Windblade (G1)
| The name or term "Windblade" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Windblade (disambiguation). |
- Windblade is an Autobot from the IDW portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.
Windblade is a young Transformer who puts duty and truth first, even when both are difficult. Her friend and bodyguard Chromia can get frustrated at times with the strength of Windblade's convictions, and Chromia believes Windblade trusts too much. This may not be a worldview that can survive sharing a planet with Starscream.
Windblade is a better-than-average swordswoman, but her claim to fame is her rare talent for communicating with dormant Metrotitans, for which she bears the title of Cityspeaker. Like other Cityspeakers, her face bears the markings of Caminus.
Fiction
IDW Generation 1 continuity
 Plot details for A 'Bot and Her City follow. |
Plot details for Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World follow. |
Plot details for World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace follow. |
Windblade was a Transformer who hailed from the planet/city of Caminus, and like the rest of her people she had adapted to have a gender, in her case female. Like her fellow inhabitants she had been cut off from Cybertron for millions of years, and her people have had to weigh every action they take. Her people's isolation ended with the arrival of Thunderclash, who had come seeking help from a Cityspeaker in order to aid Metroplex. A Bot and Her City The Autobot had been sent by Alpha Trion as the ancient 'bot was otherwise engaged.
Yes, Windblade and the brain
One is an organ
The other's [CHARACTERIZATION PENDING]
Windblade, her bodyguard Chromia, and Nautica joined Thunderclash aboard the Vis Vitalis. After some time they managed to run into Metroplex, and the three chose to station up inside him to keep him alive. Eventually, a team of Autobots from the Lost Light arrived and were able to give Metroplex a jump-start from their ship, allowing them all to spacebridge back to Cybertron, where a battle between its inhabitants and the Necrotitan was taking place. Burning Bright
Windblade was surprised to see the other Titan, and asked the other Autobots if they knew Metroplex would have to fight one upon his arrival on Cybertron; Ultra Magnus did not, but suspected Metroplex did. For a moment they considered fleeing Metroplex while he was battling the Necrotitan, in order to remove themselves from danger, but since it was impossible to flee without abandoning some of their own, they remained until Metroplex himself was suddenly restored by Megatron returning his Regenesis Ore-laden thumb to him, allowing him to defeat the Necrotitan. Finis Temporis
After the battle, Windblade spoke to Ultra Magnus on Metroplex's condition as he recovered. Although Windblade had not been able to learn much, she did know Metroplex had picked up the ore at some point, and jettisoned it and his thumb when he was attacked by Ammonites. Their discussion was soon interrupted, and Magnus was forced to leave. The Becoming However not long afterwards Ammonites began to swarm Cybertron, forcing Magnus to radio Windblade to ask Metroplex for aid. The titan needed no encouragement, and began to fight the horde. Black Planet
Upon all of the Ammonites being destroyed by Metalhawk, Windblade and her fellow Camiens were called on by Mainframe to finish Monstructor's component parts off. ...And the Damage Done
Windblade witnessed the trial of Megatron. World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace Subsequently, she and Ironhide stayed behind on Cybertron under Starscream's leadership as the Lost Light and the Ark-7 departed. Optimus Prime warned her to be wary of Starscream. Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World
Six months later, Windblade had tried settling into life on Cybertron as it had settled into Metroplex. She had an important role as Cityspeaker to the heavily-damaged Metroplex, though she was a novice at it and Starscream, the planet's leader, grew impatient and suspicious of her. Rolling blackouts threatened the city, and after she investigated the cause of those with Chromia, she also sought advice for how to best interact with Starscream. After talking with many of the denizens of Blurr's bar, she came to the sobering realization that Starscream was a scheming opportunist who shouldn't be trusted. Not long after this revelation, an explosion seriously damaged her and put her under medical care. Moments before the explosion, she'd seen Rattrap, Starscream's henchman, leaving the scene, and as she awoke from her medical bed, seeing Starscream approach her, she suspected Cybertron's leader had tried to kill her. A 'Bot and Her City
Toys
Generations
- Windblade (Deluxe, 2014?)
- Accessories: "Tornado Blade"
- Part of wave 10 of Generations Deluxe Class toys, Windblade transforms from a VTOL jet into a female robot with 'facepaint' evocative of Japanese Kabuki theatre makeup. She comes with a sword and a scabbard for the sword! Her VTOL fans spin.
Notes
- Windblade is the first "officially fan-created" Transformer ever, the culmination of Hasbro's "Fan-Built Bot" initiative program. Two polls on Hasbro's official website allowed fans to determine her character and physical traits (well, most of her traits - her Japanese motifs weren't an option in the poll and seem to be the work of the design team).
- From April 18th to May 5th, 2013,[1] fans decided her faction (Autobot over Decepticon), alternate mode (jet over car, truck, tank, spaceship, terran beast [land], avian beast [airborne], helicopter, motorcycle, and construction), signature weapon (sword over blaster cannon, flame thrower, mace, spear/harpoon, morning star, Cybertronian taser, nunchucks, crossbow, and long-range blaster), color scheme (red & black over green & gold, blue & silver, orange & white, or purple & bronze) and personality (from valiant, sneaky, hotshot, secretive, wild man, and grumpy).[2]
- From May 10th to May 17th, fans voted on name (Windblade over Autobot Eclipse, Charon, Centuritron, Cashtron, Autobot Wraith), gender (female over male), origin (from Kaon, Iacon, Altihex, Kalis, and Praxus) and specialty (from combat medic, bodyguard, recon, telepath, and close combat specialist).[3]
- Subsequently, Windblade was revealed at San Diego Comic-Con 2013, where concept sketches of her (and the piece of finished art to the right) were part of the Transformers brand presentation.
- Concept sketches at San Diego Comic-Con showed that European knight (with visor, arm shield, and fencing foil-esque sword) and Roman warrior (with twin swords) concepts for Windblade were considered before her Japanese stylings were finalized. A different pre-production sketch gave her a Japanese hand-fan weapon in addition to her sword. Speaking of her Japanese motifs, her finalized helmet was apparently designed to resemble the hairstyle commonly worn by the onna bugeisha, the upper-class warrior-women of feudal Japan.
- At Toy Fair 2014, Windblade was noted as being the handiwork of designer Lenny Panzica, who put "probably five times as much energy" into her as the rest of his workload.
- Her name works on many levels: "Wind Blade" is a real variety of industrial fan blade; she turns into a jet with VTOL turbofans; Hasbro designers had said they envisioned her coursing more energy into her sword blade through a spinning turbine fan in the hilt; and, of course, she was the fans' choice character.
