Brainstorm (G1)
| This article is about the Headmaster character. For the Marvel comic issue, see Brainstorm!. |
- Brainstorm is an Autobot Headmaster from the Generation 1 continuity family.
Brainstorm believes that all of society's problems can be resolved so long as ideas can be developed free of outside constraints. This is understandable, as Brainstorm is a never-ending font of ideas. Even when he isn't consciously working on one of his projects or even when he's in the middle of a fight, new ideas are the background noise of his mind. Brainstorm thinks so much, he sometimes causes his brain to overheat. He looks forward to a time when military demands no longer frame his creative output.
Brainstorm is at least partly responsible for developing the Headmaster process. It's sometimes hard to tell how much of it was his doing and how much was his Headmaster partner Arcana's, the two work together so seamlessly.
Fiction
Marvel Comics continuity
After Optimus Prime and his troops aboard the Ark went missing, Brainstorm was one of several under the leadership of Fortress Maximus. Their faction was mired in a seemingly endless war with a band of Decepticons led by Scorponok, in a struggle so pointless and self-perpetuating that Fortress Maximus decided to leave Cybertron and its war and settle on the peaceful planet Nebulos. Brainstorm followed Fortress Maximus's lead, building the Steelhaven and departing their war-torn home.
It would not be so easy. The Nebulans were xenophobic towards the strange robots which invaded their world, and after several missteps in communication, Fortress Maximus, Brainstorm, and a handful of others surrendered their heads as hopeful proof of their benevolence and compliance. Ring of Hate!
When the Decepticons arrived on Nebulos, Fortress Maximus and Brainstorm convinced Galen to attempt the creation of hybrid warriors through a bio-mechanical engineering process. An experimental surgeon named Arcana constructed the necessary equipment based on the Autobots' theories and underwent the process himself along with several other Nebulans, binary bonding with Brainstorm. Broken Glass!
During an adventure that happened at some unspecified point that was logically impossible given the circumstances, Brainstorm and the other Autobot Headmasters fought the Decepticon Headmasters while the Autobot Targetmasters were held captive by the Decepticons. Mindwipe hypnotized Brainstorm, causing him to crash into Hardhead, and in general, the Autobots put up a terrible fight. But Brainstorm refused to give up and abandon their captured comrades. The four attacked the Decepticons' Fortress of Despair and were overwhelmed, but because the Autobots learned to work together with their new Nebulan partners, they were able to rescue the Targetmasters. Worlds Apart!
The new Headmasters managed to drive off the Decepticons, but also inadvertently created a new "arms race", as the Decepticons later created Headmasters of their own, and both sides also implemented Targetmaster warriors as well. Fearing things could only get worse for Nebulos, Fortress Maximus and Galen took the excuse of an intercepted distress signal from Earth to abandon Nebulos and prevent the war from causing any further harm to the planet. Brothers in Armor!!
On the way to Earth, Brainstorm re-engineered Fortress Maximus to be larger and stronger than ever before. Then, he and Arcana managed to triangulate the Autobot signal to Mount St. Hilary. This led into their first battle with Scorponok's forces on Earth and to the death of Galen. Trial by Fire!
As the Steelhaven orbited the Earth, Brainstorm was kept busy building Goldbug a new body, repairing the injured Fortress Maximus and assisting in the creation of the Autobot Pretenders. Pretender to the Throne! Unfortunately, those projects used up most of the group's available resources and prevented the proper recreation of Optimus Prime. The project proceeded despite Brainstorm's accurate warnings of failure. Totaled!
Brainstorm was displaced to Limbo along with a handful of other Autobots when Rodimus Prime traveled to the past with a group of Autobots of his own. Time Wars
Later, he was one of the victims of a rogue Autobot Mark V Guardian droid, which resulted in him being thrown from the Ark and landing at the feet of Optimus Prime. Brainstorm's flaming body helped contribute to the Autobot leader regaining his desire to fight. Yesterday's Heroes!
Brainstorm was killed when Unicron ravaged Cybertron in 1991. Even Brainstorm's vast intellect failed him when confronted with the devil himself, so he simply screamed and shot desperately until Unicron scooped him up. He was quite tasty. On the Edge of Extinction!
The Transformers cartoon
- Voice actor: Michael Bell (English), Hiroshi Naka (Japanese)
Brainstorm was first seen on Cybertron, touting his new theory that an integration of human and Autobot would dramatically enhance their fighting abilities. Most of the other Autobots, though, thought he was a crackpot. Things turned around when he and a group of Autobots met a band of freedom fighters while stranded on the planet Nebulos. With several comrades kidnapped and the safety of the MacGuffin key to the Plasma Energy Chamber in jeopardy, the Autobots arranged to bond with the Nebulan soldiers. Their heads were reconstructed to accommodate Nebulan passengers and then "transform" around their partners as personal battle armor. The Rebirth, Part 1
With the help of their partners, the Autobot Headmasters freed their comrades and drove off the Decepticons. Unfortunately, their foes then joined forces with the freedom fighters' enemies, a group of evil machinesmiths called the Hive. They also created a new form of binary bonding called Targetmasters. The revitalized Decepticons returned and engaged the Autobots in battle anew. Mindwipe detected the key on Brainstorm and managed to disarm him. Several Hive agents then swarmed Brainstorm and removed the key from him, but he was able to run a full spectrum exo-scan on Nightstick, one of the Targetmaster partners, before they got away. With that information, Brainstorm was able to recreate the Targetmaster process for the Autobots. The Rebirth, Part 2
Returning to Cybertron in pursuit of the key and the new Decepticon city-base, Scorponok, Brainstorm and the others joined forces with Optimus Prime, and their partners were instrumental in reversing the chamber's power to usher in a new Golden Age for Cybertron. In the aftermath, Brainstorm and the Headmasters returned to Nebulos to clear out the Hive's machines and restore the planet to peace and prosperity. The Rebirth, Part 3
Japanese cartoon continuity
The Headmasters cartoon
- Voice actor: Ryōichi Tanaka (Japanese)
Four million years ago, Brainstorm was one of a number of small Cybertronians who left Cybertron in search of a new home. The Mystery of Planet Master they ended up crashlanding on Master, an inhospitable world with harsh weather conditions and a hostile environment, forcing them to rapidly advance in technology to survive. Brainstorm was among those to become a Headmaster, mastering the art of transforming so he could take control of a Transtector. The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery Unfortunately once they'd succeeded, a number of the Headmasters broke away from Fortress's leadership under the command of Scorponok. The Mystery of Planet Master
In the year 2011, when Galvatron launched his latest attack on Cybertron with the added power of his new Decepticon Headmasters, Brainstorm and his fellow Autobot Headmasters travelled to the planet to help their comrades defend their homeworld. Four Warriors Come out of the Sky On arrival, they set about fighting the Decepticons. Brainstorm and Chromedome were able to overcome Mindwipe, despite the Decepticon's powers of hypnotism. Following the battle's conclusion, they traveled to Athenia on board Battleship Maximus to join the Autobot forces there. Though they volunteered to accompany Hot Rod to Earth to help search for the Matrix of Leadership, he insisted on sidelining them. The Mystery of Planet Master After Blaster's death, the Headmasters joined Hot Rod anyway and helped him search. When the came under attack from Abominus, they were able to hold the Decepticon off long enough for Hot Rod to dig up the Matrix. They accompanied him back to Cybertron, where Hot Rod once more became Rodimus Prime, but they failed to stabilize Vector Sigma, and Optimus Prime was forced to do it himself by sacrificing his life. Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime
When the Decepticons created the Madmachine, the four Headmasters were ready to storm over to Chaar and destroy it, but Rodmius intended instead to send the Cassettes. When the Cassettes refused the mission, Brainstorm blocked their way, wanting to know what their problem was. Daniel pointed out they were still upset about Blaster's death, however Fortress resurrected Blaster as Twincast. While Twincast went to Earth, the Headmasters were sent to Cybertron and helped Throttlebots to destroy the Madmachine. The Great Cassette Operation While on patrol in Battleship Maximus, the Headmasters encountered two Beastformers, leading them to travel to planet Beast to thwart a Decepticon invasion. Rebellion on Planet Beast After failing to destroy a strange meteor, they aided the Technobots in a fight against Decepticons. Partway though, they were called back to Athenia so they could accompany Daniel on a mission to destroy the meteor, and Brainstorm and his fellows kept Galvatron's men busy while Daniel completed said mission. Approach of the Demon Meteorite
The Headmasters were sent to Praum to investigate reports of a Decepticon attack. On arrival, they found the base had been devastated and the occupants apparently destroyed, moving Brainstorm to make the sign of the cross. It turned out to be a trap set by Scorponok, but the five Headmasters remembered their struggles back on Master and swapped Transtectors in order to escape. Brainstorm made great use of Highbrow's Transtector during the ensuing battle against the Decepticons. The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery While investigating a mysterious blackmailer, the Headmasters checked out the Statue of Liberty. They arrived in London with Metroplex, only to find the Decepticons had leveled the place. They similarly arrived back in New York too late, though Brainstorm spotted Cyclonus and Scourge and inquired whether they were there on a date. They later aided the Trainbots in catching up with and defeating Sixshot, whom they'd encountered before on Master. Terror! The Six Shadows
IDW comics continuity
Brainstorm was one of the newest Autobot recruits added to their ranks when Optimus Prime rose to become Supreme Commander. Ironhide didn't think much of Brainstorm's chances of survival in the early days of the Great War. Old Ways
Brainstorm briefly appeared among the Autobot troops fighting Megatron and the Decepticons on Cybertron in the distant past. All Hail Megatron issue 1
He was later stationed at the Kimia Facility, working on lots of experimental technology and weaponry for the Autobot cause. Brainstorm was often considered the insane standard that all other weapon designers in Kimia held themselves to. More than any other Autobot, he had beaten a path to Room 113 where his creations were time and time again rejected by the Ethics Committee as violations of the Non-Conventional Weapons Act. Undaunted by the rejections, Brainstorm continued to dream up more outlandish and dangerous weapons in his time at Kimia. His most daring inventions were referred to as the "Unmentionables". Bullets
On Prowl's orders, he (alongside Perceptor) used Pretender technology to rebuild Kup into a sane, rejuvenated 'bot. Everything in Its Right Place
At Ironfist's request, Brainstorm agreed to go over the gun that misfired the cerebro-sensitive bullet into Ironfist's skull, looking for what went wrong with the firing mechanism. Brainstorm let the review fall into his backlog for several months, probably because Ironfist neglected to mention the accident had left a bullet in his skull, slowly killing him. Brainstorm finally reported back just as Ironfist was leaving for the Wreckers, revealing his findings that showed the gun had been rigged to go off at a certain angle. The saboteur, Skyfall, wasn't apprehended until nine months later, so Brainstorm apparently did nothing to follow up on his findings after alerting Ironfist. Bullets
Brainstorm and the other scientists were caught by surprise when Cyclonus and the Sweeps invaded Kimia. Chaos Part One: Lamentations He survived and managed to escape before the facility's destruction, leaving in an escape pod together with Chromedome and a number of other Autobots. They were soon rescued by "a psychopath in pink armor". Chaos Part Three: Kings From her, they learned that they had to save the universe by stopping Galvatron from letting the Dead Universe into it. Brainstorm had a hard time grasping all this, and together with Chromedome wondered if any species other than Cybertronians ever had to deal with this kind of problem. Chaos Part Four: Genesis
Games
Transformers: The Headmasters
Brainstorm was kidnapped by the Decepticons and held captive on the Jail planet by Abominus. He was rescued by Chromedome and his other comrades, and in turn helped rescue those who were still imprisoned. Once they had reunited, Brainstorm and the others met with Fortress Maximus for the last battle against Scorponok. Transformers: The Headmasters
The Transformers (PS2)
- Voice actor: Peter von Gomm
Autobot story
Decepticon story
Brainstorm, believing he was the match of the Decepticon leader, challenged Megatron's march on Zel Samine as his forces made their way through an array of wind turbines. They handed his aft to him, leaving Brainstorm shocked and confused; how could his frontal attack against superior forces have failed?
He retreated to formulate a new plan.
Later, at ELTA, Chromedome and Brainstorm joined forces to battle the Decepticons again, to no avail. The Transformers
Toys
Generation 1
- Brainstorm (1987)
- Japanese ID number: C-104
- Accessories: "Arcana" Headmaster pilot, left & right "High-Energy Photon Pulse Cannons"
- Brainstorm transforms into a turquoise Cybertronic fighter craft. Both of Brainstorm's twin pistols attach to the front of his alt-mode's nosecone to extend it and augment it with two canard wings. As with all larger Headmaster toys, Brainstorm features both a cockpit suitable for his partner, Arcana, to sit in and an abbreviated Tech Specs bar graph inside his chest hidden under a hinged panel. When a compatible Headmaster head is plugged into the socket on Brainstorm's body, the bars will show three of that character's Tech Specs.
Notes
- In early planning stages, the Large Headmasters were to have differently styled heads that would be replaced by their more familiar heads during the Headmaster process. A commercial for Headmasters #1 featuring animation of Brainstorm and others is the only time these designs were used.
- The Headmasters appeared in a second commercial with much more sophisticated animation. In this entry, we see the Autobot Headmasters lined up in vehicle modes as their Nebulan partners run up into their cockpits and then launch into an attack. [1]
- Additional footage of the Headmasters featured in the animated introduction to the first commercial for the Pretenders. As Brainstorm battles Mindwipe, the narration claims that after a series of defeats, the Autobots are required to up the ante by developing Pretender technology.
- In all three of these commercials, Brainstorm is colored in his Marvel Comics colors rather than his color scheme seen in "The Rebirth", with his dark green and orange being replaced with cyan and yellow.
- Brainstorm is a Christian! In the Headmasters cartoon episode "The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery", when the Headmasters encounter a massacre on the planet Praum, he crosses himself. (This is slightly less bizarre than it seems; the space frontier colony Iron Town includes a robot-scaled Church with a cross on it.)
Foreign names
- Japanese: Cana (カーナ Kāna), Brainstorm (ブレインストーム Bureinsutōmu)
- French: Cerveau (Canada, "Brain")
- Hungarian: Agytröszt ("Brain-trust, an expression for a genius")
- Italian: Goblin
- Mandarin: Burn (Taiwan, 伯恩 Bó Ēn), Xiao Zhuge (China, 小诸葛, "Little Zhuge Liang")
- Russian: Fantazjor (Фантазёр, "Dreamer")
