52 on Earth to oversee the decommissioning of Cybertronian technology along with Grimlock, Bumblebee and Arcee. Before he had time to do much other than greet Mainframe and deliver a message from Optimus Prime, the facility came under attack by Cobra, and Perceptor had to help fight them off. The Art of War #1 Bumblebee went missing during the battle, and the Autobots followed his energy signature to the lowest areas of Area 52, only to find the head of Megatron, deactivated two years earlier. Perceptor was outraged that the humans had been experimenting with something so dangerous, but Hawk insisted that he had been completely unaware. As it turned out, Megatron's remains had been used to make the dangerous and hostile Serpent Organic Robot, who forced the Joes' mech suits to fight against Perceptor and the other Autobots before warping to Cybertron. The Art of War #2
The Autobots and Joes followed him, and Perceptor called Capitol City for reinforcements before discovering the movement signals of several cannibalizers around them. They escaped from the monstrosities, only to run straight into Serpent O.R.'s newly recruited Decepticon army, who captured them before Perceptor's reinforcements had time to arrive. The Art of War #3 They were eventually freed thanks to Snake-Eyes's ninja tricks. The Art of War #4 While fighting their way out of the Decepticon base, the Autobots learned that Serpent O.R. had also captured Optimus Prime, and they went to rescue him. When they arrived, Serpent O.R.'s body had been transformed by the Matrix and was now being controlled by Cobra Commander. The Cobra leader used his tentacles to smash Perceptor's shoulder to pieces, and with a cry of "Goodness!", the scientist was taken out of action. After Cobra Commander was defeated by Hawk, Perceptor listened to Roadblock tell funny stories about Barbecue. The Art of War #5
IDW comics continuity
Perceptor served on the Autobot Orbital Command Hub, acting as a peer to acting-commander Silverbolt. He appeared to know Blaster of old, and helped him with his investigation. Spotlight: Blaster
He later transferred aboard the Ark-17, along with Springer and others in a mission to rescue an insane Kup from the crystal planet. Perceptor voiced the general consensus of those who had embarked upon the voyage to attempt to dissuade Springer of the less than optimal, considering resource allotment, military operation he had accepted. Spotlight: Kup
Kup was eventually rescued and taken to Kimia Facility where Perceptor and the scientists there helped repair Kup using Pretender technology. Overseeing the operation, Prowl also had Perceptor secretly install subroutines into Kup that would allow Prowl to have control over the old codger. Though Perceptor opposed this, he followed his orders. Perceptor also was assigned to Kup's unit to keep a supply of cy-gars handy to keep Kup sane. Everything in Its Right Place
Perceptor later accompanied Kup on a mission to rescue some captured Wreckers and was badly injured during the operation, but was saved by Drift. Spotlight: Drift After healing from his injuries, Perceptor decided to make some upgrades to his body, making him more useful as a warrior. He gave himself a near-impervious breastplate, aiming arm stabilizers and a monocle-like targeting optic. He demonstrated these to great effect, taking out Monstructor in one blast during a rescue of Hot Rod. Lost & Found
Sporting a decidedly dour demeanor, Perceptor obtained a modicum of prominence on Kup's team. Perceptor opted to become more directly involved in deeply discomfiting the Decepticons... until their inopportune crash-landing on Cybertron. All Hail Megatron #5 When some swarms of Insecticons made an appearance, he once again displayed his disturbing targeting proficiency, inflicting immediate and conclusive damage on one scout with only minimal effort. All Hail Megatron #6
Later, when the Autobots fled from the Swarm, they had planted some explosive charges to several bridges in order to cut off their pursuers. When they passed one of the bridges, Kup ordered Perceptor to shoot the charges, which he did with two small handblasters. However, he was taken out by a dart fired off by a Swarm (who got blasted for its effort). All Hail Megatron #8 He was soon back on his feet, helping the other Autobots set up a defensive turret at their base. This saddened Ratchet, who would rather have had the "old" Perceptor help him and Wheeljack repair Optimus Prime. All Hail Megatron #9 After almost getting overrun by the Swarm, Perceptor and the other Autobots were rescued by Omega Supreme, who carried them all to Earth. All Hail Megatron #10
Perceptor was still by Kup's side three years later, by which time both of them had joined the Wreckers. Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1
When they stumbled upon the injured former Wrecker Impactor, Perceptor checked up on him and found a deterrence chip embedded in his skull. He soon had to switch mindsets from scientist to sniper again, though, as the Wreckers were sent to liberate Garrus-9 from Overlord's clutches. During the initial attack, Perceptor shot down Decepticon jets while hanging upside-down from the Autobots' drop pod. Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 2
After their drop pod had crash-landed inside Garrus-9, Perceptor and his team found themselves surrounded by Decepticons and confronting Overlord himself. Overlord killed Rotorstorm right in front of them and told the Wreckers to surrender. Perceptor calmly ordered Pyro to protect the stowaway Verity Carlo, while he, Ironfist, and Topspin launched themselves at the Decepticon. Overlord easily thrashed all of them, and upon hearing that there were Wreckers in another part of Garrus-9, offered freedom to any other Decepticon who brought him the head of a Wrecker. The Wreckers beat a hasty retreat as a mob of Decepticons started after them, and Perceptor managed to delay them by sniping and detonating a spare fuel tank they had brought along.
Perceptor and Topspin had to take a moment to deal with a shaken Ironfist’s anxiety over Rotorstorm’s death, then set to finding their main objective; Aequitas. Perceptor located the chamber in which it was housed and a ravaged Fortress Maximus, who had been made into a “living lock pick” for the door. Perceptor had the access codes and got everyone in, revealing Aequitas to them. Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 3
Perceptor explained what Aequitas was to the others, and he quickly set to work on trying to find an access terminal for it. When he finally did locate it, he discovered a problem; Aequitas was protected by a “suicide lock”. Perceptor told the others that someone had to willingly donate their spark to bypass it, and it couldn’t be him, as he was the only one who could operate the supercomputer. After some argument, Ironfist agreed to be the sacrifice, only to be beaten to the punch by Topspin. With Topspin’s death, Perceptor gained access to Aequitas’ system. He copied the hard drive and uploaded it into Ironfist for safekeeping. As Decepticons began to break through the chamber’s door, Perceptor pointed out he could kill them all by triggering their deterrence chips through Aequitas.
Pyro and Verity were against this, as it meant Impactor would die as well, but Perceptor denied Verity a vote and looked to Ironfist for the tie-breaker. Ironfist, having learned the truth of Impactor’s crimes from the Aequitas upload, glumly cast his lot in with Perceptor. Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4
Verity continued to argue against it, arguing that the Wreckers as idealized by Ironfist would never take the easy way out. Perceptor changed his mind, deciding that Verity was right and they’ll simply fight their way out. Pyro volunteered to stay behind and buy them time to escape, and once the door was breached, Perceptor and Ironfist slipped by the Decepticons. At Ironfist’s prompting, they headed to Garrus-9’s armory.
Shortly thereafter, Perceptor and the others arrived outside, where the remaining Wreckers were fighting Overlord. As the Decepticon held Springer up with one arm, Perceptor sniped his hand off, forcing him to drop the Wreckers’ leader. But Overlord managed to tear Springer’s face off and blast Perceptor into unconsciousness before finally being defeated by Ironfist, Verity, and the revived Impactor. While no further mention was made of him, it’s most likely Perceptor survived and recovered from his wounds. Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5
Toys
Generation 1
- Perceptor (Autobot, 1985)
- Japanese ID number: 39
- Accessories: "Concussion Rifle", missile launcher, 3 missiles
- Formerly a Microchange MC-20 Micro Scope, Perceptor transforms into a predominantly red, functional microscope. His magnification is limited to 14X[1] due to the relatively crude nature of his lens. In robot mode, Perceptor is armed with a red "Concussion Rifle" and a spring-loaded rocket launcher that can fire one of three red missile-shaped projectiles(functional only in the Takara release).
- A holdover from his Microchange origins, Perceptor can also transform into a 'tank' mode.
- The Japanese version does not launch missiles from the scope, despite what some sources say.
- There is an odd variant of this toy: some have a more golden-hued chrome than the normal silver. This is not a very common variant.
- The mold was later redecoed to make Magnificus.
Transformers Collection
- Cybertron Perceptor (Transformers Collection, Japan 2005)
- Japanese ID number: TFC-19
- Perceptor was reissued in Japan as part of Takara's Transformers Collection line.
Classics
- Perceptor (Legends, 2006)
- Available as part of the first assortment of Classics Legends of Cybertron, Perceptor is a redeco of the Legends of Cybertron Red Alert. He transforms into a BTR-90 armored personnel carrier with a large missile/laser cannon/microscope/telescope.
Universe (2008)
G1 Series
- Perceptor (2009)
- Accessories: "Concussion Rifle", missile launcher, 3 missiles
- Hasbro did their own reissue of Perceptor as part of the Universe line. The Toys"R"Us exclusive was issued in a box with an opening front cover and advertised as a "Commemorative Edition", much like the earlier Soundwave and the Insecticons (which were released at the same time as Perceptor).
- Strangely, the spring of the missile launcher was not weakened like most G1 toys, but were straight out omitted from the gun. This makes the missiles totally useless, because they don't even clip into the gun.
Generations
- Perceptor (Deluxe, 2011)
- Perceptor is based on a combination of Generation 1 Perceptor and Animated Perceptor. The vehicle mode is inspired by the Animated character's altmode. The toy will be redecoed into Reflector. [2]
Merchandise
Super Collection Figure
- Perceptor (2002)
Heroes of Cybertron
- Perceptor (2003)
- Perceptor was released in the fourth wave of the Heroes of Cybertron line as a mostly unaltered version of the Perceptor figurine from the Japanese Super Collection Figure line, though as a HOC he uses the standard "all clear-blue plastic painted over" coloring process to give him light-piped eyes. He came with the head and sword of the Fortress Maximus build-a-figurine.
Robot Heroes
- Perceptor vs. Hardshell (2009)
- Part of the fourth wave of Universe Robot Heroes, Perceptor packed versus Hardshell as part of the "Generation 1 Series".
Notes
- In the animated portion of Perceptor's original toy commercial, he is presented as being quite small, the size a microscope would be in relation to Prime's robot form, and not growing at all, but remaining just as tiny in robot form.
- A Perceptor Action Master was planned at one point, but apparently went no further than a concept sketch. Unlike some other Action Masters, the art is based solely on the toy, including its faceplate. It has the distinction of carrying on Perceptor's well-armed legacy, with not just one but TWO shoulder-mounted microscope cannons, arm shields, and a large handgun [3]. The figure may have been intended as a pilot or driver for an Action Master vehicle, as the handgun has handlebars jutting off either side. Or perhaps the aforementioned munition was engineered to be wielded in an akimbo manner.
- The initial inspiration for Perceptor came from the anime series Armored Trooper Votoms. Shinji Aramaki, designing toys for Takara at the time, liked the microscope look of the heads of the mecha from that series and applied it in a more literal sense with the Microchange toy, but his involvement ended at the conceptual stage.
- In a rather surprising twist of events, part of this article has been placed on the cover of All Hail Megatron issue 15. The result is a micro-continuity in which Perceptor reads this Wiki. What is this "fourth wall" you speak of, reader?
- Like a lot of other Transformers, Perceptor was never released in the UK.[citation needed]. As a result, the Commemorative Edition was the first version sold in the country and was an Amazon exclusive.
