Broadside (G1)
| The name or term "Broadside" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Broadside (disambiguation). |
- Broadside is an Autobot from the Generation 1 continuity family.
Broadside is a huge loser. He's the forgotten Autobot Triple Changer who turns into either a tiny aircraft carrier and a jet, or an impossibly large "jet" and an aircraft carrier. Broadside also happens to be terrified of heights. And gets seasick on the water.
His life must suuuuuuck.
Fortunately, as one of the Wreckers, Broadside is almost constantly shooting the slag out of Decepticons, which is probably a good outlet for any frustration.
- Italian name: Mistral
- French-Canadian name: Navalo
- Russian name: Cool
Fiction
Marvel Comics continuity
Generation 1
Broadside and his fellow Triple Changers were late recruits into Operation: Volcano by Emirate Xaaron, taking the place of Ultra Magnus in the battle scenario. Their introduction into the Wreckers was marred with tragedy, however, as their leader Impactor was killed when Volcano finally went down. Broadside's fellow Triple Changer Springer succeeded Impactor as squad leader. Target: 2006
Broadside served on several missions with the Wreckers, battling zombie robots in Kalis and engaging the future Decepticon Galvatron on Earth. City of Fear! Wrecking Havoc That last mission nearly proved to be a disaster, however, when the Wreckers blindly portal-jumped into a battle with Galvatron, only to find themselves in the middle of a populated human city, surrounded by potential civilian casualties. In order to guard against future problems such as that, Xaaron assigned Broadside, Inferno and Sandstorm to Earth full time as an advance guard, gathering information on the planet so that they would be better prepared for the next battle with Galvatron. Firebug! The three Autobots engaged in some rather comical situations while on Earth, including fighting a cute-but-dangerous Firebug, and nearly causing a panic when they tried to celebrate Christmas with a bunch of humans. Cold Comfort and Joy!
Broadside was somehow present to watch Blaster and Grimlock duke it out on the Moon. Totaled!
The trio's mission became serious once the timestorm raging at both ends of Galvatron's time-jump began to tear apart the fabric of the universe. Xaaron had isolated Galvatron—and his time-tossed minions Scourge and Cyclonus—as the source of the distortion, and sent the full contingent of Wreckers to Earth, complete with unexpected back-up from their Decepticon counterparts, the Mayhem Attack Squad. Broadside balked at the idea, but honestly... they needed all the help they could get. Even that wasn't enough, however, against the combined might of Galvatron and Megatron. The twin titans tore through the Wreckers and Mayhems without mercy: at the end of the so-called "Time Wars", less than half of the warriors were left alive. Time Wars
Cut off from any supplies or assistance from Cybertron, Broadside, Springer and Inferno felt left behind and abandoned to their fate on Earth. In order to survive, they formed a new group aptly known as the "Survivors" with the limbo-lost Autobot Skids and the remaining Mayhems, Carnivac and Catilla. Survivors Unfortunately, the Mayhems' former superiors on Cybertron didn't take kindly to this apparent mutiny, and assembled a new Mayhem Attack Squad to assassinate the traitors. Their first strike led to Catilla's death, and Carnivac ran off on his own afterwards to seek vengeance. A Savage Place!
Marvel UK future timelines
In 2510, Broadside was fighting alongside Springer and the Wreckers when they fired the very last shots of the war between the Autobots and the Decepticons. Of course, a war between the Autobots and the Autobots started up almost immediately thereafter, so it was a pretty quick shore leave. Peace
Earthforce
In order to take on the Mayhems effectively, Broadside and the other Survivors joined up with Grimlock's Earthforce, and came to Carnivac's rescue just in the nick of time. Where Wolf? Later on, the Earth-based Decepticons under Starscream and Soundwave attempted to divide the Autobots' attention, staging a full-scale assault on Earthbase while Starscream secured a tanker full of fuel in the meantime. While the main Earthforce defended their base, however, the Survivors fought back Starscream's energy-stealing attempt. Broadside used his rarely seen carrier-mode to transport his fellow Survivors into battle on the high seas against Starscream, and the Seeker was driven off without much effort. Divide and Conquer!
Generation 2
Broadside served with Sideswipe, Hound and Blades as part of a team of Firestormers under Grimlock's command. They attacked their enemy with so much zeal, that Grimlock had to remind them what side they're on. Broadside and his Firestormers' team were the first to uncover the existence of Jhiaxus and his Cybertronian Empire and alert Optimus Prime to its threat. However, Jhiaxus' command ship, the Twilight blasted them from orbit and kept Broadside and the others prisoner until Optimus Prime and Grimlock managed to set them free and escape. War Without End! Broadside continued serving as a soldier throughout the Autobots' conflict with the Cybertronians. He was last seen fighting alongside Springer and several other veteran Autobots on the planet Ethos. Escalation!
American cartoon continuity
The Transformers cartoon
- Voice actor: Bill Martin (English), Masashi Ebara (Japanese)
When Teletraan II casually brought up in conversation that Trypticon, the Decepticons' largest weapon of mass destruction, had not been destroyed as everyone thought, Rodimus Prime sent Broadside and Seaspray out to investigate the site where Trypticon fell into the sea. Sure enough, they found no body, but instead a trail of massive footprints leading back towards land. Once the Autobots tracked Trypticon down to the Socialist Democratic Federated Republic of Carbombya, Broadside transported the Autobot strike force in by the coast. Thief in the Night
During a strike against a new Constructicon weapon asteroid, the Autobots and Decepticons alike were interrupted by a powerful harmonic discharge. Ultra Magnus, Blaster and Broadside broke away from the main battle to prevent Galvatron and Soundwave from taking control of the harmony for their own evil ends. Although Soundwave did manage to temporarily copy the harmony onto his tapes, Blaster erased the recording and the Autobots were able to drive off the Decepticons. Carnage in C-Minor Broadside was among the Autobots attending the unveiling of a generator on Cybertron when the Decepticon anti-electron attack was unleashed. Grimlock's New Brain
At a time when the Decepticons were carrying out a series of assaults on the nation of Japan, Broadside confronted Devastator and Predaking in the waters near a fishing village. Broadside nearly capsized a small boat due to the waves generated by their fight, but he managed to stabilize the craft before returning to battle. The Burden Hardest to Bear
Japanese cartoon continuity
The Headmasters cartoon
- Voice actor: Ken Yamaguchi (Japanese)
Alongside Springer and Sandstorm, Broadside was sent from Athenia to Cybertron in order to defend against a major Decepticon assault. Four Warriors Come out of the Sky The Triple Changers then travelled to Earth, where they helped Twincast sneak into Trypticon by keeping their Decepticon counterparts busy with a dogfight. The Great Cassette Operation
Broadside later returned to Athenia, where he used his giant jet form to transport Rodimus Prime and the Autobot Headmasters back to Earth. Terror! The Six Shadows He helped out in this manner again when a volcano erupted in Peru, carrying the Headmasters, Spike, Daniel and Wheelie to the village of Pan to help evacuate the locals. However, Broadside was unable to help the villagers directly, as the raging volcano stopped him from landing safely. The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts He also ferryed the Headmasters to Mars, but didn't stick around to help fight the Decepticons, apparently. Maybe he got airsick. Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger
e-Hobby comics
Broadside carried Optimus Prime, Ironhide and Perceptor as they arranged back up for Daniel, who was controling an Eldedroid and battling a Decepticon monster under the sea. Perceptor suggested the it might be best if Broadside took them to the surface over the spot where the battle was occuring. Broadside and Prime both agreed.
The triple-changer was eager to get there, as the combination of seasickness and worry over his friends was not enjoyable. Unfortunately they were interupted in their travel by the giant "ghost" of Starscream. Some days you just can't win. MP-3G Destron Air Commander / Starscream Ghost Ver.
Dreamwave comics continuity
During the first arc of Optimus Prime's tenure as leader of the Autobots, Broadside was an enormous warrior, as tall as the special combiner teams, and supposedly nearly as powerful. He helped defend the Autobot capital of Iacon, alongside Vibes. The War Within
A few thousand years after that, Broadside, now the size of a standard Transformer, was a member of the Wreckers fighting for control of the Tagan Heights region. Most notably, he organized the evacuation of his team when Devastator and Defensor were decimating the area. Possibly, Broadside had himself reduced after the signing of the Crisis Intervention Accord to keep his combat status nominal. War Within: The Dark Ages
In the modern era, Broadside was one of the Autobots upgraded into a Triple Changer by Shockwave's new process, after the Autobots and Decepticons negotiated a truce following the Great Shutdown. Along with his fellow former Wrecker Sandstorm, Broadside served as part of Shockwave's Triple Changer Strike Force alongside the Decepticons Astrotrain, Octane and Blitzwing. New World Order But, while Shockwave was making many promises of a new world order where Autobots and Decepticons could live forever in peace, Broadside eventually concluded he could not be trusted. As a result, Broadside and Sandstorm made contact with Smokescreen and Tracks in the Autobot resistance, and began reporting on Shockwave's activities. Cold War
The Triple Changer Strike Force accompanied Shockwave to Earth, where they took into custody the castaway Transformers from the Ark and the Nemesis who had been cut off from developments on Cybertron for the last four million years. As soon as they got the chance, Broadside and Sandstorm freed the Ark's crew from imprisonment, and took them to meet Smokescreen's unit to plan an uprising against the Decepticon rule. Cold War The insurrection went off successfully, and the Autobots reclaimed control of Cybertron from Shockwave. Revelation
IDW comics continuity
Broadside was there. He saw it happen. The conquest of Kaon. The fall of a Prime. The beginning of the Great War. Broadside was there, and amazingly well armed for such a "peaceful" period, though perhaps he took a cue from Sentinel Prime. Either way, the huge old bot was one of the survivors who managed to evacuate before Megatron's takeover. Megatron Origin issue 4
As the war began, Broadside was one of many Autobots tapped at one time or another to join the elite fighting squad known as the Wreckers. Over time, he would become one of the longest-serving (and surviving) members of the group. At the command of Impactor, he fought against the Wreckers' opposite number, Squadron X, and eventually participated in their final conflict on planet Pova in the Redan Quadrant. According to official records, Squadron X managed to escape their confinement, forcing the Wreckers to finish them once and for all. Last Stand of the Wreckers #4 In reality, after the battle, the Wreckers were informed that due to the fact the Wreckers had no jurisdiction on Pova, Squadron X had to be let go or else the Autobots would face diplomatic repercussions. Broadside turned away as Impactor snapped and murdered their prisoners, necessitating the creation of a cover story and Impactor's imprisonement at Garrus-9. Last Stand of the Wreckers #5
Around four hundred years ago, Broadside was attempting to defend Autobot territory on Cybertron from Decepticon expansion. He was part of a unit alongside Kup, Getaway and Huffer shortly after the Battle of Thunderhead Pass, stuck in the trenches on what was left of Cybertron after Thunderwing stomped through it. Spotlight: Blaster
In the present, Broadside was assaulting the Decepticon Siege Armature on Varas Centralus alongside Whirl and Sandstorm when Springer received orders from Optimus Prime to pull out the Wreckers and return to Cybertron. Stormbringer issue 2 After Optimus and the Wreckers quickly crushed Bludgeon's cult, Broadside reported that Thunderwing was coming back. Stormbringer issue 3 When Thunderwing touched down on Cybertron, Broadside, Scoop and Roadbuster operated as advance recon, watching as the monstrous Pretender slowly erupted into a rage as memories of his past flooded what was left of his mind. Broadside had to pick up Scoop and run for it as Thunderwing unleashed a massive wave of energy. After Twin Twist managed to get himself into trouble, Broadside's team were tasked with getting his attention, but were blown away with a mighty clap of his hands. After recovering from having a pocket of gas detonated from underneath them, Broadside and the remaining Autobots fought alongside two squads of Decepticons and reprogrammed Centurion droids to help defeat Thunderwing. Stormbringer issue 4
Later, as the Expansion began, Broadside and the Wreckers came to Corata-Vaz to back-up Ultra Magnus and the Ark-12 crew, once again pitting themselves against Thunderwing. The Pretender had been co-opted by Nemesis Prime and his Dead Universe Transformers as guardian to one of three Nega-Cores, devices which would allow the Dead Universe to expand across the living one completely. Spotlight: Hardhead Broadside and the others tried fruitlessly to get past Thunderwing and shut down the Nega-Core. Spotlight: Doubledealer They were only successful once Jetfire used Bludgeon's old Axis Cradle to hack into Thunderwing's programming and shut down the new directives Jhiaxus had hardwired into him. Spotlight: Sideswipe
Broadside and several members of the Wreckers were captured by Turmoil's Decepticons. They were rescued by the remaining Wreckers under Kup and Springer, and the former Decepticon known as Drift. After this adventure, Kup and Springer formed a unit distinct from the Wreckers aboard the starship Trion, but Broadside and several other Wreckers were not added to this crews. Spotlight: Drift
 Spoiler warning: Plot details for International Incident Part 2: "Ranks of Bronze" follow. |
Several years later, Broadside was among the Autobots who gathered on Earth. Taking on the form of a battleship, he participated in the combined Autobot-Skywatch attack on the Combaticons in North Korea. Their battle plan involved pushing Onslaught and Brawl to the shore, where Broadside opened fire on them. However, this plan failed when Vortex shot down Jetfire, who crashed right into Broadside, heavily damaging them both. International Incident Part 2: "Ranks of Bronze"
Toys
Generation 1
- Broadside (Triple Changer, 1986)
- Japanese ID number: C-85
- Accessories: Plasma pulse gun, Vibro-axe, 2 missiles
- Broadside is the most blatantly out-of-scale Transformer ever. He transforms into an aircraft carrier and a rather unconvincing, apparently aircraft-carrier-sized jet fighter. He carries a rifle and a (comparably) small axe as weapons in robot mode. Two non-firing missiles attach to his wings in jet mode.
Notes
- Broadside has the distinction of having two animated character models, one based on a prototype toy that apparently went just short of production for some reason, and one based on the actual toy. The prototype design—which could be seen in a European toy catalog, at right—was rendered in animated form only in "Carnage in C-Minor" and the commercial for the 1986 Triple Changer toys, where it featured a different color scheme that appeared to be derived from the actual finished toy (lacking the prototype toy's blue). The prototype design also appeared in the 1986 package art mural, and was consistently used for Broadside's Marvel Comics appearances, colored to resemble the prototype toy, blue and all. The second, definitive model appears in "Grimlock's New Brain" and "The Burden Hardest to Bear".
- Broadside made an animated appearance in a television commercial for the Autobot Triple Changers (Sandstorm and himself) and the new Decepticon Triple Changer, Octane. Created as a counterforce to Astrotrain and Blitzwing, both Broadside and Sandstorm were animated transforming from robot to both altmodes and back again. Broadside appeared in the character model based on his original prototype in the colors of his final toy.
- According to "Carnage in C-Minor", Broadside has quite a temper when it comes to his paint job.
- In the Italian adaptation of the characters names, all the three autobot triplechangers featured names of winds. The Italian name of Broadside, however, fit particularly well because is also the name of a French Navy helicopter carrier: "Mistral". This name could also refers to the Grand Prix car Maserati Mistral, but not to the Chilean woman poet Gabriela Mistral.
- In the Italian dub, Broadside/Mistral's speech imitates whale song.
- In the American cartoon, plus in both Dreamwave and IDW comics, Broadside has been portrayed as a relatively large warrior, likely because one of his altmodes is an aircraft carrier. (In Dreamwave's case, however, he was large only in The War Within series and was "normal-sized" in the modern era.)
- Broadside's bio in Dreamwave's More Than Meets The Eye attempts to explain his ability to change into a giant aircraft carrier. Plates, which overlap in his other modes, extend out to cover the mass. As a result, his armor is terribly thin in this mode. It's not like those things need to repel gunfire or anything.
- Oddly, no one ever had a problem with Astrotrain growing into a space shuttle. Those are kinda big too.
