Hi-Q
| This article is about the Nebulan scientist. For the American trucker, see Ginrai. |
- Hi-Q is an Autobot Nebulan who forms the Powermaster engine of Optimus Prime in the Generation 1 continuity family. He is sometimes known as Ginrai.
A genius in computer programming and design, Hi-Q was renowned on Nebulos. The Hi-Q Industrial Research Complex, named for him, produced many technological innovations that dramatically improved the quality of life on the planet. Definitely more of a thinker than a fighter, he provides Optimus Prime with more than just power. Scientific skill, wisdom, and sage advice are perhaps his greatest contributions.
Fiction
Marvel Comics continuity
When the Headmasters and Targetmasters left Nebulos for Earth, they left a planet in ruin. The Council of Peers petitioned its top scientists to prevent such a disaster from ever occurring again. Hi-Q had a workable solution: detonating a bomb in their atmosphere that would poison all Transformer-usable fuel on the planet, should they ever return. However, his partner, Hi-Test, grew jealous of Hi-Q's accomplishment and abandoned him.
Hi-Q's plan would have been vindicated when Dreadwind and Darkwing arrived on Nebulos to look for Scorponok, falling ill, if it weren't for the illegal actions of the disgruntled Hi-Test and his criminal friend Throttle. Stealing files from Hi-Q's lab, Hi-Test and Throttle became Powermasters with the Decepticon pair, allowing them to refuel and once again visit horrors on the planet.
A group of Autobots led by Goldbug and including Slapdash, Getaway, and Joyride arrived on Nebulos looking for Hi-Q, hoping he had the technology to rebuild their fallen leader, Optimus Prime. Hi-Q believed Transformers to be nothing more than unliving machines, forced to follow their programming, and pleaded with the Autobots to leave Nebulos before they too were poisoned. However, as the Autobots spent their remaining fuel, operating on the brink of shutdown, not only to rebuild their leader but also to sacrifice themselves defend the planet from the Decepticon Powermasters, Hi-Q had a change of heart. He realized that the Autobots were no less noble than any human and truly alive. Refusing to allow the Autobots to die, he and most of his lab assistants (Lube, Rev, and Hotwire) became Powermaster partners with the Autobots. After driving off the Decepticons, his assistant Kari noted that to keep peace on Nebulos, he and the Autobots must leave. Hi-Q and the other Powermasters left Nebulos. People Power!
En route to Earth, Hi-Q, Lube, Rev, and Hotwire were learning about Cybertron's tragic history of war when they were interrupted by a transmission from the Cosmic Carnival. The Cosmic Carnival When Optimus Prime returned to Earth, he again assumed command of the Autobots there, but Hi-Q's skills were not called upon until the legendary Underbase threatened the planet. While an Underbase-powered Starscream tore apart both the Autobot and Decepticon forces, Optimus Prime, Hi-Q, and Buster Witwicky worked aboard the Ark to release a rocket that would deflect the Underbase back towards Earth. The Decepticons Scorponok and Ratbat left their posts on Earth, suspicious that Prime sought the power of the Underbase for himself, and attacked them there. When Scorponok fired his stinger at Ratbat (killing him), who was carrying Hi-Q and Buster, Hi-Q was knocked unconscious. Buster tried violently to awaken Hi-Q so Prime could restore himself to full power, and nearly broke his hand in the process. The two Powermaster partners combined, they successfully pulled Scorponok free of the Underbase, allowing Starscream to absorb all of it, resulting in his destruction. Dark Star!
Hi-Q eventually began to merge with Prime, mentally as well as physically, as a result of the Powermaster process. When Prime was destroyed, this process completed itself in Hi-Q's body. The Last Autobot then recreated the two into a new, composite Optimus Prime.
Japanese Continuity
When Cybertron was devastated by another energy crisis, Hi-Q assisted Optimus Prime on his quest for the potent energy source Nucleon, which was located inside black holes. Hi-Q is unique, as he is the only -Master to hail from the planet Nebulos instead of Planet Master or Earth. Another distinct quality of the pairing is that Hi-Q and Prime are two distinct beings, unlike the other Headmasters and Godmasters who control un-thinking transtectors.
Dreamwave Comics continuity
The profile for Powermaster Prime in Dreamwave's More Than Meets the Eye profile book gives his partner the Japanese name Ginrai (to match the name use on the then-recent Toys "R" Us Powermaster Optimus Prime reissue) but still describes the character Hi-Q.
Toys
Generation 1
Powermaster Optimus Prime with Hi-Q (1988)
Nucleon Quest Super Convoy with Hi-Q (2001) Japanese Toys "R" Us exclusive
