Hightower (RID)
| The name or term "Hightower" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Hightower (disambiguation). |
- Hightower is an Autobot from the Robots in Disguise continuity family.
Hightower is a member of the Build Team, and their best marksman. Oddly, his particular weapon of choice is the rather imprecise flamethrower. He's a bit of a fanboy to Wedge, acting as both a bodyguard and advisor to the team leader.
| “ | Stay alert; danger is everywhere. | ” |
—Hightower's motto | ||
- Japanese name: Build Cyclone
Fiction
Robots in Disguise cartoon
- Voice actor: Keith Anthony (English), Masami Iwasaki (Japanese)
When the Autobot Brothers encountered the Build Team in an unfinished tunnel, Hightower enthusiastically promoted Wedge's tunnel building abilities. When Wedge secured the team a chance for combat, he played up Wedge's future as a warrior, and almost got into a fight with Grimlock as a result. Once Wedge had been captured by the Predacons, Hightower wasn't keen on letting Heavy Load turn over the disk with the space bridge plans on, but knew it was the only way to get Wedge back. They subsequently ended up chasing a penguin which had snatched the disk — fortunately the disk turned out to be a decoy. Wedge's Short Fuse
After the completion of the Arctic link, Hightower followed Wedge off to combat practice, leaving Grimlock to enter the data into the control computer. When the Decepticons subsequently sabotaged the space bridge, Build Team was called to the computer terminal and Hightower quickly found the reprogrammed computer bank. The space tunnel now fixed, Build Team combined into Landfill to fight off Megatron and Scourge from the north energy research facility. Landfill
After Sky-Byte and the Predacons attacked the CGA Tower, Wedge helped to hold it up but the rest of the Build Team were forced to stay back. They defended the tower against Scourge's attack and formed Landfill in order to dig a new foundation for the tower, allowing the safe release of the hostages. Sky-Byte Saves the Day
On discovering that the Commandos had been attacking construction equipment, the Build Team decided to face the Decepticons alone, and Hightower sabotaged the space bridge using the same technique as the Decepticons a few episode before, resulting in the other Autobots being sent to random locations. The Build Team themselves confronted the Commandos but were overwhelmed by the fighting prowess of their opponents. Build Team regrouped and formed Landfill, eventually narrowly defeating Ruination. Afterward they enjoyed a soothing oil bath with Team Bullet Train. A Test of Metal
Hightower and the Build Team helped test the space bridge (even though they obviously knew it would work). Lessons of the Past
Sent to dig at a site beneath Metro City where they'd been before, the Build Team began to hear strange noises, and Hightower nervously suggested they stop digging. Soon they experienced hallucinations as they had the last time and Hightower quickly succumbed. Eventually they broke through to a cavern containing Fortress Maximus and formed Landfill to fight the Decepticons who then arrived. Fortress Maximus Hightower and the rest of Build Team subsequently hid Fortress Maximus in a huge building in the middle of the city. Koji Gets His Wish
With Doctor Onishi recovered, the Build Team and Autobot Brothers began a race to locate the last five O-Parts. Hightower hoisted up Wedge on his crane to recover the third O-Part which unfortunately ended up in the hands of the Autobot Brothers anyway. When Wedge was furious at Side Burn for taking the O-Part, Hightower reminded him it was only a game. A Friendly Contest
The Build Team accompanied the Autobot Brothers on a mission to find Cerebros beneath an ancient temple. This was fortunate, as the Decepticons caved the temple in on top of them, and the Build Team were able to dig the Autobots out. They subsequently helped to guard Fortress Maximus. To no one's surprise, the Decepticons attacked, and Build Team formed Landfill to help see them off. Maximus Emerges
When Scourge made a second attempt to control Maximus in the Sahara desert, the Build Team and Team Bullet Train picked up a large number of children and took them to the site via the global space bridge. There the children were able to command Maximus to stop. The Human Element
When the Decepticons launched an attack on the Autobot base, the Build Team was called to a predetermined location with the rest of the Autobots to spring a trap on their foe. When the Megastar joined the fight, they formed Landfill, who was promptly blown apart by the battle station's firepower. Surprise Attack!
After the defeat of the Megastar, Landfill was formed again to fight the Decepticons while Omega Prime engaged in combat with Galvatron. Galvatron unleashed his cyber-bats, causing Prime to call a retreat, and the Autobots found themselves trapped in a space bridge tunnel rapidly filling with molten lava. Although they escaped, Galvatron soon had them at his mercy again. Galvatron's Revenge
As Galvatron attempted to attack Optimus Prime, Landfill and the other Autobots blocked his attack and were paralysed by Galvatron's power. They remained in this state until Omega Prime was able to defeat Galvatron in the Earth's core. Afterward, just for fun, the Build Team did some more work on the space bridge. The Final Battle
Toys
Robots in Disguise
- Hightower (Deluxe, 2000/2001)
- Japanese ID number: C-021
- Accessories: Pistol, crane-cannon
- Hightower transforms into a red crane truck. His crane-boom detaches to form a massive cannon with flip-out barrel, and his small hand-held pistol stores in his boom-operator's compartment. Hightower can form both arms (simultaneously) or either leg of Landfill.
- Build King (Multi-pack, 2000)
- Japanese ID number: C-022
- In Japan, the entire Build Team set of Wedge, Heavy Load, Hightower and Grimlock was made available. The toys included were identical to the individual Takara releases.
- Landfill (Multi-pack, 2003)
- A mainly-yellow redeco of the entire Build Team was released as a Wal-Mart exclusive in November of 2003, as a multi-pack released on "Black Friday", the day after Thanksgiving, the most hellishly overcrowded shopping day of the year. The set cost considerably less than four individual deluxes.
