Mini-Con

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This article is about the Transformers type "Mini-Con". For the unit of time "minicon", see Units of time{{#switch:{{#sub:Units of time|-1}} != .= ?= .

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Intentionally designed to look like the letter "M", the Mini-Con symbol is also reflected in the design of Unicron's helmet

Mini-Cons are a race of small, roughly human-sized Transformers capable of powerlinxing with a larger Transformer to impart extra abilities or greatly increase their strength.

Their origins (when explored) vary depending on the continuity in which they appear. In some timelines they are creations of Unicron, while in others, they are creations of the Last Autobot. Others are just... there.

Fiction

3H comics

Ramulus uses "Mini-Con" as a term of derision, implying that CatSCAN is timid or insufficiently assertive. Betrayal

Unicron Trilogy

Cartoon continuity

Unicron created the Mini-Cons to be mindless tools, sent to Cybertron as an agitating element to the Transformers' civil war. The power-enhancing "smart tools" would be unleashed upon the populace, who would snap them up and bond with them, and the war would only get more destructive, as Unicron drank in the negative psychic energies from the death and destruction. Once he'd gathered the power he needed, the Mini-Cons would turn on their supposed masters, incapacitating them, and Unicron would fully awaken to devour the planet and all Transformers on it, eliminating his biggest obstacle to devouring all of existence.

But through a strange warp in space and time that no one really bothered to explain, three human children from the future—Rad, Carlos and Alexis—were sent to the Mini-Cons' birthing chamber on Cybertron just seconds before the small robots emerged from their pods. As the Mini-Cons had been designed to form mental bonds with other life forms, when Rad touched the Mini-Con who he knew from the future as High Wire, High Wire apparently formed his bond then, with Rad... and through the Mini-Cons' shared "soul dimension", the Linkage, sentience and free will spread throughout the Mini-Cons, forming "souls", and crippling Unicron's plans drastically.

Dreamwave comics continuity

Gotta catch 'em all!

Mini-Cons are a second race of Transformer, mostly living in designated sectors by themselves, which left them open to attack when Megatron led his Decepticons on capture raids. Through experimentation on prisoners, the Decepticons discovered the Mini-Cons were rewired, their power (disproportionate to their size) could be added to a Transformer through Powerlinxing. Mini-Cons are also capable of tapping an extra-dimensional energy source of unknown origin, but are wary of doing this, and most have inhibitors installed to prevent this from happening.

Over-Run, a Mini-Con refugee from another dimension, led Cybertron's collected Mini-Cons in tapping that dimension's energies and channeling them into an attack on Unicron which left him stranded on the far fringes of space.

After Unicron's defeat, most Mini-Cons re-established their villages in the Mini-Con sector. When Unicron reappeared ten years later, no one went to fetch the Mini-Cons to battle Unicron again, so it seems likely the Mini-Cons' connection to their extra-dimensional power source was severed.

There is no indication that Mini-Cons are related to Unicron in Dreamwave continuity.

Powerlinx and Evolution

Mini-Cons have the special ability to actually evolve other machines, from transforming simple cars into jet-powered assault vehicles, to upgrading Transformers to have new weapons spring from their body. The nature of Powerlinxing is emphasized more in the Japanese Micron Legend counterpart to Transformers Armada. Once powerlinked, the Autobot would call out "EVOLUTION!" and a portion of their body would literally reconfigure to become a new weapon. Afterwards, they retained this new ability without the powerlinking of the Mini-Con which granted it. Linking to that Mini-Con again simply enhances their firepower. The Mini-Con is not required in order to use the evolved weaponry afterwards. This has caused some confusion in the Armada viewing audience due to dub issues and the downplaying of the "Evolution" theme. Despite this, the term is used twice in the American series by Megatron.

Gigantion Mini-Cons

The exact origin of the Gigantion Mini-Cons is questionable as presented within the context of the show itself. The show offers little to nothing on their genesis, merely their function as "little detail" workers whose brains developed similarly to human children because of this (uh, yeah). Snarl speculated that they evolved a small stature to adapt to Gigantion like he adapted to the Jungle Planet. In Galaxy Force, they are stated to have existed since ancient times and controlled the larger Transformers. There are even ancient ruins discovered with inscriptions using Armada Mini-Con model sheets.

The Fun Publications fiction has linked these Mini-Cons to those of Armada, which simply has them migrating to Gigantion (as well as the other colony worlds) with the Transformers carrying the Cyber Planet Keys, offering the only definitive origin of those Mini-Cons. This would also make them creations of Unicron. However, this does not fully line up with the fiction, as the Mini-Cons in Armada are shown appearing in the time of Optimus Prime, years after the world colonization—so the matter is left more than a bit vague.

Packaging blurb

Long ago, Mini-Cons fled Cybertron to escape the endless war between Autobots and Decepticons. Many teams were broken up in that war, leaving only a few left living in peace while roaming the universe.<ref>Universe Armada Series Mini-Con multi-pack packaging blurb.</ref>

Generation 1

Classics

Mini-Cons were created by the Last Autobot to cleanse Cybertron of Demons and Mutants before the Autobots returned. The New World

"Eternal Prisoner"

The latest (as of this update) assortment of Micron Boosters features Mini-Cons with Autobot, Decepticon, Maximal and Predacon insignia. There is little to no information about when this set "takes place".

Similarly, three store-exclusive Mini-Cons released at the time, Torque Gain, Noise Effect and Wedge Shape seem to be in the same boat, especially as Wedge Shape's toy is branded as a Maximal (though his instructions claim him to be a Predacon).

Beast Wars (Japan)

Dragoyell is a combatant in the Beast Wars, though his ninja-like powers mean he is rarely seen. His bio and instructions explicitly say he's a Maximal... but his toy is branded as an Autobot. Hmm.

Live action film series

Little is known about the nature of Mini-Cons in this continuity, other than the fact that they're small. Known Mini-Cons include Longarm, Frenzy, Chopster, Bomb-Burst, Catilla, Triceradon, Dualor, Rav and Pinpointer.

Aligned continuity

Minicons (no dash) are a race of small Transformers, native to Cybertron's two moons. They include High Councilor Ratbat, Frenzy, Rumble, Laserbeak and Ravage. Megatron despises them. Transformers: Exodus

The first Minicon was also a member of the Thirteen.<ref>TFW coverage of Botcon 2011 Hasbro Story Building Panel</ref>

A new form of Minicon was created on Earth when the planet's energon infused the Transformers' weapons with life and transformation ability. These new robots became known as the Arms Microns.

The Arms Micron backstory was told specifically in reference to the "partner" Microns packed in with larger toys, but it is assumed that it holds true for all toys called "Arms Microns" regardless of release type.


Things that are not Mini-Cons

There have been a number of character or toys that either have Powerlink 'catcher' ports but are not Mini-Cons, or are recolored from Mini-Con molds (often even having the molded-in faction symbol) but who are nonetheless, according to their associated bios or fiction, not actually Mini-Cons.

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Toys

Mini-Con toys debuted as the signature element of the Armada franchise, bringing the "micro play pattern" back to Transformers after many years' absence. Much like Armada itself, the Mini-Cons proved to be a smash hit with fans and kids, and Hasbro scrambled to include them in the subsequent franchises.
Most Mini-Cons stand around 2" tall, roughly the same size as their Micromaster predecessors. Most Mini-Cons are considerably more complex, as well; unlike Micromasters, there's no single dominant transformation scheme. With dozens of molds, Mini-Cons cover a wide range of articulation, size, alternate modes, and complexity. Aesthetically, their facial designs tend toward the unorthodox.
Each Mini-Con includes one or more Powerlinx ports somewhere on their body, a 5mm round peg-slot that allows them to be attached to any "Bulk" figure with a corresponding Powerlinx peg. These pegs were standard-issue on the larger, original-mold Armada toys, where at least one such peg could be used to activate various gimmicks on each large figure. Toys from subsequent franchise have featured Powerlinx pegs only as a static feature. Due to the center-peg of the Powerlinx port, they are incompatible with normal 5mm posts. Later Mini-Cons (starting with the Power Core Combiners series) would sometimes have 5mm holes without the "signature" center-peg.
Because of the overwhelming number of Mini-Con redecos—we're talking well into the hundreds—the following list is of unique first-use molds only.

Armada

3-pack team molds

Air Military Mini-Con Team

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Adventure Mini-Con Team

Air Defense Mini-Con Team

Air Military Mini-Con Team

Destruction Mini-Con Team

Emergency Mini-Con Team

Land Military Mini-Con Team

Race Mini-Con Team

Sea Mini-Con Team

Space Mini-Con Team

Street Action Mini-Con Team

Street Speed Mini-Con Team

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Partner Mini-Con molds

Leader-1

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Micron Densetsu

  • Hikari no Unicron (campaign prize item)
    • Accessories: Chest missile, 6 leg missiles
The "Unicron of Light" toy is a redeco of Armada Unicron in an emerald, light green, blue, and white color-scheme. This Unicron was the prize for a lucky-draw contest in Japan.

Energon

3-packs

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Energon Saber Team

Street Action Mini-Con Team

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Other

  • Kicker/Highwire 2-pack

Cybertron

Partner Mini-Con

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3-packs

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Recon Mini-Con Team

Giant Planet Mini-Con Team

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Classics (2006)

Clear Skies Team

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Demolition Team

Dinobots

Night Rescue Team

Clear Skies Team

Dirt Digger Team

Predator Attack Team

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Universe (2008)

Nightstick, despite being a Nebulan Targetmaster, is oddly identified as a Mini-Con on the "Battle in Space" packaging.


Power Core Combiners

Chopster (with Smolder)

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Prime

Mini-Cons

O.P.

Arms Microns {{ #if: {{#ifexpr: 3 }}

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Merchandise

Attacktix

Goooood.
  • Mini-Con (Booster, 2006)


ID number: TF01
Rarity:
Faction: Autobot
Class: Trooper
Special: Attackback - 4/26 (15%) success ratio
Point Cost: 10
Base Speed: 4
Attack Type: Shooter (small missile)


The first assortment of Transformers Attacktix figures included a "generic" Mini-Con, based on Skyboom. Each Mini-Con figure has 3 points of articulation, including waist and shoulders; however, their shoulders move together due to their gun. One of the shortest, most squat Attacktix figures, the Mini-Con is very stable despite its small base.
Its Special Power, "Attackback", allows a free move and attack for any of your in-play Autobot pieces. Mini-Con is an excellent support figure for Landmine, whose "Shootback" power allows up to three Mini-Cons to make a free attack.


Eeeevil.
  • Minicon (Booster, 2007)


ID number: TF03
Rarity:
Faction: Decepticon
Class: Trooper
Special: Attackback
Point Cost: 10
Base Speed: 4
Attack Type: Shooter (small missile)


An as-yet unreleased redeco of the Attacktix "Minicon" (sic) piece is set for the second series' Booster Packs, though this time as a Decepticon-aligned piece. It features a color scheme not on any incarnation of the actual Sonar/Skyboom toy, but wouldn't that be neat? The exact details of its Attackback special power are as yet unknown.
This piece was later characterized as "Bunker-Buster" in the members-only portion of the Fun Publications Transformers Collectors' Club website.


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Notes

  • During the Armada line, the term "Mini-Con" was also the name of a size class which consisted of three-packs of small toys (which were also individually referred to as "Mini-Cons"). Other size classes from the Armada line were named "Super-Con", "Max-Con" and "Giga-Con". However, the name "Mini-Con" was the only one actually used in the corresponding fiction. In the toyline, it was also used for other small figures of the same size that were available as companion figures with the larger toys. Due to its use in fiction, the name was also carried over into subsequent lines such as Energon and Universe, and was used as (part of) the name of a price point again in the Cybertron toyline, the "Mini-Con Class" consisting of two-packs. The later Classics toyline returned to the original three-pack style.

Foreign names

  • Japanese: Micron (マイクロン Maikuron)
  • French: Minican (France), Minimodus (Canada)
  • Spanish: Minimodus
  • Dutch: Miniteam

References

<references/>



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