Transformers - Simon Furman - 1st American Ed - , New York, NY, 2004 - DK Pub - 9780756603144 - Anna's Archive

WRITTEN BY
Simon Furman
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THE ULTIMATE GUIDE

LONDON, MAY YORK, MI BOURNE, 1
MUNICH AND Dl 111 I
Senior Editor Simon Beecroft

Art Editor Dan Bunyan
Designer Lisa Crowe
Senior Designer Robert Perry
Art Director Mark Richards
Publishing Manager Cynthia O'Neill Collins
Category Publisher Alex Kirkham
Production Controller Nicola Torode
Cover Art Pat Lee
Additional Art Guido Guidi, E.J. Su, Richard Chasemore, Dan Khanna, and Don Figueroa
Additional Photography Andy Crawford and Benson Yee

DTP Designer Dean Scholey
First American Edition, 2004

04 05 06 07 08 1 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
Published in the United States by

DK Publishing, Inc.
375 Hudson Street
New York, New York 10014
TRANSFORMERS and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro and are used
with permission © 2004 Hasbro. All rights reserved.
Page Design Copyright © 2004 Dorling Kindersley Ltd.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the
prior written permission of the copyright owner. Published in Great Britain by Dorling Kindersley Limited.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Furman, Simon.
Transformers the ultimate guide / written by Simon Furman.- 1st
:
American ed.
p. cm. - (Ultimate guides)
Summary: Explains and illustrates the history of the Transformers as
toys and as television and comic-book characters.
ISBN 0-7566-0314-5 (PLCJ)
1. Transformers (Fictitious characters) 2. Character toys. [1
Transformers (Fictitious characters) 2. Toys] Title. Ultimate I. II.
guides (Series)
NK8595.2.C45F87 2004
688.7'2-dc22
2003022701
ISBN 1-4053-0461-8
Color reproduction by Media Development and Printing, Ltd.

Printed and bound in China by Leo Paper Group
Discover more at
www.dk.com
TM
HE ULTIMATE GUIDE
SIMON FURMAN
CONTENTS
NOTE: The abbreviations 'G1' and 'G2' BEAST WARS 78
refer to TRANSFORMERS 'Generation 1
and Generation 2'.

The Arrival 80
Optimus Primal 82
Megatron 83
The Maximals 84
Predacons 86
Introduction TV Season 1 88
Fuzors and Transmetals 90
TV Seasons 2 & 3 92
GENERATION 1 8
Beast Wars Toys 94
Cybertron 10
The City of lacon 12 BEAST MACHINES 96
Civil War 14
The Ark 16 The Reformatting 98
Optimus Prime 18 Maximals 100
Megatron 20 Vehicons 102
Autobot Officers 22 TV Seasons 1 & 2 104
Autobot Troopers 24 Beast Machines Toys 106
The Deceptions 26
Soundwave and Co. 28 TRANSFORMERS
The Dinobots 30 ROBOTS IN DISGUISE 108
Combiners 32
TV Season 1 34 A New Wave 110
TV Season 2 36 Autobots and Decepticons 112
The Movie 38
US Comics 1 40 TRANSFORMERS
US Comics 2 42 ARMADA & ENERGON 114
UK Comics 1 44
UK Comics 2 46 Cybertron Revisited 116
TV Seasons 3S.4 48 Autobots 1 1
Unicron 50 Decepticons 1 20
Quintessons 52 Mini-Cons 122
Primus 53 The TV Series 1 24
Special Teams 54 TRANSFORMERS Armada Toys 1 26
Headmasters and TRANSFORMERS Energon 1 28
Targetm asters 56 Autobots 1 30
Powermaster Prime 58 Decepticons 131

Pretenders 60 TRANSFORMERS Energon Toys 1 32
Japanese G1 Toys 62
Generation 1 Toys 64 DREAMWAVE COMICS 1 34
Other G1 Toys 66
Generation 1 136
GENERATION 2 68 The War Within 138
TRANSFORMERS Armada
TRANSFORMERS Versus G.I. Joe 70 & Energon 140
G2 Comics 72
Beyond Generation 2 74 Index 142
Generation 2 Toys 76 Acknowledgements 144
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INTRODUCTION
ACK 1984, there was no escaping the relentless march across toy shelves and TV
IN
—
B screens of the amazing "Robots in Disguise" TRANSFORMERS! A new concept in toy
development had arrived in the West, and nothing would ever be the same again.
Essentially, TRANSFORMERS were two were robots that, with a few twists
toys in one. They
and turns, became cars, jet fighters, trucks, weapons and, in one notable case, a radio-
cassette player (complete with mini-TRANSFORMER tapes!). But what made these new toys
stand out was that each pack came complete with detailed information on the character:
his strengths and weaknesses, aims and ideals. And more... a whole back-story detailed a
civil war on the metal planet of Cybertron, sweeping intergalactic combat, sudden disaster,
and a dramatic reawakening on Earth. Heroic Autobots, led by noble Optimus Prime, pitted
themselves against Megatron's evil Decepticons! For a generation nurtured on Star Wars
and Battlestar Galactica, it was just the ticket.
In fact, in Japan, transforming robot toys were nothing new. The TRANSFORMERS line was
initially modeled on molds and characters from Takara, a major Japanese toy
existing
manufacturer, reissued under license by Hasbro in the United States and elsewhere. Hasbro
developed the larger concepts, including character names and biographies, in collaboration
with the U.S. comics publisher, Marvel (and in particular writer/editor Bob Budiansky], paving
the way for a comic-book series and animated TV show, both of which proved hugely popular.
My involvement began in1985. Marvel Comics' UK subsidiary had launched its own
TRANSFORMERS title, and, while it largely reprinted stories from the US comic, the
necessity soon arose for UK-originated material. Enter novice scriptwriter stage left. My first
TRANSFORMERS story, titled "The Enemy Within," was published in March 1985, and one
way or another been involved in the evolving world of TRANSFORMERS ever since.
I've
In fact, the truly amazing thing about TRANSFORMERS is that it has endured for such a long
time. It's come and gone, sure, but it keeps reinventing itself for a new generation, at the
same time keeping fans who grew up with the series completely involved.
TRANSFORMERS in the 21st century has ever been, with new concepts,
is as strong as it
new toys, new comics, a new TV show, and a huge fanbase that tracks and discusses each
new development on a host of dedicated websites, or journeys from far and wide to
sprawling conventions. Prepare to be amazed all over again....
- Simon Furman
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GENERATION 1
LARGEST PART OF TRANSFORMERS Generation is 1
THE
the founding characters and stories that shaped the saga
of Cybertron and its warring inhabitants. Over the course
of Generation 1 , the battle spread to Earth and beyond, the
core characters evolved into bigger, more sophisticated
robot forms, and a host of new robots joined the fray.
The saga has spawned many
inconsistencies and divergent
storylines, but now, at last,
the one true history can
be revealed.
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The Border Regions:
subdistricts oflacon
and site of the Forum
of Enlightenment,
siteof public rallies
and meetings
BEFORE THE most primitive life-forms crawled out of the

LONG
primordial sludge on Earth, the world of Cybertron orbited a
binary star in the Alpha Centauri system. Gleaming like a
finely tooled machine part, its streamlined metallic surfaces,
canyons, and structures were home to the TRANSFORMERS,
sentient robotic beings of vast intellect and amazing alternate-
mode abilities. But Cybertron itself was farmore than just a
random quirk of cosmic evolution. At its heart lay a dormant
consciousness —the heart and soul of a living being, forged
when the Universe was still in its infancy. In reality, the entire
planet of Cybertron was Primus, Lord of Light.
The Neutral Territories:

free settlement zone and
trading quadrant
Uraya: largest of the Tri-

Peninsular Torus States,
with Protihex and Praxus
Kalis: area of primary ore

processing facilities and
energon storage pits
PLANETARY HISTORY
Primus was created at the dawn of time alongside
his twin herald, Unicron. Taking on planet form,
Primus explored the expanding Universe and Altihex: site of observatories
created many worlds in this and other realities. and deep-space research
Witnessing Unicron's descent into destructive rage, communities
Primus took up arms against his former "brother."
Their terrifying battles raged across the eons.
Evolution
In order to counter the threat of Unicron, Primus
further enhanced chosen mode. First, he
his
created vast planetary turbines, which powered him
across the vast gulfs of space. Then he brought into
existence a crew of 13 sentient beings that would
guide and maintain his vast form. These first
TRANSFORMERS were destroyed in a climactic
battle with Unicron, which saw the chaos-bringer
sucked through a black hole and into another
dimension. With Unicron contained, Primus
positioned itself around a binary star and withdrew
to the very core of its planet mode, allowing
subsequent generations of TRANSFORMERS— Molded from the living skin of the planet and iml
each imbued with a tiny fragment, or Spark, of with a fragment of Primus' own Spark, the first
TRANSFORMER — named Prima —answers his
Kaon: southern polar
—
Primus himself to spread across the planet, newly
state; the Badlands
named Cybertron, and develop fully as a race. creator's urgent call to arms!
10
Hub capital Iacon: the
planetary seat of government
Nova Cronutn: a
philosophical haven
and site of theoretical
research facilities
THE WELL OF ALL SPARKS

Through its guardian, Alpha Trion, Primus
maintained a vigil over his "children," but
his direct link was severed when Cybertron
was invaded by the armies of a marauding
alien race. Forced into hiding, Alpha Trion
could only watch, helpless, as Cybertronians
were slaughtered. The Sparks from each of
these casualties of war returned to source,
reuniting with the essence of Primus in the
Well of All Sparks at the planetary core.
Polyhex: satellite control and

Cybertron network command hub
The Tagon Heights (Industrial Quadrant

power stations
East): area of solar
THE SONIC CANYONS

Though Primus had largely shut down
his higher functions to hide Cybertron
from the return of the chaos-bringer,
Unicron, he remained subliminally
aware, using the vast Sonic Canyons to
absorb data from across the universe.
This data was then analyzed by the vast
Vector Sigma computer (see page 12).
The Rust Sea: area of unstable

planetary matter and molecular flux
Hydrax Plateau: primary spaceport

and visitor processing
Tyrest: site of
auxiliary orbital
processors and
magnetic field KAON
dampers Unicron's evil taint marked all of the
TRANSFORMERS. Some would rise above
it... others could not! Kaon was the first of
Sonic Canyons: core-deep, Cybertron's city-states to show signs of a

resonating tympanic chasms contamination that would ultimately lead to
civil war between Primus' creations.
J
11
THE CITY OF IACON
CYBERTRON'S HUB-CAPITAL, Iacon, extends
across the planet's northern polar region. When
Cybertronian society began to flourish in the golden
age, Iacon was founded and established as the primary
seat of government. High science and ancient mysticism
merged seamlessly around and throughout its gleaming
towers and domes, underpinning the dreams and
ambitions of this new race. Though much of the planet's
history had become lost, a few older TRANSFORMERS
formed the High Council with the goal to preserve
Primus' guiding intent of a vast, unified world inhabited by
a species dedicated to universal peace.
CHAMBER OF ANCIENTS
Sworn to protect Cybertron's
ancient heritage, the High Council
became the guardians of the
Orbital Torus States Vector Sigma Matrix, a computer
With Iacon as its Hub Capital, the Orbital Torus States, such as mainframe connected directly to
their creator's consciousness
Uraya, Kalis and Polyhex, radiate out in a concentric,
deep within the planet. Housed
interlocking jigsaw-puzzle pattern, giving the planet its unique
within the Chamber of Ancients,
patchwork appearance when viewed from outer space.
the vast Matrix Mainframe guides
the destiny of the TRANSFORMER
race. The High Council consults
Vector Sigma on matters of policy
and law, or when a new leader (or
"Prime"] is to be called.
The Energon The Chamber The Vaults
Pools
of Ancients
The High Council Pavilions

Dominating lacon's skyline, the High Council Pavilions house
the remains of Cybertron's ancient heritage, as well as those
who guard them. From the cavernous Chamber of Ancients
to the epic Tower of Pion, these buildings are testament to
the driving ambitions of Primus' race, and house the primary
seats of government and learning. Planetary security and
defenses are controlled from the fortress-
like Decagon on the western perimeter.
Maccadams
Maccadams Old Oil House

Less secular pursuits are the order of the day at Maccadams, located due
east of the High Council Pavilions. High-quality oil is on the menu, and all
grudges must be checked at the door. It's rumored that the mysterious and
rarely seen manager is one of the original 13 TRANSFORMERS, and that
the bar itself exists out of normal space and time— mind you, Maccadams
serve exceptionally pure oil.
Cll/IL
THINGS FALL APART.
WAR
'
NKNOWN TO THE High Council, a viper existed in
01
Cybertron's Eden, a malevolent force patiently gathering
strength and support, readying an army for an uprising
and all-out war. Megatron and his Decepticon forces, their THE ARENA
Before the outbreak of civil war, forbidden combats were
alternate modes stripped down and reconfigured as machines staged in secret underground arenas, TRANSFORMER
pitted against TRANSFORMER, often to the death. These
of war, soon trampled underfoot the peaceful ideals of Primus.
gladiatorial conflicts served Megatron well, identifying
Opening sorties by the Decepticons razed huge areas of those, like him, who craved battle above all else.
the planet, and Kaon (long their secret base of

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^^v A response was mustered by a WS .
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calling themselves Autobots.
But where the Decepticons
had been planning and
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DECLARATION
Only the strongest and deadliest were allowed into
Megatron's inner Decepticon circle. Once recruited,
they were indoctrinated and, if necessary,
reconfigured and made ready for war. Then, on the
State Day of Cycle 1 1010, the Decepticons struck
on multiple fronts. Unprepared, unversed in the ways
of war, many chose not to resist. They pleaded for
mercy, only to find that Megatron had none to give!
Optimus Prime
Some —
Cybertronians calling themselves
—
Autobots chose to fight back, rallied by their
leader, Sentinel Prime. When Megatron killed
Sentinel Prime on the battlefields of Tyrest,
the Matrix was passed to the next incumbent.
Previously unaware of his destiny, a lowly
records clerk called Optronix was asked to
step up and receive the Matrix of
Leadership. He was transformed into
Optimus Prime, a force for good to
rival Megatron himself.
SENTINEL PRIME
Sentinel Prime was one
V
1
of a dynasty
of Primes, stretching back to the
original 13 TRANSFORMERS and
their leader, Prima. Each Prime
Measured
TIMELINE
in Earth years, the Cybertronian civil war
earned within him not only a Spark,
stretched over a vast gulf of time, the fortunes of both
but also a life-giving power source
factions fluctuating dramatically.
called the Matrix, the undiluted
essence of Primus himself. The 3d 9 MILLION YEARS BG1 *
Matrix could be utilized not only to
Megatron gathers his forces in secret, planning
imbue new creations with Sparks,
a planet-wide uprising to mask his exploitation of
but also to repair and reinvigorate
Cybertron's vast planetary turbines.
those critically injured on the
battlefield. But its power is not

limitless,
in
and would only be used
special circumstances, at the
discretion of the Prime.
also serves as a window
The Matrix
into the t n 8.
Kaon
War
7 MILLION
is one of
of lightning strikes by
is
YEARS BG1
the to fall in a series
first cities
the Decepticon forces.
formally declared.
past... or the future. »\*

-' 8.5 MILLION YEARS BG1
¥ The first Autobot victory is
Cybertron, the resistance movement gathers

force. The Decepticons raze Nova Cronum.
at Protihex. Across
Megat ron's awesome

firepower was the
resultof many
^ *jp f 8.2 MILLION YEARS BG1
The death of Sentinel Prime. Optimus Prime
tortuous (and *A becomes guardian of the Matrix. Plans for
self-inflicted)
reinventions of his
Cybertronian form.
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a mass Autobot exodus are halted.
7.4-6.5 MILLION YEARS BG1

Optimus Prime and Megatron vanish.
The Dark Ages begin. The Fallen, one of
the original 13, returns, as the Border
Wars begin. Rise of the Special Teams.
6 MILLION YEARS BG1

Megatron forges an alliance with the
Quintessons [see page 52]. Autobot forces
surrender at Tyger Pax. Internment begins.
5 MILLION YEARS BG1

Faced with seemingly never-ending war and
dwindling energon supplies, many Autobots leave
Cybertron in search of new energy sources.
4 MILLION YEARS BG1

Cybertron faces an external threat to planetary
stability and Optimus Prime orders the
construction of the giant starship, The Ark.
MEGATRON 3.5 MILLION YEARS BG1

While others fitted neatly into Primus' grand plan of a The Big Shutdown: Cybertron enters a dormant
unified, peace-loving race, Megatron most definitely did phase, in which the planet attempts to heal its
not. He saw the mass of Cybertronians as weak, wasting grievous war wounds.
their race's potential. He knew with utter certainty that
*BG1 = Before Generation before the
1 (i.e.,
the Decepticons were destined to rule, to spread their TRANSFORMERS awake on present-day Earth.)
might beyond the confines of Cybertronian space.
BREAKING ROCKS
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THE ARK
The Autobots' plan was to break up the
VWv2
asteroid into fragments that would be
more readily absorbed by an orbital
Space Bridge network and transported
safely to the far reaches of space.
AS WELL AS
seemingly endless
having to contend with a
civil war, Autobot
V^sHPr
scientists gravely reported a new
menace. A massive asteroid, composed of
dense rock and metal, was on a direct
collision course with Cybertron. To counter
the threat, a giant spacecraft was designed
and Dubbed the Ark,
built. its
mission was to reach the

asteroid and use its
first
devastating weaponry to
smash it into smaller
pieces. A crew of Autobot
warriors, led by Optimus
Prime, set off, unaware that
Megatron was lying in wait....
Assault Oim The Ark

As soon as the Ark had successfully
reduced the rogue asteroid to rubble,
Megatron struck, attacking the Ark in
his own spacecraft, Nemesis. Taken by
surprise, their weapons seriously depleted,
the Autobots fought back as best they
could, but the Ark was breached and
boarded. Out of control, the Ark flew
directly into one of the Space Bridge
portals [followed by Nemesis), reappearing
in another galaxy, far from Cybertron.
Crew/stasis
chambers
CRASH-LANDING
Aboard the Ark, the battle slowly but surely Central computer hub
turned against the Autobots. Knowing that under (Teletran-1)
no circumstances could Megatron be allowed to
possess the Ark and its weaponry, Optimus Prime
immediately set a collision course with a nearby
planet. Before Megatron could react, the craft Retractable forward
entered the upper atmosphere and, a moment landing gear and six
later, smashed through layers of solid rock on the
air-buffer jets Oil bar Recreation area
planet's surface
-I
16
Matrix Medical/repair bay Solar Shuttle bay (one of four)
interface receptors
Stasis tubes
Awakening
The Ark and its inhabitants lay
deactivated for four million years,
buried under a dormant volcano in
what would become Northwest
United States. Life on the planet
evolved around it, disturbed only
by a brief alien visitation by a
race called the Vok and the
commencement of the Beast Wars
(seepages 80-81). By 1984, the
planet had a name —
Earth and, —
when a small eruption shook the
volcano, the Ark's computer was
jolted into life.
Main engine room
- Escape pods
DATA FILE
Make: Vanguard-class Deep Space Interceptor
Crew complement (full): 300 (5 decks)
Environment: automated
self-sustainable; fully
Armaments: 1 B particle-combustion cannons (port)
16 laser emitters (starboard); primary starfield
missile launcher and Overshock sonic battery
Engines: 4 x hyperfuel intake accelerators;
streamcooled buffers; energo-burners
Reconfiguration
Once its primary systems had rebooted,
the Ark's onboard computer, Teletran-1,
immediately began scanning the area for
indigenous life-forms. Unable to recognize
carbon-based life, it instead assimilated
data on assorted Earth vehicles and
machinery. Following automatic
emergency protocols, it then began the
process of reconfiguring and reactivating
Forward weapons
Munitions plant/store the dormant TRANSFORMERS....
array
17
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AUTOBOT OFFICERS Robot mode features
laser scalpels, arc
welders, fluid
dispensers, and an
extensive repair kit
FIGHTING THE "SECRET" WAR
THE GREATEST leader to falter

EVEN is likely
without the support and backup of a trusted

sub-commanders. Optimus Prime
inner circle of
is no exception, and his secondary command tier
on Earth is composed of Chief Medical Officer
Ratchet, Military Strategist Prowl, Infiltration
Specialist Bumblebee, and Head of Special

Operations Jazz. Their innate ability to think on their
feet,absorb and interpret cultural, geographical,
and political data, and blend in with the local social
infrastructure makes them key to Autobot
operations on Earth. The "secret war" for control of
Earth's natural resources and energy had begun....
COURAGE 8
In ambulance mode, Ratchet's RATCHET

emergency afterburners cut Skilled in everything from full repair-bay operations to battlefield "patch and
down on response time. weld," Chief Medical Officer Ratchet hides his own deeply caring nature
behind flippant one-liners and a taciturn nature. He knows that his
effectiveness would be compromised should he allow himself to get too
close to those he may simply not be able to save one day. He is, however,
—
a consummate professional resourceful and utterly committed to saving
lives. Ratchet all too often sees the full, terrible cost of war.
Robot mode features

good vision but a low Secondary mode can also
level of armor
adapt to deep-sea travel
INTELLIGENCE 8 ENDURANCE 7
SPEED 4 SKILL 7 STRENGTH 2
COURAGE 1 RANK 7 FIREPOWER 1
BUMBLEBEE
Far from being a drawback, Bumblebee's diminutive size is his
greatest asset. He goes where no others can, stealthily evading
sensors and alarms designed for intruders much bigger and
brasher, making him an ideal choice for covert ops/insertion
missions. Wisecracking, brash, and sometimes overeager,
Bumblebee is nevertheless cool and collected in a tight spot,
seeing options and possibilities where none readily appear. If
there's a weakness, it's that in command situations he tries a
little too hard, overcompensating for his lack of overall stature.
JAZZ
Self-possessed, calm, and utterly collected,
Jazz is Head of Special Operations, with In robot mode, Jazz
his own dedicatedroster of agents. targets and fires his
Yet he often gives the most dangerous photon rijle and
assignments to himself. It's not a matter shoulder-mounted
of ego —he just really is the coolest head
flamethrowers with
for the toughest missions. Jazz's ease
unerring accuracy.
extends to whatever environment he finds
himself in, no matter how weird or
wonderful. He effortlessly tunes in to
the local culture, assimilating and
improvising, and making
creative command
decisions.
In vehicle mode, Jazz

uses a fidl-spectrum
beacon and powerful
speakers to produce a
disorienting display.
Prowl's robot mode is

armed with sidearm
and shoulder-
mounted cannons.
Reserve fuel tanks

can be used for
\x extended pursuits
*\\ COURAGE 9 |
RANK 9 |
FIREPOWER 4
PROWL
As Optimus Prime's Second-in-Command, Prowl has occasionally
taken overall charge of the Autobot forces, but prefers his
place at Prime's side. Logical, resourceful, and patient, Prowl
is the perfect military strategist. It takes an awful lot for him
to blow his cool. Sometimes, though, this makes for a

certain distance on a personal level, and a lack of flair and
imagination on the professional front. Educated guesses and
lateral thinking are not his forte, and sometimes he really can't
see the forest for the trees.
J
23
AUTOBOT TROOPERS A CALL TO ARMS
CYBERTRON, they were traders and engineers,

ON architects and artists
that, forcing them to
— but war changed all
civil
take up arms to defend their

homeworld from the marauding Decepticons. Many did
so reluctantly. They were unversed in the ways of war
and unwilling to shoot a fellow Cybertronian — no matter
how radical their agenda — or knowingly harm any form
of life. But they did take up arms and formed the heart
and backbone of the Autobot army, learning the hard
way that sometimes freedom must be fought for...
and paid for in spilled oil. These dedicated Autobots
fought on for millions of years, becoming battle-
hardened and often embittered, but never losing
sight of thedream of a glorious new era of peace
and prosperity, when once again they could return
to their former lives and loves.
Sideswipe
Once a trader with few compunctions about who he could con
with a smile and wink, Sideswipe took his lessons onto
civilian
the battlefield with the same reckless disregard. His undeniable
flair for battle was counterbalanced by his tendency to disobey
orders he didn't like, thereby endangering others who were

relying on him. Time and hard lessons have changed Sideswipe,
making him less cold-hearted and self-involved, more of a team
player. But he still relishes staring down an
opponent... and seeing the fight
through to the bitter end.
In vehicle mode,
Sideswipe can reach
speeds in excess of
300 mph (480 km/h).
Wheeljack
As an engineer, Wheeljack was instrumental in
the design and construction of the Ark. He is
constantly looking for ways to improve and
refine the Autobots' weaponry, defensive
systems, and fuel capacity. More comfortable in
vehicle mode than in robot mode, Wheeljack

does his best thinking in motion, and routinely
performs amazing feats of vehicular prowess.
INTELLIGENCE 9 ENDUPANCE 5
COURAGE 9 RANK 8 FIREPOWER 7.5
24
IRONHIDE
One of the oldest of the TRANSFORMERS still in
active combat, Ironhide spent his peacetime
years as a construction engineer,
fashioning the vast bridge spans that
connected Cybertron's many city-states.
The tough, no-nonsense, hard-graft
attitude that made him such a force
to be reckoned with before the war
now serves him well in battle.
He prefers actions to words, never
backing down from a challenge. He's old
school and doesn't intend to change for
anyone. Head of Security aboard the Ark
he continues those duties on Earth.
In vehicle mode, Ironhide
Shoulder-mounted, ground- has a secondary
to-air missile launchers demolition configuration.
SUNSTREAKER
Sunstreaker has all the character
flaws of his Protoform "brother"
Sideswipe... and then some!
A Cybertronian mural artist, he
basked in praise for his work.
On Earth, he began to see himself as
a work of art, a free-form expression
of the great and good of their
homeworld. Ruthless, egotistical,
contemptuous of his fellow
Autobots, only Sunstreaker's
vanity kept him on the side
of the angels. Purple just
wasn't his color! Trythillium steel
lining protects
against radiation
and blast damage
Sunstreaker's rear-
cooled, fuel injection
engines allow for a
super-fast burn.
Arcee can attain

sub-light speeds ARCEE
in vehicle mode. Notable for her rare female styling and
warrior status, Arcee tries hard to
shrug off the strange, gender-based
bias of her peers. Strange, because
TRANSFORMERS are inherently non-gender-
specific,and only some quirk of their timelost
origins can account for the difference in
appearance and attitude. Entering the
Autobot forces after a stint at a
hazardous materials treatment
plant, Arcee is as tough as
any of her fellow troopers.
However, she's not beyond INTELLIGENCE 8 ENDURANCE 7
using an opponent's initial SPEED 8 SKILL 10 STRENGTH 7
perception of her to COURAGE 9 RANK 8 FIREPOWER 7
lethal advantage.
—
THE DECEPTICONS
SPEED STRENGTH 10
7 SKILL 9
THE CESSPOOLS Cybertron's
COURAGE 9 RANK 9 FIREPOWER 9 FROM
outlawed combat arenas, Megatron
of
isolated the malcontents and the

<z —
thugs those with a certain moral ambiguity
and passion (talent!) for destruction and
violence. But, by its very nature, the pursuit
of the lowest common denominator meant
a certain amount of personal risk, a good
chance that one or all might turn and bite
\\ the hand that fed. Fear was the answer:
mental domination through punishment
and scant reward. Pain was the collar
and leash by which Megatron bound his
Decepticons. First, the arenas, in which
Shockwave's cannon
arm draws power
only the fittest survived. Then the Forge,
from a compact in which each recruit's physical form was
nuclear reactor
housed in his torso.
reconstructed. And finally, the Branding Pit,
and the searing mark of a Decepticon!

But fear and pain can only go so far....
*, \\ r
Shockwave
<&
Coldly logical and lacking in personal ambition or ego,
Shockwave was at first the least of Megatron's concerns.
Shockwave's sheen destructive power was tempered only by
his dispassionate approach. No blood lust, no battle rage
just the most effective and economic approach to any given
scenario. Unfortunately for Megatron, Shockwave concluded
that his leader's all-consuming passion for conquest was not
—
the optimum solution therefore, Megatron should be Insecticons
removed, and Shockwave himself should lead One of Megatron's first designated Earth
the Decepticons. subgroups was the Insecticons, an
No malice, infiltration/observation trio configured
no ego, just with a knowing wink to local "bug" life-
forms. Bombshell fires cerebro-shells that

simple logic.
allow him to control another's mind, while
Kickback can punch through solid steel and
Shrapnel can attract and generate controlled
Cybertronian Space
Gun mode. bursts of electric current.
26
COURAGE 9 RANK 9 FIREPOWER
Starscream is one of the

fastest of the jet mode
Decepticons, able to reach
speeds in excess ofMach 2.8.
Skywarp is armed with

dual variable-caliber
machine-gun ports.
Heat-seeking underwing
missile launchers
augment Skywarp's
firepower in jet mode.
SKYWARP
Never turn your back on Skywarp. Chances are, when you turn back
he'll be gone —
and a second later you'll be dead. Unique among his
seeker/jet mode brethren, Skywarp possesses amazing warp
circuitry similar to that employed in transdimensional space bridges.
He can open localized rifts in the fabric of reality and move himself
through, emerging at another point within a radius of almost three
miles (five kilometers). Luckily for Megatron, Skywarp is not smart
enough to fully exploit this incredible talent on his own.
Tanker mode
Jet mode
INTELLIGENCE 6
SPEED 7 SKILL 6.5
COURAGE 3.I RANK 7
STARSCREAM
OCTANE IfMegatron has one weakness, it's his inability to grant
Determined to push the boundaries of
Starscream the respect he deserves not for his—
considerable abilities or his cold-blooded ruthlessness, but
transformation, Shockwave initiated a
program of experimentation on a variety of for hisdogged refusal to cease making attempts to wrest
Autobot captives. The result was the
power from Megatron. Starscream isn't really even smart
Triple Changers. Octane was one of three
enough to make a secret of his ambitions, and his vanity
won't tolerate anything less than total command. Guile and
(with Astrotrain and Blitzwing) original
treachery are his undoubted talents, but he lacks the
Decepticons to possess two alternate
— patience for a truly grandiose power play.
modes in his case, jet and fuel tanker.
J
27
SOUNDWAUE AND CO.
Soundwave serves as a
OF TELETRAN-1 'S finest innovations
ONE was the re-creation on Earth of
relay station between his
agents and Decepticon
command central.
Megatron's loyal lieutenant and chief
ENDURANCE 6
communications officer, Soundwave, and five
STRENGTH 8
mini-stealth warriors. Originally a covert
team in their own right, the
infiltration
Decepticons who would become Soundwave's

cassettes were masters of disguise (each
possessing chameleon circuitry], and were adept
at spying and recording. Teletran-1 used these
mini-warriors as parts of an elaborate whole,
designed to instantly transmit and receive
intelligence across vast distances. The original
five stealth warriors — Ravage, Rumble, Frenzy,
Laserbeak, and Buzzsaw — became cassettes,
compatible with Soundwave's tape-deck mode.
Now, no secret was safe, no whisper unheard....
Soundwave
One of a seemingly rare breed, Soundwave is utterly loyal to
Megatron. Rarely speaking, but constantly listening, Soundwave
is often the arbiter of good sense in heated debates. Yet he
always keeps a part of what he hears and records to himself:

blackmail material in case his position should ever be
threatened. Outside of his cassette entourage, nobody really
likes Soundwave, and he doesn't care. Information is power!
INTELLIGENCE 5 ENDURANCE 8 Rumble's pile-driving forearms

SPEED 2 SKILL 5 STRENGTH 2 can generate seismic shock waves.
RUMBLE
Possessed of a quick temper and a mean
disposition, Rumble is little more than a
street punk made good. He makes the most of
his small size by cultivating his covert skills, but
don't for a moment think that Rumble is lacking in
power: he isn't. He can literally rock your world.

But he is loyal, and eager to impress.
LASERBEAK
Another of Megatron's elite inner circle, Laserbeak
never speaks [a definite plus, in Megatron's book).
In terms of aerial reconnaissance and being in
the right place at the right time, he

has no equal. Laserbeak has two
pinpoint-accurate laser cannons,
both of which can burn through
two-inch- (five-centimeter-) thick
steel. He takes pleasure in the
hunt, pursuing his prey to the
point of exhaustion and then
circling slowly in for the kill.
SPEED 8 |
SKILL 9 !
STRENGTH 5
COURAGE 2 |
RANK 6 |
FIREPOWER 8
Cassette Mode
Designed to play normally in even a human-built
tape deck, Soundwave's agents' cassette mode is
a masterpiece of microdesign engineering.

Though masquerading as a reel-to-reel tape
(with actual music tracks, updated
automatically), the actual audio/visual data was
stored on digital disks. Razor-edge machine-tool
finishing enabled the joints and extremities to
interlock seamlessly. But the miniature mass-
Squawktalk: "If you displacement technology (similar to that used by

have nothing interesting Megatron in his Earth mode, see page 21) that
to say, say it anyway." allowed for actual tape-deck size used a huge
amount of energy and could, on occasion, lead
Beastbox: "Speak to the agents becoming stuck in cassette mode.

SQUAWKBOX now if you intend
It was Soundwave himself
to ever speak at all."
who combined the two
cassette-mode Decepticons,
Beastbox and Squawktalk, to
produce Squawkbox. With
Squawktalk's talent for languages
and Beastbox's penchant for
violence, both extract and amass
taped confessions. Squawkbox
then relays any salient information
directly to Soundwave, while also
acting as Soundwave's personal
enforcer and bodyguard.
SPEED 8 SKILL 7 |
STRENGTH 7
COURAGE 4 |
RANK 6 |
FIREPOWER 5
FRENZY
In you want someone to lead the way
into a particularly intense battle
situation, someone without an ounce of
sense to realize they could easily be
totaled, Frenzy is the man. His battle
fervor boundless; conflict is his

is
oxygen (which sometimes clashes

RAVAGE
with his covert missions). Still,
One of the first TRANSFORMERS on Cybertron to possess
when the situation demands, just
an overt "beast" mode (no records exist of Ravage's
wind him up and watch him go.
creation, adding to the mystery), Ravage works best alone.
A creature of the shadows, he is both hunter (possessed
of a sharp olfactory sense) and intruder. Special chameleon INTELLIGENCE 5.75 ENDURANCE 6.25
"umbra" circuitry allows him to blend into the shadows. SPEED 3.5 SKILL 6STRENGTH 2.5
Another of Megatron's most trusted warriors, Ravage COURAGE 10 RANK 6.25 FIREPOWER 9
simply will not give up once assigned a mission or a target.
Grimlock despises
weakness!
DINOBOTS HAVE always been mysterious, even

THE
back on Cybertron. Many myths surround their
re-creation on Earth — in some versions, the
Dinobots never existed on Cybertron at all! One thing
is for certain: the five Dinobots — Grimlock, Sludge,
Slag, —
Swoop, and Snarl were all troublemakers.
Though initially kept apart by Optimus Prime, when
Grimlock split to form his own Lightning Strike
Coalition force, the others went with him. They then
went solo, becoming the Dyno-bots on Cybertron,
and emerged on Earth, redesigned as the Dinobots.
The Shockwave Version

Inone version of the Dinobots'
Ark logs the presence of
origin, the
Decepticon Shockwave on Earth
during the time of the dinosaurs,
and recreates the Dinobots to
combat the threat. (Oddly, the Ark
recognized carbon-based life-forms
here, and yet did not later.)
The Dinosaur Bones Version

In another version, Autobot chief
engineer Wheeljack and Ratchet
discover dinosaur bones in caverns on
Earth, close to where the Ark crash-
landed. They and
are inspired to build
bring to life dinosaur-style warriors.
This version overlooks the documented
proof of the Dyno-bots previously
having existed on Cybertron.
SLAG
Foul-tempered and angry at the world in general,
Slag is a disruptive force, more used to brawling Grimlock's strength rivals
than warfare. One molten flame-burst from his even the sheer prowess of
fission reactor core cm turn an opponent into a Optimus Prime.
metal puddle in secor Is.
-
In robot mode, Grimlock
sometimes wields a
mighty energo-sword.
,\
(
rv
^-:
IJMJ
In dinosaur Grimlock
mode, Grimlock
There's a popular misconception that Grimlock is a
can bite through
virtually any
dumb evolutionary throwback. Maybe it's his taciturn,
substance. almost ponderous nature, or his clipped, stunted
speech patterns. Or maybe that's just what Grimlock
INTELLIGENCE 7 ENDURANCE 10 wants you to think! In fact, Grimlock is a shrewd and
SPEED 3 SKILL 10 STRENGTH 10 frighteningly effective warrior and commander, with
COURAGE 10 RANK 9 FIREPOWER 8 little time for mercy and compassion.
SNARL
The only time Snarl is truly
SWOOP happy is in battle. Quiet
Though equipped with air-to- and undemonstrative, he
launchers and
air missile
is just waiting tobe told
a thermal sword, Swoop's who to smash, content
1 greatest weapon is fear. to leave the thinking to
PS**
Dropping from the sky others. In dinosaur
toward his opponents, his mode, he employs solar
sudden shriek chills the oil. collectors (his fins] to
boost his power.
COURAGE 7 |
RANK 5 |
FIREPOWER 7
SLUDGE
Unlike Grimlock, Sludge really is dumb, and tends
to lumber through life, crushing and stepping on

anything in his way. Ironically, he's actually quite
shy,an essentially gentle soul whose only talent
happens to be to crush and destroy.
31
Hook
Meticulous, fussy, and
somewhat dismissive of
the other Constructicons,
Hook is a perfectionist,
with first-class
FORM the basis
THE CONSTRUCTICONS
the Combiners
evolution of all:
of the strangest
(or gestalts). Engineers
engineering skills.
par excellence, the Constructions turned their

combined intellect inward to create the next generation
of TRANSFORMERS. Their studies on Cybertron were
concerned with "mass intellect," the electro-neural
meshing of individual brain waves into a secondary whole.
The mechanics of transformation-combination had been
detailed in top-secret data files many cycles previously,
but the successful integration of individually strong minds
had proved elusive. The Constructicons persevered, and
ultimately tested their new theory on themselves!
Scavenger
Constantly on the hunt for old junk,
Scavenger is acutely aware that the DEVASTATOR
other Constructicons think he's deficient.
Made up of the Constructicons,
six
But his obsession masks a savant-style
Devastator proved less than the
genius for mechanical improvisation.
sum of his parts, mentally.
Though the six sets of brain
waves were well meshed
within a new hyper-
processor vortex, clear
thought proved difficult.
Mental instructions
became muddled as they
traveled from each component
mind. Ultimately, Devastator
responded largely instinctively.
He does have a personality of sorts,
but it's simplistic.
INTELLIGENCE 2
SPEED 1 SKILL 4
COURAGE 10 RANK 6
Scrapper
Scrapper's innate mastery of design
engineering translates into
amazing vision and scope on
and off the battlefield. He
can jerrybuild structures and
devices of great complexity.
32
Bonecrusher
Demolition is Bonecrusher's most evident DEVASTATOR— SMASH!
skill, but merely a by-product of a mind
it's
One punch from Devastator can
create a half-mile-wide hole and
that cannot abide imperfection in any form
shock waves felt 20 miles
And since he believes that Autobots are by (32 km] away.
their very nature flawed, this
includes them. For Bonecrusher,
survival of the fittest is a mantra.
SPEED 2
COURAGE 8
Long Haul
Long Haul dreams of a nobler calling
than his assigned duty of "fetch this,
carry that."Though perhaps less

innovative than some of his fellow
Constructicons, he is always upgrading
his own fuel conservation equations.
SPEED 2 STRENGTH 9
COURAGE 8
Integration
Each component Constructicon is equipped with a
subdermal interlock plate, which electro-

bonds with the corresponding interlock
plate (via Interlock Initiators). The primary
neural link in the chain (in this case, ,
Hook) is responsible for initiating the

combination and separation protocols.
THE BEGINNING
Although in some respects
Devastator could be viewed
as a failure, the groundwork
Mixmaster had been laid for a full-scale
More an alchemist than a Combiner program.
Mixmaster
scientist,
Certainly, Megatron was
impressed enough to
works with a huge
commission further studies.
range of substances,
Ultimately, though, Autobot
searching for the ultimate science/research teams
construction material hit. would gain access to the
Constructicons' development
data, whereupon the "mass
intellect"theory would be
refined, ushering in the
dawn of the Special

Teams (see pages 54-55]
33
TRANSFORMERS FANS, already enthralled by the toys, were
further captivated by the advent of the animated television
series. In addition to the detailed character tech specs on the
Space Bridges
toys, fans could now tune in to see the saga truly come to life. "Transport to Oblivion" first featured space
The first episode, "More Than Meets the Eye" Part 1 aired in the,
bridges (interdimensional portals capable of
bridging vast gulfs of space).They have
United States in September 1 984, beginning a 1 B-episode season since cropped up in the Marvel Comics
that firmly established the Generation 1 cast and series mainstays series, Dreamwave's The War Within, Beast
Wars (as transwarp portals), and even in
(though on transmission, these early episodes lacked both title and TRANSFORMERS Armada.
writer credits, both reinstated later, often on video release]. First
aired weekly, then daily, the series proved a huge success.
f-
$h
"TRANSPORT TO OBLIVION"
11
Megatron begins construction of a space bridge
"MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE" part t "MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE" part 2 with the intention of transporting energon cubes
With fuel reserves seriously depleted, Optimus In order to produce energon cubes (Cybertronian to Cybertron. When Bumblebee uncovers the
Prime prepares a vessel to scout for alternate fuel conversion/storage units], Megatron plans plan, he captured and reprogrammed, and
is
energy sources. Attacked by the Decepticons, to flood the valley below the Sherman Dam and thereafter leads the Autobots into an ambush.
the vessel crash-lands on Earth. Four million siphon off the hydroelectric power. The Autobots They escape, and manage to save Spike from
—
years later, all combatants now reconfigured by intervene, but are forced to focus their efforts on being used to test the space bridge. In the
the Ark's onboard computer, Teletran-1 —
are saving a town endangered by the surging waters. process, the unstable space bridge deposits
reawakened. The Decepticons begin to plunder The Decepticons strike again, this time at the Megatron on Cybertron, allowing Starscream to
Earth's fuel reserves, while the Autobots find an ruby crystal mines of Burma, and, following an seize command on Earth.
ally in human engineer Sparkplug Witwicky and attempt by Bumblebee to plant a bomb, Optimus
his son, Spike. Prime is trapped by an avalanche....
"FIRE IN THE SKY"

"MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE" part 3 While the Arctic, intent on drawing
drilling in
Rescued from the cave, Optimus Prime attempts power from Earth's core, the Decepticons
to ambush the Decepticons. Suspecting a trap, uncover a TRANSFORMER scientist, Skyfire,
Megatron distracts the Autobots while his troops frozen inthe ice. Skyfire joins the Decepticons,
gather fuel, then launches his space cruiser. persuaded by his old colleague, Starscream.
But Starscream's attempts to seize power give But when Skyfire is ordered to execute a group
Mirage the chance to bring the ship down to of Autobots, he rebels and battles Starscream.
Earth. The Autobots prepare to return to Skyfire triggers an avalanche that buries the
and cassette-mode, Cybertron, unaw e that Megatron has survived. drilling operation... and him along with it.
34
"S.O.S. DINOBOTS" "THE ULTIMATE DOOM" part 3
Having uncovered dinosaur bones on Earth, Saved by Wheeljack, the Autobots take refuge in The Human Characters
Autobot engineer Wheel|ack models three new his old workshop. There, Wheeljack studies data Introduced "More Than Meets the Eye"
in
warriors on the extinct beasts. But the trio on the hypno-chip stolen by Bumblebee. He Part 1, refinery engineer Sparkplug and his
—
Grimlock, Slag, and Sludge are savage in creates a device that will override the mental son, Spike, are pulled into the war between
nature and go on a rampage that damages control and, having freed Sparkplug, they return
the Autobots and the Decepticons in the
Teletran-1 Optimus Prime insists the trio be
. to Earth. Autobot firepower causes a cargo of
opening skirmishes. In the comics, however,
deactivated, but when he and other Autobots energon cubes aboard Megatron's shuttle to go
are captured by the Decepticons, Wheeljack critical, and the blast knocks Cybertron back out
these characters were reformatted as
sends the Dinobots in to rescue them. of Earth orbit. Once again, Megatron survives. mechanic Sparkplug and his son, Buster,
though Spike does eventually turn up as the
"other" son. A later episode in Season 1,
"Roll For It," introduced wheelchair-bound
junior computer whiz kid (and general
Autobot ally) Chip Chase, who was exclusive
to the TV show. Carlee, Spike's occasional
girlfriend (and subsequent fan-site darling!),
would debut in Season 2's "The Immobilizer,"

rounding out the core human cast.
4*L
"THE ULTIMATE DOOM" part 1 "A PLAGUE OF INSECTICONS"
Megatron prepares a space bridge capable of On the island of Bali, Megatron locates a
teleporting Cybertron into Earth orbit so he can Decepticon escape pod that predates their
siphon off the resulting energy surges. To do so, own arrival on Earth. Its occupants have adapted
he orders human scientist and collaborator Dr. to life on Earth, and now call themselves
Arkeville to perfect a mind-control device that will Insecticons. Able to convert almost any raw
grant him an army of malleable human slaves material to Energon, the Insecticons are soon
starting with Sparkplug. The Autobots attempt to allied with the Decepticons against the
—
destroy the space bridge, but fearing that Autobots. But when the tide of the battle
Cybertron will be destroyed in the process turns against them, the Insecticons flee,
allow it to materialize. pursued by an outraged Megatron.
"THE ULTIMATE DOOM" PART 2 "HEAVY METAL WAR"

As the Decepticons start to ship energon cubes While Megatron and Optimus Prime prepare for
to Cybertron, using Dr. Arkeville's mind-controlled a duel that will force the loser and his army to
workforce, the Autobots desperately try to abandon Earth, the newest Decepticon team,
minimize the damage to Earth. Spike, meanwhile, the Constructicons, attack the Ark, intent on
leads a group of Autobots to Cybertron to disabling Teletran-1 The Dinobots attempt to
.
rescue his enslaved father, whereupon they repel the invaders, only to discover their unique
discover the secret of Dr. Arkeville's hypno-chip. ability to combine into a giant robot, Devastator.
But Sparkplug raises the alarm and the Autobots Megatron's trickery having borrowed
Finally, —
are trapped inside the Decepticons' HQ. powers from the other Decepticons is exposed —
TU SEASON 2
ORIGINS AND MYTHOLOGY REVEALED... IN SELECTED EPISODES
FROM THE SECOND SEASON OF THE TV SERIES
THE MID-1980S, TRANSFORMERS was at the height of

IN its from September 1 985 to
popularity. Originally aired
January 1986, the expanded second TV season ran to a titanic "MEGATRON'S MASTER PLAN" PART 1
When industrialist Sean Burger fails in his
49 episodes. Originally, the producers and writers at Sunbow attempt to contain the Decepticon threat, the
Autobots come to his aid. Subsequently, they are
Productions had drawn on much of the groundwork material laid hailed as heroes, but Megatron produces a
manufactured videotape showing the Autobots
down by Marvel editorial in conjunction with Hasbro. Now they stealing fuel. As the Autobots go on trial, Spike
began to forge their own distinct identity, painting in a Cybertronian uncovers the evidence that will prove their
innocence, but is attacked by Ravage. Banished
back-story and cast unique to the series. Many fans regard the from Earth, Megatron uses Teletran-1 to set the
Autobots on a direct course with the Sun.
second season as the defining segment of the animated show.
"MEGATRON'S MASTER PLAN" part 2

"DINOBOT ISLAND" PART 1 "DINOBOT ISLAND" part 2 Megatron watches as the Autobots' ship is
Random appearances destroyed, unaware that Cosmos has managed
Now a quintet, the Dinobots are relocated to a of timewarp portals
increase, forcing the Autobots to try to contain to extract his fellow Autobots and is holding them
mysterious island populated by real dinosaurs,
the strange outbreak. Having ascertained that suspended within a force field. Spike produces the
where they can master their powers safely.
evidence and Megatron abandons his pretense.
When the Decepticons learn of the island's rich the disturbances are centered on Dinobot Island,
energy deposits, they plunder its resources and, the Autobots investigate, but are ambushed by He attacks Burger and declares martial law,
in doing so, set in motion a series of bizarre Decepticons. Starscream's warnings about forcing humans into slavery. Human ally Chip
time displacements. The Dinobots respond to the tampering with unstable forces are ignored. As attempts to contact the Autobots, and as he does
so, Teletran-1 is damaged, allowing the Autobots
—
threat, but unwilling to let the real dinosaurs be the disturbances intensify, the Dinobots are freed
—
harmed they end up trapped in a tar pit.... from the tar pit and help repel the Decepticons. to return to Earth and defeat the Decepticons.
Alpha Trion
"MICROBOTS"
An archaeological expedition uncovers Megatron's "THE SECRET OF OMEGA SUPREME"
former spacecraft, with which he attacked the When the Constructions begin mining on a
Ark 4 million years ago. The Constructions then distant asteroid, Optimus Prime calls on Omega
uncover a device within the vessel called the Supreme to investigate. Driven by a sense of
Heart of Cybertron, which imbues Megatron with personal betrayal, Omega Supreme tackles the
huge power. Autobot scientist Perceptor Constructicons, only to discover that the asteroid
proposes microsizing himself and d sabling the
;
is actually an egg, which hatches a giant alien
Heart of Cybertron from within Megatron. With bird-creature. Prime convinces Omega Supreme
Brawn and Bumblebee's help, he manages to to set aside his quest for vengeance and prevent
destroy the device, ending Megatron's rampage. the bird-creature from destroying San Francisco.
"WAR DAWN"
Megatron's attempt to steal power from
Cybertron's Golden Age leads to the Aerialbots
being stranded nine million years in the past.
There they meet Orion Pax, who falls foul of that
era's Megatron and his fledgling Decepticons.
The Aerialbots take Orion Pax to Alpha Trion, who
repairs and remakes him as Optimus Prime.
Prime and the Aerialbots frustrate Megatron's
efforts to steal energon cubes and they return to
their own time... and their own Prime.
"THE SEARCH FOR ALPHA TRION"

TRANSFORMER Eleta-1
On Cybertron, "female" Alpha Trion and Vector Sigma
iscaptured by Megatron. Aware of Optimus Season 2 sees the beginning of a continuity
Prime's former links with Eleta-1 Megatron uses
schism between cartoon series and comic
,
her as bait. Captured himself, Prime is saved

book. Finally, after more than 50 episodes,
from an acid pit by Eleta-1 who uses a time-
,
the series producers and writers began to

freeze mechanism suspend the flow of time.
to
The desperate attempt leaves Eleta-1 close to introduce a TRANSFORMERS mythology.
death, and she convinces Prime to find Alpha They created characters unique to the TV
Trion, who she believes can save her. He does series and an origin for Cybertron itself.
so, thereby revealing a link to their creator. Introduced originally in "The Search for
Alpha Trion," Alpha Trion was now
"COSMIC RUST" established not just as the guardian of
Investigating a former Autobot colony, Megatron Vector Sigma, the all-powerful computer
is infected with a rust plague. Dying, he has
that breathed life into the entire
the Stunticons force Perceptor to find a cure.
Perceptor offers Megatron the last of the supply
TRANSFORMERS race, but also as the
of Chorostop, a rust prohibiten in return for a creator of Optimus Prime (here given an
powerful heat ray the Decepticons discovered. original name, Orion Pax). With the loss of
Cured, Megatron reneges on the deal and infects Vector Sigma's activation key, Alpha Trion
the Autobots. A desperate chase to the Statue of merges with the Vector Sigma matrix, and
Liberty (recently coated with Chorostop) ensues, unifies these twin forces of creation.
as Wheeljack attempts to use a sample to
synthesize enough Chorostop to cure them all.
"STARSCREAM'S BRIGADE"
"THE KEY TO VECTOR SIGMA" part 1
When Starscream openly challenges Megatron
Determined to bring life to his new warriors, the
for leadership of the Decepticons (and fails), he
Stunticons, Megatron realizes he needs the help
is exiled to a remote There he finds old
island.
of the life-giving Vector Sigma computer on
WWII army which he augments and
vehicles,
Cybertron. He steals Vector Sigma's activation
instills with the personality chips of renegade
key from its guardian, Alpha Trion, who
Decepticons. The newly christened Combaticons
subsequently enlists the aid of Optimus Prime.
attack, but Megatron's own Combiner team,
Deep within Cybertron, Prime confronts
the Stunticons, responds in kind.
Megatron, but the Stunticons have already been
The Combaticons and Starscream
activated. Megatron returns to Earth with the
are exiled to a barren asteroid.
key, while Alpha Trion suggests to Prime that he
counter the threat with new warriors of his own.
Omega Supreme
"The Secret of Omega Supreme"
established two important
(and contentious) pieces of
TRANSFORMERS back-story.
We learn that the powerful
Autobot, Omega Supreme
(introduced in "Blaster's
Blues"), was the guardian of
Crystal City on Cybertron,
and that he befriended
the then-benevolent
Constructicons. Megatron
subsequently rewrote the
"THE KEY TO VECTOR SIGMA" part 2 Constructicons' brain waves,
Without the Key, Prime
unable to grant life to
is turning them into a combining
the newly created Aerialbots, so Alpha Trion joins force for evil. In the process,
his essence with the vast computer, freeing its Crystal City was destroyed,
life-giving energies. Prime returns to Earth, but leaving Omega Supreme
finds the Aerialbots (except Silverbolt) unwilling to seek retribution. This
to
fight for the humans. Megatron, meanwhile, has
double origin story contradicts
discovered that the Key can remake organic
Megatron's earlier assertion (in "Heavy Metal War")
matter into metal, and proceeds to turn its
power on Earth. Finally, the Aerialbots rally and that the Constructicons were built "recently" on Earth
the Key is destroyed.
THE MOVIE
BEYOND YOUR WILDEST IMAGININGS. ..
ELEASED IN 1986, Transformers: The Movie was a

real widescreen treat for the senses, thrusting the
war between the Autobots and Decepticons forward /
to the year 2005. A Sun bow/ Marvel co-production, r*
it sported an epic storyline and top-drawer voice cast

(including Leonard Nimoy, Judd Nelson, Robert Stack, Eric
Idle, and even cinematic legend Orson Welles). Introducing
the planet-sized TRANSFORMER Unicron (voiced by Welles)
and Optimus Prime in the first act, the movie
boldly offing
moved the entire saga up a notch in terms of sheer high
stakes, and rolled on into a dedicated third season of the
TV show and a whole UK comic-based continuity of its own.
GALVATRON The Movie Story

Megatron's movie
It is the year 2005. Megatron attacks Autobot
incarnation, Galvatron, was
voiced by Leonard Nimoy City on Earth and breaches its defenses, despite
[Star TreKs Mr. Spock). the efforts of Autobot Commander Ultra Magnus.
Galvatron became the villain Only the arrival of Optimus Prime stops the city from
of many later TV episodes
being overrun, and he and Megatron meet in final
and comic books, and would
return in the US and UK battle. Prime is critically wounded, but manages ULTRA MAGNUS
comics. Though Optimus one last colossal strike that fells Megatron. The The noble and powerful Autobot Commander, Ultra Magnus, was
Prime would reappear in not destined to become the chosen Autobot leader, despite being
Decepticons retreat, and the dying Prime passes given the Matrix by a dying Optimus Prime (instead, the Matrix
the TV series, Megatron
was gone for good.
the Matrix of Leadership to Ultra Magnus. The itself chose Hot Rod], Nevertheless, Magnus' courage and
ever-ambitious Starscream dumps Megatron's strength are legendary, and he remained a key character in both
battered body in the depths of space and takes the TV series and comic books. Voiced in the movie by Robert
Stack [Eliot Ness in TV's The Untouchables), Magnus gave all
his place as leader. Megatron, though, is
subsequent Autobot commanders a worthy right-hand man.
recreated by Unicron and now called —
^- —
Galvatron takes swift revenge on
Starscream. The only thing
', Unicron fears is the Autobot
Matrix of Leadership, and
he orders Galvatron to
find and destroy it...
- Galvatron transforms
into a laser pistol and
t a mobile laser cannon.
The Action Unfolds
1 <
X
Galvatron pursues Ultra Magnus to the planet of Junk,
where he destroys Magnus and claims the Matrix for
1
himself, meaning to enslave Unicron. The Junkions
help rebuild Ultra Magnus, and their leader, Wreck-
Gar, vows to fight against Unicron. Kup, Hot Rod, and
the Dinobots escape from the demented Quintesson
judges (see page 52). Together with the Junkions,
the regrouped Autobots strike at Unicron as it attacks
Cybertron. But only when Hot Rod challenges Galvatron deep
THE DEATH OF PRIME
within Unicron does the tide of battle turn. The Matrix power
Hot Rod looks on, unaware
is unleashed at Hot Rod's touch, transforming him into the that he (not Ultra Magnus]
new Autobot leader, Rodimus Prime, and destroying Unicron. is the next Autobot leader.
* ' Rodimus Prime
In the final battle against Unicron, the
power of the Matrix transformed the
young, brash warrior, Hot Rod, into the new
Autobot leader, Rodimus Prime. Possessed of
a strong, calm voice of reason, he would
eventually destroy Unicron and become a
if Mmii
EPIC BATTLE
The promotional art for
Transformers: The Movie
depicted the dramatic
battle against the vast,
planet-devouring
Unicron.
,<?
v^
£N ->
*****-
'
Instruments of Destruction
Transformers: The Movie featured
tracks from NRG, Vince DiCola,
Stan Bush, "Weird Al" Yankovic,
and a blistering version of the
TRANSFORMERS theme. DiCola
and Bush reprised their turn at
1997's Botcon convention!
—
US COMICS 1
1983, the success the Joe toy and
BACK IN after
comic book incarnation, toy giant Hasbro turned again to the
of G.I. line its
hallowed halls of Marvel Comics in New York as they prepared to

launch TRANSFORMERS. Marvel revolutionized the comics business in
the 1960s with characters like Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk, and
the Fantastic Four. Writer and editor Bob Budiansky undertook the
massive task of ascribing names and identities to a range of largely
unlabeled toys. Budiansky laid much of the groundwork for the toyline,
TV show and, inevitably, the comic book. But since Marvel operated a
strict internal policy of editors not writing for their own books, the first
issue was actually written by Bill Mantlo and Ralph Macchio, with Bob
Budiansky in overall editorial
THE FIRST ISSUE
charge. The original four- Launched in 1984, Transformers #1 featured
issue miniseries proved so cover art by maverick creator Bill Sienkiewicz.
popular, it immediately
THE HUMANS
spawned an ongoing series, Comic-specific human
characters included
with Budiansky (having Sparkplug and Buster
Witwicky, Joey Slick
handed over the editorial
[pictured], Josie Beller
reins) taking over as writer. (Circuit Breaker),
Donny Finkleberg (Robot-
Master), industrialist G.B
Blackrock, and Buster's
THE MATRIX— UNLEASHED!
girlfriend, Jessie.
The Marvel series almost immediately began
to delve into the origins and primal forces at
work in the TRANSFORMERS Universe. The
Creation Matrix, the quasi-mystic force that
granted life to newly built TRANSFORMERS,
was quickly identified and quantified. In an early
story arc, Optimus Prime captured, his head
is
removed and isolated in order to subvert the

power of the Matrix. To frustrate the
Decepticons, Prime transfers the Matrix
energy to human ally Buster Witwicky.
TT1
TR/MlS >
Issues #1-6
With the help of Sparkplug Witwicky
IFflRmERS Issues #7-16
Ratchet travels to the Savage Land to
and some poisoned fuel, the find the Dinobots. But far from aiding
Autobots triumph over the Megatron, the Dinobots turn on him, and
Decepticons in their first round of Megatron falls to his apparent doom.
battles. But their victory is short- Shockwave's attacks on G.B. Blackrock's
lived, as Shockwave strikes back. oil rigs spawn a human nemesis in the
Only Ratchet escapes, discovering shape of Circuit Breaker, a woman able

that Prime is now a disembodied to manipulate electricity and robotic
head, tapped for the power of the circuitry. Optimus Prime hides the
Matrix. Megatron, relegated to Creation Matrix in the mind of Buster
second-in-command, plots to Witwicky, and —with the aid of Jetfire
regain the Decepticon leadership, Prime is finally liberated. New Autobots
forcing Ratchet to reactivate the such as Skids, Tracks, and Trailbreaker
Dinobots, who once faced and are created and Megatron returns to
defeated Shockwave. challenge Shockwave.
REPEAT PERFORMANCE CONSTRUCTION
When the Autobots are all captured by TIME AGAIN
Decepticon commander Shockwave, chief The first 1 2 issues of
medical officer Ratchet (pictured) is forced to the Marvel Comics
take center stage. With more scope series are packed to the
for character development through rafters with characters.
internalized dialogue, the comic series The toy range was big
began to flesh out the cast in ways to start with and
that the cartoon series could not growing fast: Marvel
do in its 22 fast and furious was on a monthly
minutes of airtime. Ratchet, in publishing schedule and
search of the Dinobots, and worked flat out to keep
manipulated by Megatron, up. New characters like
is forced to question his the Constructions (all
role in the Autobot six of them, plus
forces and plumb Devastator) had to be
new depths of resolve squeezed into a single
and courage. issue, then cleared out
of the way for the next
influx of robots.
SKYFIRE/JETFIRE
The Dinobots had their own
unique comics origin, so why
not airborne Autobot Jetfire
subsequently Skyfire in the TV
show)? Here, Jetfire is created
on Earth by Shockwave as a
Decepticon and directed against
the Autobots. He's spectacularly
disassembled by Buster Witwicky,
tapping the awesome power of
the Creation Matrix, and
subsequently put back together
again with a dash more "Autobot"
in the mix. In both comic and TV
incarnations, his dalliance with

the Deceptions meant he was
never fully trusted.
Issues #26-37
Grimlock assumes command of the
Autobots on Earth. Meanwhile,
Blaster—now stranded on Earth— is
infected by a living, metal-decaying

disease called Scraplets, and, though
subsequently cured, strikes out on
his own, unable to accept Grimlock's
command. Circuit Breaker and the
G.B. Blackrock-funded RAAT
(Rapid Anti-Robot Assault Team)
step up their campaign against
TRANSFORMERS, prompting
Blaster to investigate. But he's
waylaid by Autobot forces, under
orders to arrest him for treason.
41
US COMICS 2
Mfollow.
TRANSFORMERS and
ARVEL'S
up sales to
It
TRANSFORMERS COMIC was
rival some
—
seemed logical inevitable,
First up was a team-up miniseries,
of the
—
a bona fide
company's core superhero titles.
even that spinoff titles would
pairing
Joe [see pages 70-71), then a three-issue
G.I.
hit, racking
Hasbro stablemates
adaptation of Transformers: The Movie. Transformers Universe, which

followed shortly after, collected Bob Budiansky's epic series of character
and colored art, depicting the characters in both
profiles with newly inked
robot and alternate mode. The four-issue Headmasters series [see also
pages 56-57] introduced the latest toyline, its storyline weaving back into
the ongoing series. But change was on the way. After more than
50 issues, Transformers US writer Bob Budiansky was ready for a break. TRANSFORMERS #31
"Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of
At issue #56, he handed over to Simon Furman, fresh from his long run Doom" represents the more lighthearted
side of the US TRANSFORMERS comic.
on the UK TRANSFORMERS comic-book series. Furman introduced a
sweeping, intergalactic storyline, steering the toward an epic do-or- title
die final battle against the TRANSFORMERS' ultimate enemy. But the
series' momentum could not
and more drastic
last forever,
changes loomed.
BAD GUYS
The first issues after Budiansky's departure paved the
way bad guy of all!
for the introduction of the biggest
Things began on a relatively small scale, as Decepticon
assassins Bludgeon, Stranglehold, and Octopunch,
collectively known as The Mayhem Attack Squad
(pictured), pursued Grimlock, Jazz, and Bumblebee into
the heart of Cybertron. There, they disturbed the vast,
slumbering consciousness of Primus, and his awakening
scream reached the distant audio sensors of his terrifying
adversary: Unicron!
Headmasters #1-4 Issues #38-46

Tired of war, Fortress Maximus and The Headmasters and Targetmasters
several other Autobots head for the resume their battle, and Galen is killed,
planet Nebulos, where their arrival is forcing Spike Witwicky to take over as
resented. Soon afterward, a group the head of Fortress Maximus. His first
of Decepticons, led by Scorponok, task is to rescue his brother, Buster, who

show up. Fortress Maximus agrees is trapped on the Decepticons' island
to a truce with the Nebulan leader, Maximus defeats
base. Fortress
Galen, and he and other Nebulans Shockwave and Ratbat escapes, piloting
have surgery to transform them the base into space. Meanwhile, Blaster
into TRANSFORMER heads and prepares to fight Grimlock in a duel, but
weapons. Scorponok strikes a the Decepticons' arrival unites them.
deal with the power-hungry Lord In an effort to restore Optimus Prime,
Zarak. To safeguard Nebulos, Fortress Maximus returns to Nebulos.
Fortress Maximus draws the Prime is recreated as a Powermaster,
Decepticons away. . . to Earth. with a Nebulan engine component.
MATRIX QUEST
The "Matrix Quest" storyline
(in issues #62-66) sees
teams of Autobots
dispatched to the far
corners of the galaxy
in search of the
Creation Matrix. Their

efforts are dogged by
the Decepticon
commander
Thunderwing (a little-
used Pretender character
upgraded for the US comic).
Tainted with evil when

possessed hy Thunderwing,
the Creation Matrix is turned
against Optimus Prime!
CALVATRONISJ
Not content with one time-traveling
Galvatron (from Transformers: The
Movie to the UK TRANSFORMERS
comic), the US comic introduced
a second dimension-hopping
Galvatron. This version of
Galvatron ruled a future Earth
already conquered by the
Deceptions. Unicron (in the
present day of the US comic
is in need of a herald, and
sends his agents, Hook,

Line, and Sinker, to
capture and enslave
Galvatron all over again.
Bob Budiansky
Although he has written and edited
many other comic books (including
Ghost Rider and Spider-Man), the
importance of Bob Budiansky's
contribution to TRANSFORMERS
cannot be overstated —not only for
the sheer volume of issues he
penned, but also hundreds
for the
of characters (with all names,
their
personalities, strengths, and
abilities), worlds and wars he
fashioned in the five years of his

direct involvement.
80 IN A FOUR ISSUE LIMITED SERIES
Pm TRAINS Wi
Issues #47-66
The Decepticons locate Underbase,
m FURRIERS Issues #67-80
Unicron prepares to devour
the storehouse of untold Cybertron, attacking the Autobot°
Cybertronian knowledge. Out to ahead of his arrival through a
claim it for himself, Starscream Galvatron plucked from an
devastates his own forces —but is alternate dimension. Prime,
blown apart by its power. Megatron meanwhile, attempts to unite the
returns, but his plans are derailed Autobots and Decepticons. But
by Ratchet, and both are caught in Shockwave attacks, initiating a
a blast. Alerted to the ancient threat Decepticon civil war. All
of Unicron, Optimus Prime combatants are relocated to
searches for the Creation Matrix
(lost when his previous
sent into the depths of space), only
body was
\pMN|
OriESh ^ IA Cybertron just in time for an all-out

battle against Unicron. Scorponok
is killed, and Prime sacrifices
it again to new Decepticon

to lose himself to save Cybertron but —
commander Thunderwing. returns to defeat the Decepticons.
43
J,
UK COMICS 1
THE UK, Marvel's regional office produced comic titlessuch as
INCaptain Britain Monthly and Dr. Who. In 1984, it launched its own
TRANSFORMERS comic. Originally published biweekly (in color, with
some black and white pages], Transformers UK began reprinting the US
comic series, but was soon short of material [Transformers US was
published monthly). The answer was to originate TRANSFORMERS comic
material in the UK, so creators were commissioned to write and draw
stories that spun and out of the US continuity. This, of course, proved
in
extremely limiting in terms of what could or couldn't be done and which

characters could or couldn't be used. So, when Transformers: The Movie TRANSFORMERS #1
Featuring a new cover by Gerry Paris, UK
was released, the UK office descended hungrily on its cast of future issue #1 reprinted the first 1 1 pages of
Transformers US #1 backed up with a strip
,
characters and storylines. With the US comic focusing exclusively on the from Marvel's Machine Man series. As was
present-day cast, the creators could run wild with expanded "movie tie-in"
usual for UK comics, the first issue came
complete with a free gift, in this case
storylines.Now a full-color weekly comic, the stories began to enlarge TRANSFORMERS "action transfers."
the TRANSFORMERS universe,

crafting epic story arcs with
a dedicated UK cast of
supporting characters and
a growing fanbase.
TARGET: 2006
The saga of "Target: 2006" spins out of a scene
in Transformers: The Movie when Galvatron
orders the Decepticons "to Earth!" This began an

epic time-travel saga that meshed present-day
characters (on both Earth and Cybertron) with
their future counterparts. Galvatron travels back
in time to set up his future domination of
Unicron, only to be thwarted by Ultra Magnus

and a trio of movie Autobots. "Target: 2006" also
introduced the highly popular Autobot Special Ops
group, the Wreckers, and their leader, the UK
comic creation, Impactor (pictured].
Issues #1-50 Issues #51-99

"Man of Iron"
Stories such as "In the National Interest" sees
and "The Enemy Within" worked the return of the Dinobots, after
within narrow gaps in the US which the UK comic starts to go
continuity. The Dinobots, its own way with the movie-
largely sidelined by the US inspired "Target: 2006." When
comic, bear the brunt of these Galvatron, Cyclonus, and Scourge
earlyUK tales. They relive travel back in time, Optimus
events from the TV episode Prime is displaced to a limbo
"More Than Meets the Eye" realm. Galvatron and his
Part 2, and come up against lieutenants are duly routed by
the Ark's Guardian defense Ultra Magnus, returning Prime to
droid and their own decaying the real world. He then returns to
mental circuits. The rogue Cybertron, where (wrongly
Dinobots are finally subdued assumed to be an imposter) he is
in "Dinobot Hunt." hunted by his fellow Autobots.

GALVATRON VERSUS ULTRA MAGNUS
This epic future-versus-present-day clash would be played out across
several story arcs in the UK comics ("Target: 2006," "Fallen Angel," and
"Time Wars"). Cybertron's greatest warrior, Ultra Magnus, is sent to
Earth to find the missing Optimus Prime, but finds instead the increasingly
deranged Galvatron (the sanity of the future Decepticon leader is clearly in
question after the end of Transformers: The Movie}. Initial
skirmishes lead to both being entombed in lava.
CENTURION
Transformers UK soon
A
A 1
El
established a supporting cast
of humans and mechanoids.
Scientist Professor Morris
2/ attempts to possess the mind
of Dinobot Swoop and then
returns as the controlling
intellect behind government
secret weapon Centurion
(subsequently destroyed by
Galvatron). Other UK
supporting characters include
reporter Joy Meadows and
archaeologist Susan Hoffman.
'
FEEL FREE
TO POP ROUND AIMO
ffyn
PICK HIM UP
ANYTIME
"2005" VERSUS "2006"

When the Marvel UK office first embarked on its movie tie-in
continuity, they were working from an early draft of the movie script,
the movie itself still unreleased. In that early draft, the year is
am 2006, hence 2006," but in the final cut it is 2005. It was
"Target:
too late to correct, so the comic movie era is always plus one.
Issues #100-132 Issues #133-149

On the run with fellow Rodimus Prime becomes the
Autobot Outback, Prime target of bounty-hunter
recounts the story of their Death's Head in the two-part
time in limbo and the "Head Hunt." This sets up the
parasite creatures that tried epic "Legacy of Unicron"
to possess them. Prime and storyline. At the end of
Ultra Magnus take on Transformers: The Movie,
Megatron, who himself is in Unicron's head is seen
danger of being possessed by spinning off into outer space.
the mind of Lord Straxus. "Legacy of Unicron" picks up
The future cast returns in from there, when Unicron's
"Wanted: Galvatron —Dead head (now fully functional) is
or Alive," with Rodimus discovered on the planet of
Prime traveling back in time Junk, having enslaved the
y to findt he rogue Galvatron.

entire Junkion race.
45
m n
UK COMICS
MARVEL
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26th Dec 87
IM°W5 32p
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THE UK TRANSFORMERS comic rolled onsecond
into its tw*»r?J
AS and third years, the confidence of its creators grew and they
stepped fully out of the shadow of the US series. Though
some US reprints were still necessary for story and budgetary
reasons, the UK stories were now more plentiful, with their own
direction and dedicated cast. The story arcs were imbued with a
harder edge and broader character sweeps than earlier, and
moved from past to future and from Earth to Cybertron. At its
peak, Transformers UK was selling more than 200,000 copies per
issue. Inevitably, though, the audience was growing up and moving m*miwm ~*~t .
on. But a core readership would ^\il^26^JBi

keep the title going after many SEASONAL STORYLINES
"Stargazing" in issue #145 continued a UK comics
of its contemporaries had fallen tradition of sorts, with a dedicated festive issue and
by the wayside. In all, the UK story, plus the inevitable holly or snow on the logo.
comic reached 332 issues,

making it far and away the
longest-running licensed
comic title in the UK.
TIME WARS
The present-day presence of future
Decepticon Galvatron, and then Cyclonus and
—
Scourge (pictured) all of whom were now
—
stranded in their past caused all sorts of
time-related mayhem. From "The Legacy of
Unicron," through "Space Pirates" and related
one- or two-offs, the movie storyline reached
its conclusion in "Time Wars." The death of
Cyclonus years before he is created and the

THE TWO MEGATRONS
In an effort to marry divergent
continuities, a second
presence of Megatron [Galvatron's former self]
Megatron was introduced. The Megatron who
at Galvatron's side initiated a breakdown of the
appeared in issues #125-244 of the UK comic is
entire structure of space and time.
revealed as an impostor, a perfect double created by
Lord Straxus (pictured) should his
plan to possess Megatron fail.
Issues #150-179 Issues #180-198

"The Legacy of Unicron" wraps up In "Space Pirates," the villainous
Primus' eternal struggle against Quintessons (seepage 52) take
Unicron and reveals the origin of center stage as, with their own
the TRANSFORMERS. Galvatron world dying, they begin to target
returns, attacking present-day Cybertron and Autobot City on
Decepticon commander Earth for a replacement. Wreck-
Shockwave in his undersea Gar and the city-sized Metroplex
base. Ultra Magnus then scupper their plans. Quintessa is
returns to Cybertronand is consumed by a growing rift,

met by rogue Autobot Flame. caused by Galvatron and his
Magnus fights in the "State time-traveling cohorts, a spatial

Games," before Galvatron, anomaly that is aggravated by
Cyclonus, and Scourge return the death of Cyclonus. An event
to face the Wreckers on that sends shock waves through
Earth in "Wrecking Havoc." space and time, leading to...
The Writer
"Back when was writing
I
Transformers UK, I had no real
idea that there was loyal fanbase

developing, one that would endure
and thrive with the introduction of
the Internet, and certainly no idea
that the stories would be so
scrutinized and dissected. But I
know now! Though my career has
included a lot of other comics and
TV work, it's TRANSFORMERS
that gets the most attention. And
hey, I've kind of grown to like it!"
Issues #199-214 Issues #215-332

..."Time Wars," the final battle No longer all-color, the UK-
between Galvatron and the originated, five-page black-
future Autobots. Galvatron and-white stories kicked off
teams up with his former self, with "Race with the Devil" in
Megatron, and causes cosmic #215 and continued (via
upheavals for two eras. Present mini-epics such as "Aspects of
and future Autobot leaders Evil," the Carnivac/Catilla
Fortress Maximus and storyline, and "Perchance to
Rodimus Prime unite to Dream") "End of the Road"
to
combat the threat. Finally, (a Furman in-joke for any last
Optimus Prime returns from story!) in #289. After that,
limbo to destroy Galvatron and until its demise, the title solely
seal the rift. Over 50 issues' ran classic earlier strips, the
worth of storyline ended with final US storylines, and some
a truly epic confrontation. G.I. Joe material.
UNLEASH THE APOCALYPSE!

47
TU SEASONS 3 a a
TWO SEASONS IN ONE... KEY EPISODES FROM THE
FINAL GENERATION 1 TRANSFORMERS TV SERIES
"THE FIVE FACES OF DARKNESS" part 4
THE 301986,
EPISODES Season which aired over two months
of 3, in Galvatron attacks the Decepticons, accusing
them of disloyalty, allowing the Autobots to
late followed on from Transformers: The Movie
directly escape. The Quintessons strike a deal with
Galvatron, offering him the fictional Decepticon
and focused entirely on the future cast. Here, the TV series Matrix of Leadership, and he agrees to lead a
and the comics go in radically different directions, each dual attack on Earth and Cybertron. The giant,
sentient battle platform, Trypticon, is dispatched
establishing their own origin of the TRANSFORMERS. Certainly, to Earth,where Metroplex is still trapped in city
mode. Cybertron's defenses are damaged by a
Galvatron in the TV series barely resembles the spitting-mad dummy attack, allowing a vast armada of
engine of destruction in the comics. Though counted as Season 4, Quintesson ships to descend on the planet.
the three-episode "Rebirth" story, which introduces the Headmasters

and Targetm asters, is largely an extension of Season 3.
"THE FIVE FACES OF DARKNESS" part 5

Revealed as both the creators of the
TRANSFORMERS and their greatest enemies,
"THE FIVE FACES OF DARKNESS" part the Quintessons aim to take back the world they
1 "THE FIVE FACES OF DARKNESS" part 2
created: Cybertron. Meanwhile, Blurr and
As the leaderless Decepticons energon
fight for Rescued by Springer and Arcee, Rodimus Prime
Wheelie finally deliver the Transformation Cog,
scraps on the planet Charr, Spike, Kup, and Ultra falls into a comalike state and receives a Matrix-
and Metroplex rises to defeat Trypticon. On
Magnus are kidnapped by raiders. Springer and induced vision of the five-faced robotic aliens, the
Cybertron, Galvatron at last realizes he's been
Arcee set off in pursuit. Perceptor dispatches Quintessons. Prime recovers and sets course
duped by the Quintessons, and the Autobots and
Blurr and Wheelie to Earth to supply the city- for Quintessa. Meanwhile, Cyclonus and Scourge
Decepticons unite to send the invaders packing.
sized TRANSFORMER Metroplex with a new have recovered Galvatron from the distant planet
Transformation Cog. Meanwhile, Rodimus Prime
The Decepticons return to Charr to plan anew.
of Thrull. In an effort to destroy the Matrix of
and Grimlock scout the Decepticon base on Leadership, the Quintessons blow up Quintessa
Charr, but are discovered and attacked. and everyone in the vicinity!
Autobot lieutenant
commander Sky Lynx
"STARSCREAMS GHOST"
THE FIVE FACES OF DARKNESS" PART 3 Starscream returns as a ghost and seeks
The Autobots escape, but the blast hurls revenge on Galvatron (who destroyed his body).
them all into deep space, and they eventually He hatches a plan with Octane, a Decepticon
come to rest on the slime-encrusted planet hunted by hisown forces. Possessing Cyclonus,
Goo #8739B. Back in charge, Galvatron Starscream is able (under the pretense of
attacks Blurr and Wheelie's shuttle, capturing Octane) to get close to Galvatron. He
preventing them from delivering the sends his executioner into an Autobot ambush,
Transformation Cog. The Quintessons recruit but Galvatron, though badly damaged, escapes.
the remainin^ Decepticons and attack the When Galvatron blasts Cyclonus, Starscream
helpless Autobots on Goo #8739B. retreats into the body of one of the sweeps.
"THE REBIRTH" part 1
When Galvatron attempts to access the Plasma
Energy Chamber at the heart of Cybertron using
a stolen key, Spike, Daniel, and a team of
Autobots are dispatched to steal back the key.
A burst of plasma sends their ship millions of
light-years into space, and they land on the
planet Nebulon (known as "Nebulos" in the
Marvel comics, see page 42). There, they meet
Galen and his resistance fighters, who are
struggling against the tyrannical Hive. They
agree to work together, and the Nebulans'
bodies are adapted to serve as the Autobots'
pilots and robotic cramums.
"THE REBIRTH" PART 2

"FOREVER IS A LONG TIME COMING" The Quintessons The Decepticons hunting Spike and the key
A Quintesson attempt to open a time window In "The Five Faces of Darkness," the arrive on Nebulon, only to be defeated by the
strands Blurr, Wreck-Gar, and Blaster 1 1 million full origin of Cybertron and the new Autobot Headmasters. The Hive, too, is
years in the past. As Rodimus Prime struggles TRANSFORMERS (as least as far the TV defeated, and the Decepticons are stranded on
to fix the time window, an amnesiac robot, A3, Nebulon. The Hive's leader, Lord Zarak, strikes
series goes) is revealed. We learn that
appears. A3 volunteers to go through the a deal with the Decepticons, repeating the
Cybertron was long ago colonized by the
window and find the missing Autobots. A3, it synthesis of Nebulan and TRANSFORMER,
transpires, is actually a young Alpha Trion.
Quintessons, who created two robotic
creating Headmasters and Targetmasters. Prime
slave/worker lines, one designed for military arrives to keep the key safe, only for Scorponok
"GHOST IN THE MACHINE" hardware and the other for consumer goods. (controlled by Lord Zarak] to enter the fray.
Set on regaining a physical body, Starscream imbued with intelligence, the
Artificially
possesses Scourge and flies to Unicron's head, military and consumer robots soon rebelled, "THE REBIRTH" part 3
which is drifting around Cybertron. In return for turning on their masters. The Quintessons Scorponok secures the Plasma Energy key and
a new body, Unicron assigns Starscream three were driven from Cybertron. Thereafter, the returns to Cybertron, where Galvatron orders
tasks, two of which he accomplishes (stealing consumer robots (Autobots) crafted a new his engineers to move Cybertron into Earth
an eye from both Metroplex and the giant orbit and open the plasma vents. The energy
era of peace, but the military robots
Decepticon Trypticon). But when he realizes that
Unicron plans to make Cybertron his new body,
(Decepticons) yearned for conquest —and a that is unleashed threatens to make Earth's
Sun go supernova, and also incapacitates all
Starscream contacts the Autobots. Starscream vast civil war began.
TRANSFORMERS. The humans and Nebulans
gets his body, but the Autobots detonate manage to reverse the plasma energy outflow,
charges to send Unicron's head back into space. and Fortress Maximus (a Headmaster with Spike
as a living component] arrives from Nebulon to
"ONLY HUMAN" herald a new golden age of peace.
Crime lord VictorDrath initiates a counterstrike
against the Autobots, who have thwarted his
activities. He contacts a hooded drifter known
as "Old Snake" who supplies mind-transfer
technology. Rodimus Prime. Ultra Magnus, Decepticon Triple-
Springer, and Arcee are trapped, their minds Changer Blitzwing
transferred to synthetic bodies. As Drath packs
their robotic bodies with explosives and directs
them toward Autobot City, the synthetic
Autobots rally, stirring Metroplex into defensive
action. Drath is captured, and the Autobots'
minds are restored.
"THE RETURN OF OPTIMUS PRIME"

PART 1
In deep space, scientist Gregory Swafford and his
Jessie Morgan, pluck Optimus Prime
girlfriend,
from the brink of a fiery death aboard the
Autobot flagship. But Swafford's experimental
spacecraft, Solaris, becomes coated with strange
red spores that provoke hatred and violence on
contact. When Jessie is injured in an attack by
the Terrorcons, Swafford and Jessie's father,
Dr. Morgan, plan revenge on all robots by
allowing the hate virus to spread, infecting the
Throttlebots as well as Autobot Ultra Magnus.
"THE RETURN OF OPTIMUS PRIME" part 2

"DARK AWAKENING" Autobot Sky Lynx locates a Quintesson engineer
In a deep-space mausoleum, the Autobots who repairs Optimus Prime, but by now the
discover their former leader, Optimus Prime, mysterious virus has spread, infecting Rodimus
back from the dead. Rodimus Prime hands back Prime and setting Autobot against Autobot.
the Matrix, reverting to Hot Rod. But soon after, Bumblebee is severely injured, and is recreated
Optimus Prime attacks his fellow Autobots, as Goldbug. Sensing the Matrix holds the answer
setting the mausoleum on a collision course with to the virus, Optimus Prime battles the crazed
a nearby sun. Prime's memory returns and he Rodimus Prime and wins it back. Through the
realizes the Quintessons are using him to lead power of the Matrix, he cleanses the infected
the Autobots into a trap. Prime embarks on a TRANSFORMERS and humans. Optimus Prime
suicide mission to thwart the Quintessons' plans. eventually resumes command.
* UNICRON
FROM rnMPQ ORDER.
puiAnQ COMES
Fpn^/l CHAOS nnni=n
SEEN IN Transformers: The Movie, Unicron is

FIRST
TRANSFORMERS' ultimate villain. Moving across space
and between dimensions, Unicron was committed to the
destruction of all life. It crushed and consumed planets, and
infected the very substance of space itself with a chaotic virus
THE BIG BANC
Having witnessed the birth of our Universe, an
that undid the order of the Universe. When nothing remained, extradimensional entity known as The One grew
Unicron rested — before moving on to start the process again in

curious and created twin exploratory heralds,
Unicron and Primus. But Unicron was an
imperfect being, a chaotic force that
one of the countless parallel Universes. The one thing Unicron ultimately began to ravage the fledgling
feared was the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, the life Universe. Unicron took on two distinct
forms, one mental (projected on the Astral
essence of its ancient enemy, Primus, Lord of Light. Plain] and one physical (a metal planetoid).
Sodium cobalt INTELLIGENCE 10 |

ENDURANCE 10
claws for deep SPE ED 10 |
STRENGTH 10
SKILL 10 |
impact COURAGE 10 RANK 10 FIREPOWER 10

I I
penetration
Early-warning sensory
array, sensitive up to
0.2 light-years
Underfoot
thrusters
The Fallen
The many battles against Primus culminated in
The First Transformer shocking betrayal. Primus had created a crew of

Unicron made startling adaptations to its new 13 TRANSFORMERS to optimize his defensive
and mode. But one of
tactical options in planet
physical form, crafting a robot body that mirrored
the 13 had been turned, and had attempted to
its astral form. Unicron began to consume world after
sabotage Primus' planet mode. "The Fallen," as
world, reabsorbing the energy that it had lost creating this TRANSFORMER became known, was
other tainted worlds. In robot mode, it increased its thwarted, and joined his new master. only to be . .
maneuverability and firepower, a response to the one sucked along with him into a black hole.
force that could stand against it: Primus.
50
Retractable shoulder Retractable head unit with shielded
apparatus and main cerebral casingand secondary/emergency
transformation cog Spark Core. Telescoping antennae for
robot mode configuration
First-stage biochemical
reduction chamber and
secondary matter compactors
Primary matter intake

' aperture with forward
cobalt-plated fin
mandibles for selection
and gathering
W&i?/
mi
'"• Main feeler/sensory

2SKS 'Mm it apparatus and planetary
interlock arms
Dual digestive tracts,
with hypersensory
nodes. Matter directed
to energy converters
or hydrostatic acid
vats, producing waste
f ' •
by-product
Thermal smelting
cavities for impacted
core metal elements
*<
^ ANTIBODY SYSTEM
v>y Although few approach
V3®? \
'->T~
Unicron and survive, any
intruder — hostile or
otherwise —who penetrates
Unicron's outer defenses
Energy
will face an internal system
distribution
of sub-sentient tendril
conduits
antibodies, which stun and
/ J I f disembowel foreign bodies

for subsequent digestion.
THE FUTURE
Unicron would return again and
again, and could be temporarily
defeated but never totally
destroyed. Each time Unicron
replenished itself, its evil grew and
it adapted its body into new and
Shielded Spark Core and different configurations. Its vast,
primary nerve/control Primary matter-to- heavily shielded Spark Core was

energy converters and resistant to even the Matrix energy,
center, with full sensory Outer sensory ring with
allowing it to rebuild by absorbing
interpretation hardware resonating harmonics reaction initiators
other Sparks or pure energon.
51
B 4rf
QUINTESSONS
THEtheEXTENT OF thetheQuintessons'
in creation of
involvement
TRANSFORMER race is
Quintesson judges are
in charge, but subspecies
SHARKTICONS
Possessing limited mobility and offensive
of Quintesson do exist,
still largely a matter of conjecture. Certainly
including guards and
capabilities, the Quintesson judges rely
largely on their feared ground/sea troops,
these cruel machinist intellects influenced the gatekeepers. the Sharkticons. The Sharkticons are an
enslaved race from a colonized world.
TRANSFORMERS' early development, and
perhaps even attacked and colonized
Cybertron at one or more times in its
past. The main problem was
misinformation. The Quintesson
high command —the five-faced
judges that preside over witch-hunts
and purging inquisitions —thrives on a
culture of and deceit. Two things,
lies
though, are clear. Cybertron is of huge

tactical importance to the Quintessons,
—
and they like Unicron fear the power — of
the Matrix (and Primus).
QUIIMTESSA
The Quintessons are primarily a nomadic race,
constantly invading and colonizing new worlds using
the savage Sharkticons as battlefield cannon fodder.
Ultimately, the Quintessons aim to recreate their
homeworld Quintessa on each "host" planet.
The Five Faces

Each Quintesson judge has five distinct aspects, which
together make one whole. Their sole aim is to eliminate
potential threats or enemies, and they routinely purge
any immediate galactic space. Whether speaking as
DEATH, WAR, JUDGMENT, WRATH, or WISDOM, the
verdict is generally the same: "guilty!"
52
THE ASTRAL PLANE
The battle between Primus and Unicron is
fought not only in the physical Universe

but also in a mental battlefield where
distance and scale become irrelevant.
Few are aware of this secondary
reality, fewer still able to direct their
consciousness through it Damage
inflicted on the astral plane is felt acutely
by the physical form, and can sometimes
BEFORE THE DAWN

result in complete shutdown.
of time, Order and
Chaos existed in harmony within a
perfect
self-contained entity called The One. Eager
to explore the infant Universe, The One created
Unicron, and then subdivided its creation
into two. That second being was
Primus. Both heralds spread their
new planets
entirety across
throughout many realities,
seeding the future. But as
Primus gained sentience,,
he realized that Unicron
had become a force for
Chaos, destroying all they
had created. Wise and
in touch with all living
things, Primus
became the
champion of
Order, vowing
to safeguard
the Universe.
Though depicted here,

Primus has never
been seen, recorded, or
otherwise captured in
robot mode. (His
astral aspect resembles
Rodimus Prime.)
Robot Mode
Assuming the role of
protector of the Universe,
Primus used the energy The
One had given him to attack
Unicron directly, the former twin
forces clashing explosively and
repeatedly. Like Unicron, Primus
possessed two modes (planet and
robot), but only rarely assumed his
robot mode, wishing rather to be a
part of the Universe, connected on
a planetary level to its ebbs and
flows. Instead, Primus passed his
transformation abilities onto the beings
he created: the TRANSFORMERS.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Superion can fly
at speeds of up to
800 mph (1,280 km/h).
THE SECOND GENERATION OF COMBINED ROBOTS
SPECIAL TEAMS grew out the "mass of intellect"

THE
experiments that had created the giant combined
robot Devastator [see pages 32-33). Autobot
scientists managed hands on the Combiner
to get their
blueprints, and the result was the Aerialbots, who formed
Superion, and the Protectobots, who formed Defensor.
Both robots had revolutionary compartmentalized brains
that could maintain the integrity of individual brain-wave
patterns while drawing on each for an integrated
whole. The Decepticons created their own Special
Teams: the Combaticons and the Stunticons.
Slingshot
The smallest and slowest of the
Aerialbots, Slingshot wraps his
insecurities in the guise of a brash
braggart. Forever taking credit
for the successes of others, he is
nevertheless a skilled sharpshooter.
Superion
Superion's clarity of
thought and single-
minded intent make
him the polar opposite
Skydive
Able to access and process
—
of Devastator though
his approach can be
data at incredible speeds,
Skydive is fascinated
almost too simplistic and
by the science of his demeanor sometimes
aerial warfare and is aloof and cold. Superion
constantly analyzing distills his battle approach
historic battles. His down to two simple goals:
tactical know-how makes destroy Decepticons,
him utterly indispensable.
protect anyone else.
INTELLIGENCE 10 ENDURANCE 4 INTELLIGENCE 3 ENDURANCE 10

SPEED 9 SKILL 10 STRENGTH 4 SPEED 8 SKILL 7 STRENGTH 1
COURAGE 7 RANK 7 FIREPOWER 8 COURAGE 10 RANK 5 FIREPOWER 8
54
Fireflight Defensor
Unable to keep his mind on his work, The combined mode
Fireflight is sometimes a flight hazard, his of the Protectobots
mind full of childlike wonder instead of (Blades, Groove,
formation mechanics. However, his light Streetwise, Hot Spot, and
wave-distorting photon-displacer gun is Defensor can
First Aid),
a valuable asset. allow emotion to get the
better of battlefield
logic: he will fight until
his last drop of fuel is

exhausted to safeguard
a single life-form.
Ionizer sword slices

through any known metal
ENDURANCE 8
Silverbolt
For the team leader of the
Aerialbots, a fear of heights can
only be a severe drawback.
But Silverbolt grimly
controls his phobia, forcing
his concern for others to
outweigh his own safety.
Menasor
SPEED 9 SKILL 7 STRENGTH 5 The five Stunticons (Motormaster, Dead
COURAGE 5 RANK 5 FIREPOWER 1 End, Breakdown, Drag and Wildrider)
Strip,
combine to form Menasor, a "mass intellect" mess of

psychological instabilities and violent tendencies. One
of the most feared beings on Cybertron, Menasor can
be a single-minded engine of destruction when he —
ignores the competing voices in his head. Likely to
lash out, Menasor is a danger to ally as well as enemy.
Bruticus
In contrast to Menasor, Bruticus
is the epitome of measured,
militaristic might. The merging
of the Combaticons (Brawl,
Swindle, Blast Off, Vortex,
and Onslaught) is an
unqualified, if rather
single-track, success.
Bruticus is renowned for
Air Raid simply following orders

"Gung-ho" best describes Air Raid. Of all the (a rarity in the Decepticon
Aerialbots, he's invariably the first to throw himself forces). But in terms of
into battle, delighting in the chaos that inevitably taking the initiative,
ensues. His conviction is that thinking too much forget it! He'll simply
would make him a liability —and this is about as stop dead on the battlefield
"deep" as Air Raid gets. to await his next command.
55
HEADMASTERS
AND TARGETMASTERS
POSSIBLY THE STRANGEST evolution
of the TRANSFORMER race came
when a group of Autobots, led by
Fortress Maximus, grew weary of civil
war and left Cybertron. While other key

Autobots lay deactivated within
the Ark on Earth, Fortress
Maximus set course for Nebulon,
a planet light-years in the opposite
direction. The humanlike inhabitants,
the Nebulans, reacted aggressively
to the new arrivals. To stop the
crisis from escalating, the Autobots
transferred their mental faculties
to a secondary neural processor
and removed their heads.
Virtually helpless, the Autobots
could only hope that their hosts
would accept this surrender.
SCORPONOK
Suspecting that Fortress Maximus had left
Cybertron in search of power or allies,
Decepticon sub-Commander Scorponok followed him.
Unknown to all but himself, Scorponok's violent image masked
the soul of a noble warrior, with Cybertron's long-term interests
at heart. Still, Scorponok and his Decepticon raiding party
attacked Nebulon, causing untold chaos. Nebulan leader Galen
turned to Fortress Maximus, aware that only an alliance could
save them. But it was to be an alliance like no other....
Scorpion mode
Nebulan
agitator Lord
Zarak binary
bonds with
SPEED 4
Scorponok COURAGE 1 RANK 1 FIREPOWER 9
FORTRESS MAXIM US
The Nebulans had already enhanced their bodies with
various machine parts for deep space or undersea
i exploration. In an extension of this process, Galen
1 himself was fitted with cyber-enhanced body parts
and encased in binary-coded armor. Now
able to reconfigure his body with a simple
mental command, Galen became the
head of Fortress Maximus' robotic
companion, Cerebros, who in turn
became the head of Fortress
Maximus. The trio were now
united, their minds melded into
one super-sophisticated whole
Galen in full Headmaster

binary armor, before his
transformation to head mode
ENDURANCE 9
SKILL 9 STRENGTH 10
NEW WAVE
Now dubbed Autobot
Headmasters, Fortress
Maximus, Highbrow,
Brainstorm, Chromedome,
and others turned the tide of
the battle on Nebulon. But
Galen had reckoned without his
power-hungry political adversary,
Lord Zarak, who offered Scorponok and the
Decepticons a chance to binary-bond with them
creating the Decepticon Headmasters.
Exit Galen, Enter Spike

After years of battle, Galen/Cerebros/Fortress Maximus
feared that Nebulon ultimately would be destroyed, so he
decided to lure the Decepticons away from the planet.
By now, the Autobots had awakened on Earth, and it was
there that Fortress Maximus took the battle. One casualty
FIREPOWER 7 was Galen himself, forced to sacrifice himself to save the
others, and it fell to human Spike Witwicky to replace him.
TARGETMASTERS
Lord Zarak/Scorponok initiated a
Spoilsport in Targetmaster
refinement of the Headmaster process
binary armor, before
with a secondary binary-bonding
process. Some Nebulans were his transformation to
cyber-enhanced to replace the weapon mode
weapons of certain Autobots
like Spoilsport [left] and
Decepticons like Misfire. This

in turn would spawn a third
cyber-enhanced mode, one

that would ultimately see the
return of the greatest Autobot
of all (see pages 58-59].
POWERMASTER PRIME THE MANY DEATHS AND REBIRTHS OF OPTIMUS PRIME
THE DIVERSE and often contradictory realities that

IN make up the TRANSFORMERS "multiverse," there is one \\%
tragic constant: Optimus Prime will die at some point, '
often more than once! There is, of course, one core *£*?<
TRANSFORMERS timeline, but in and around that are \
the "what ifs" and "maybes" — parallel realities that

diverge from the established flow of events.
In one such divergent reality, Optimus Prime is
killed in a bizarre virtual showdown with

Megatron, and his brain waves and
personality are preserved digitally.
He is ultimately recreated by Nebulan

science in more powerful
a new,
body, as Powermaster Prime. J
%J Q
oJ I
Winning Combination
In Prime is binary-
his ultimate incarnation,
bonded to Nebulan and engineer
scientist
Hi-Q [see opposite page). Hi-Q oversees all
of Optimus Prime's power needs (whether
in robot or vehicle mode), routing power
directly to whichever system requires it

the most at any given moment. This
provides not only extreme economy
in terms of fuel consumption but
also hyperefficiency and control in
combat or pursuit situations. Hi-Q Hi-Q in binary-
also serves as a secondary pilot bonded engine mode
and gunner in vehicle mode.
GAME OVER!
Optimus Prime's showdown with
Megatron was played out within a
highly sophisticated computer
game. The brainchild of master
programmer Ethan Zachary, the
Multi-World game environment
was chosen as a battleground to
avoid further real world conflict.
Prime and Megatron allowed
Zachary to download their
personalities, aware that whoever
lost the virtual battle would
ultimately forfeit their life in the
real world. Though Prime initially
triumphed, Megatron cheated
the system, and destroyed
Prime in both virtual and real
worlds. However, Zachary had
secretly saved Prime's brain wave
patterns to disk....
58
Hi-Q transforms
into engine mode
Hi-Q: Architect of Powermaster Prime

Fortress Maximus instructed Goldbug to take the disk
containing Prime's brain wave patterns to Nebulon.
However, a Nebulan scientist named Hi-Q had taken
steps to ensure that Nebulon was now out of bounds
for all TRANSFORMERS. But when Hi-Q's fellow
scientist, Hi-Test, unveiled both his revolutionary
Powermaster process and his allegiance to the
Decepticons, Hi-Q responded by creating his
—
own Powermaster Optimus Prime.
DEAD AGAIN!
The Powermaster process PLEASE, you've A NEW REBIRTH
proved successful, and Optimus got to listen to With Prime dead, Hi-Q
me! we can't leave,
became progressively
Prime once more took charge NOT NOW! about
of Autobot forces on Earth unstable, believing that
CYBERTRON... THEY'RE
but not for long. From the WRONG! the Autobot leader lived
depths of space came the on in his mind. Those
ultimate threat, the planet- around him assumed that
devouring menace called the death of Prime had
Unicron. During the battle, driven him mad, but a
Prime was once more reunited strange quirk of the
with the Creation Matrix, the Powermaster process
TRANSFORMERS' life force. had indeed bonded the
Only its power could defeat two intellects. Through
Unicron, and Prime (leaving Hi-Q the ancient Cybertronian
behind) bravely gave his life to power of "the Last
destroy the chaos-bringer. Autobot," Hi-Q was
reborn once more as
one being with Prime.
Attack Vehicle/Robot Mode

Powermaster Prime is actually two
robots in one. His cab section
transforms into one robot mode, but
cab and trailer can combine to form
a super-powered robot mode.
Twin particle beam cannons

and concussion blasters
Base Mode
Prime's trailer section opens out into a
multipurpose base with repair bay, power
transfer facilities, and battle station
armaments. It can provide reserve
power for an entire Autobot battalion for up
to 24 hours before needing replenishment.
PRETENDER SHELL an innovative TRANSFORMER

is stealth
THE
and mode. The outer biomechanical
infiltration created shell,
from proto-fused genetic matter (with a liquid metal base),

makes the TRANSFORMER within undetectable and allows him to
pass as an organic being, while also granting increased durability.
The segmented carapace can be shed in moments in response to
a simple mental command, allowing the TRANSFORMER to gain
an element of surprise in combat situations. Pretender shells
can also be remotely operated, providing a dual attack option.
However, injuries sustained by the shell are also felt by its
operator, and severe damage can result in mental paralysis.
Cloudburst
Out of his Pretender shell, Cloudburst is
highly introverted, being timid, insecure,

and lacking in self-confidence, barely
able to muster a "hello." Inside his
Pretender shell, however, Cloudburst
completely reinvents himself.
Aggressive, brash, and roguishly
charming, he is the polar opposite
of his real self. In Pretender
mode, Cloudburst wields an electrified
"lightning" whip and thunder cannon.
His inner robot can convert into an
interplanetary cruiser.
Space-Defense
Pretender Shell with
thermostatic plating
Action Masters
Some TRANSFORMERS, like Grimlock
(left), took an evolutionary step too far
following an infusion of a rogue energy
source known as Nucleon. This caused
their transformation mechanisms to
fuse, stripping them of their alt. mode
capability. The tradeoff was greater
speed, strength, and endurance. In the
short term, these "Action Masters" relied
on transforming mini-robot partners, who
became weapons or accessories. But
most Action Masters chose to
ultimately,
purge the Nucleon fror their systems,
i
returning them to normal operational status.

Warrior-Grade
Pretender Shell with
ambient stealth field
Tank mode
INTELLIGENCE B ENDURANCE 9
SPEED 2 |
SKILL 10 |
STRENGTH 6
COURAGE 9 | RANK 6 |
FIREPOWER 7
BLUDGEON
A committed adherent to the dark forces at work in the TRANSFORMERS
universe, Bludgeon follows a strict warrior's code. Versed in a potent mix
of mysticism and arcane knowledge, Bludgeon wields forces that go beyond
the normal definition of science. Silent, watchful, and aloof, Bludgeon is
feared by many and trusted by few. He is a practitioner of and expert in
the Cybertronian martial art of Metallikato, a discipline that demands a
high degree of mental prowess and control. His secondary tank mode
employs an electro-fireball cannon.
BOMB-BURST
The ultimate predator, Bomb-
Burst delights in his reputation as
a lone hunter. It is rumored that
he drains his victims of life-giving
energon, leaving only a mangled
husk behind, a practice that
further elevates his almost
mythical status among his fellow
Decepticons. Pretender mode,
In
Bomb-Burst's specially designed

fangs can pierce metal and
access internal energon storage
cells. His hovercraft mode is
almost completely silent, allowing

for swift, stealthy attacks.
ENDURANCE 4
STRENGTH 8
FIREPOWER 7
Micromasters
A new wave of TRANSFORMERS
joined the fray during the latter stages
of the Earth wars. These tried and true
warriors were downsized to create a front
line of energy-efficient combat teams.
__r Autobot Micromasters included the Race Car
Patrol (reconnaissance), Off Road Patrol
(covert activities), Battle Patrol (rapid
strike deployment), and Rescue Patrol
(search and rescue).They were joined
by Micromaster base commanders,
such as Countdown (right), who
possessed extensive backup facilities,
accessible via remote linkup.
The Decepticons, naturally, responded
with their own Micromaster teams.
61
JAPANESE G1 TOYS EAST MEETS WEST MEETS EAST MEETS...
^S
HE FORTUNES AND two toy

histories of
companies, one American, one Japanese,
were intricately interwoven in the creation
A
of the TRANSFORMERS toy line. In the early
1970s, US toy manufacturer Hasbro licensed M#) Vehicle mode
its line of G.I. Joe action figures to Japanese
toy giant Takara. Motivated by the popularity

in Japan of robot figures, Takara turned the
G.I. Joe toy mold into a transparent cyborg
figure. This was scaled down to become the
Microman line, and then the revolutionary Brawn (in pack]
transforming Diaclone "Car Robot" series.
Pre-Generation 1
Finally, in the early 1980s, Takara released its Brawn (robot mode]
New Microman line (with its Microchange

subseries], adding the further refinement of
robots that transformed into non-car modes.
At which point, Hasbro stepped in again....
Pre-Generation
Wmdcharger
(robot mode]
Pre-Generation
1 Gears
(vehicle mode]
Wmdcharger (in pack]
Micro Cars
The Diaclone series, Takara's first truly transforming car/robots
Pre-Generation 1
focused on the transforming element rather than the
Cliff jumper [robot mode]
realism of the car. The Car Robots sub-line featured more
realistic vehicles, which in turn were made smaller and
—
squatter with built-in motors. Modified versions of these Pre-Generation 1
Bumblebee
"Choro Q" cars briefly appeared in the US, where they
variation (in pack]
were known as Penny Racers. The final Microchange
variations on the 'Chora Q' cars formed the basis of
many of the eventual TRANSFORMERS mini-vehicles.
&t; B
Cliffjumper (vehicle mode]

Robot mode Gears (in pack]
62
TjsSSJSsSF
Microman
The next variation of the Diaclone Car Robots was
the introduction of the New Microman line. While
keeping many of the established characters, the
Microman/Microchange 'Browning Microman/Microchange sub-line introduced a new
cast of robots that transformed into a wide range of
other items, from secret agent-style handguns to
cassette players (plus cassettes), to microscopes and
binoculars, and other variations. The lines expanded to
include robots that would be the forerunners of many
classic TRANSFORMERS characters, including dinosaur
variations and insect variations, and even early triple-
Gun mode
changers/jump-starters.
Robot mode
TRANSFORMERS Junior
The exchange of ideas and toy molds between Hasbro and Takara
continued well beyond the launch of the initial Generation 1 toys. The
companies worked closely on new brand concepts and launches,
including the radical Headmasters/Targetmasters line. Takara Chromedome
released some of these characters as part of their (robot mode)
"TRANSFORMERS Junior" gift set, a three-toy pack
that contained smaller, simplified versions of
characters such as Fortress Maximus and
Chromedome. The Optimus Prime toy
came complete with a
cardboard trailer!
Vehicle mode
Silver/gray
version
(gun mode]
Vehicle mode
Optimus Prime
01 Convoy
Known in the original Diaclone toy line as "Battle Convoy,"
the Japanese edition of Optimus Prime, released in
first Black version (robot mode]
1984, was renamed "01 Convoy" but was otherwise
identical to his US counterpart. The Convoy name would
come to be associated with many later Japanese "Autobot
leader" toys. 01 Convoy was the only first-wave Japanese
Megatron
TRANSFORMERS toy not to be given a straightforward Part of the original Takara Microman/Microchange line,
vehicle-mode designation detailing the specific vehicle on the Megatron toy mold first appeared in 1980, released
which it was modeled. in a black version. Modeled on the Walther P-38 gun,
this early version was followed by a silver/gray variation

[later revived as the E-Hobby Megaplex redeco/reissue
01 Convoy (in pack)
of Megatron), and then a special (still pre-G1) U.N.C.L.E
*' «0^>KX>lt *ffO*0> f" J% edition, with various attachments (silencer, stock
extension, etc.). This latter version would become the
101 ---..„.. . " >&*
y, basis of the TRANSFORMERS Megatron.
I £•*£ 1
v| k'^SH
*n
Black version (in pack] Silver/gray version (in pack]

GENERATION DIACLONE AND
1
MICROMAN—TRANSFORM!
TOYS
1984, the toy giant Hasbro secured
INthe rights to Takara's combining-toy Megatron
concepts, unifying their Diaclone and This mold was originally part of the
Japanese Microman/Microchange line.
Microman one cohesive brand:
lines into The refined and upgraded US version was
TRANSFORMERS. The tiny human pilots renamed Megatron, and came with a
wealth of extra accessories, including a
that sat in Diaclone's original toys were gunsight, silencer, and stock extension.
One aspect of the original toy was ditched
gone, and the toys were now divided into in order to comply with US safety
regulations: the gun-mode Megatron

two groups: ground vehicles and airborne
could no longer fire actual projectiles.
craft (plus handheld objects and weapons).
Hasbro worked with writers at Marvel
Comics [see pages 40-43} to flesh out the
background mythology to the saga, pitting
the heroic Autobots against the evil
Decepticons. Toys came complete with
glossy pack art, a motto, and "tech specs"
detailing each character's personality,
strengths, and weaknesses. Gun sight extension
Optimus Prime
Originally a Diaclone FreightlinerCOE Dual-Axle semi
truck known as Battle Convoy (a name common among
Japanese incarnations], Optimus Prime was three toys
in one. His trailer opened up into a base/combat
deck, complete with secondary vehicle unit, Roller.

The Diaclone driver was gone, but the cab still opened
and could be used to store the fists in vehicle mode.
Original packaging
Instruction
booklet
Grimlock
Based on an original Diaclone
Robo Tyrannosaurus mold,
Grimlock debuted in 19S5 as
part of series two of the
TRANSFORMERS toylme.
Transforming from robot to
T-Rex mode, Grimlock was
one of five Dinobots, the first
official subgroup to be
introduced. Accessories
included an energo-
sword and galaxial
rocket launcher.
Robot mode
Original Diaclone
F-15 packaging
Starscream
Remolded from the original Diaclone F-1 5 Jet Robo,
Starscream led the first line of Decepticon supersonic
fighter-jet toys. Essentially, the toy was one of three
ater six) virtually identical molds, which were
repainted as Skywarp and Thundercracker. Two
variant Starscream toys exist: one with blue triggers
(matching the detachable fists] and one with black.
Galvatron
As TRANSFORMERS entered 1 386
and toy series three, new 'bots were
introduced that were no longer simply
reworkings of Diaclone/Microman
molds. Galvatron (inspired by designs
from Transformers: The Movie] was
envisioned as a future Megatron, and
sported extra features, such as
electronic sounds, lights in its gun,
eyes, and crown, and two distinct
alternate modes.
Laser cannon mode

SHEER RANGE and diversity of
THE
Generation toys produced
1 in the
1980s and early 1990s is truly
staggering. Aside from the classic G1
characters, there are Special Teams, Triple
Changers, Headmasters and Targetm asters,
Pretenders, Action Masters, Micromasters,
H Prowl
Of the classic Generation 1 characters,
the sheer on Prowl is hard
level of detail
Terrorcons, Technobots, Firecons, Seacons,
to beat. As well as his Autobot logo,
Triggerbots/Triggercons, Sparkabots — and he bears (in both robot and vehicle
modes] the chrysanthemum emblem
more! In all, nine TRANSFORMERS toy of the Japanese police force, plus
stripes and text. In car mode, both
series were produced over eight years.
side doors open. Prowl is based on a
Right up until the start of Generation 2 in Diaclone Datsun Fairlady Z (280 ZX) police car.
1993, Hasbro continued to issue new or

remolded toys under the G1 banner.
The toys presented on these pages are
good examples of Hasbro/Takara at their
most innovative and inventive.
Prowl (in pack]
Dinosaur mode
(recolor]
Cassette player mode
Buzzsaw
(cassette mode] One of the best-loved of the toy subgroups, the
Dinobots remain prime examples of beast-mode
TRANSFORMERS. Slag came complete with his
Soundwave original pilot cockpit from his days as a Diaclone
—
Dinosaur Robo Triceratops but no pilot!
Originally a Microchange Cassetteman, the pre-G1
Soundwave came with a Micros Cassette Robo and
headphones. The US version came without cassette or
headphones, and, strangely, the instructions neglected
to mention that the weapons could (in cassette player
mode] be inserted into the rear battery compartment.
Robot mode
(side view]
Robot mode Rear compartment [detail] Robot mode (recolor]
66
\
Defensor
First Aid
Hot Spot
Groove
{? w ^j
W&f"
Defensor
From toy series three [1986], Defensor is the
end result combining the five Protectobots.
of
Presented in a gift box set featuring all five
Protectobots, Defensor is unique among these

early Combiners in that he has a self-contained
robot head as opposed to the separate,
attachable variety. Menasor (the combined
mode of the Stunticons] couldn't even manage
Blades that: his super-robot head is just a mask.
Scorponok
Scorponok's scorpion mode has legs that move
as he advances, an adjustable tail stinger, and
space for his pilot/Nebulan companion, Lord
—
Zarak though, strangely, given the neat fit
in his forward/head compartment, the Original
instructions suggest the chest cavity for packaging
Zarak. Scorponok also comes with
secondary robot, Fasttrack.
Metroplex
Scorpion mode The transforming base/playset to grace the
first
TRANSFORMERS toyline, Metroplex comes with three mini-
— —
robots Six-gun, Scamper, and Slammer plus contact points for
any of the smaller combiner teams, such as the Aerialbots.
With a robot mode, a city mode, a free-rolling battle
station mode, and numerous compartments and
concealed weapons, this toy is one of the
most intricate of all.
Battle-station mode
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GE l\IERATION 2
1993, HASBRO had finally drawn a line under Generation 1
BY and launched a new series of toys under the banner
"Generation 2." Many of the initial toys were recolored
versions of classic characters, with further waves branching out
in newer styles and subgroups. A comic book was launched, and
the G1 TV series was reshown with new CGI intro sequences.

The Generation 2 line went back to basics, relying on the
popularity of core characters like Optimus Prime
and a revamped Megatron to fire the
hearts and minds of a new
^
generation of kids.
V
^ .«-••:
A\l
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to
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THEIR SHARED toy company parentage, added to which both
GIVEN
comic books were published by Marvel Comics, it was perhaps
inevitable that antiterrorist group G.I. Joe would feature alongside
TRANSFORMERS in a crossover story. The four-issue G.I. Joe and the
Transformers series began an enduring TRANSFORMERS trend, the
respective factions (Autobots and G.I. Joe/Decepticons and Cobra] clashing
no fewer than five times in a variety of locations, situations, and generations.
Despite the size differences, the team-up relationship blossomed, extending
through Marvel (US and UK) to the Dreamwave era, and even kick-starting
the TRANSFORMERS: Generation 2 saga in late 1993. ISSUE #*7
The first official crossover story
between TRANSFORMERS and
G.I. Joe began with issue #1
G.I. Joe and the Transformers of G.I.Joe and the
TRANSFORMERS and
Generally, fans of both G.I. Joe are Transformers in January
united on one front: the pairing got off to a shaky start 1987. The script was by
Michael Higgins, with art by
with the initial series. The story was routine: the
Joe mainstay Herb Trimpe.
Decepticons, out to steal yet another power station,
become embroiled first with Cobra (the Joes'
venomous nemeses] and then G.I. Joe. In addition,
TRANSFORMERS continuity was ignored. Plot events
like Bumblebee's destruction and Bombshell's capture
simply couldn't be reconciled with the core continuity.
ANCIENT RELICS
Marvel UK's own interlicense
story, "Ancient Relics," featured
a full-blown firefight between
Flint's Action Force and
Autobots Grimlock and Blades.
Set in London, it generated its
own share of continuity troubles
by including Megatron (M.I.A.
in the US series) and Centurion
(no longer, it seemed,

controlled by Professor Morris,
—
see page 45] though both
sink the Thames River at
in
the close of action.
70
Yo, Joe (Redux)
Most recently, two new
TRANSFORMERS/G.I. Joe
team-ups have surfaced
courtesy of Dreamwave
(the current holders of
the TRANSFORMERS
comic book license) and
Devil's Due (publishers of
w vl
the new G.I. Joe comics).
The Devil's Due crossover
hit the stands first, and
featured an alternate-
reality tale charting Cobra's
" r inaugural strike against
humankind, armed with
^
*^*
their terrifying robotic
army of Decepticons.
Doomsday, 1939
Dreamwave's take on G.I. Joe sets the action just before
the outbreak of World War Not only are the core Joes
II.
recast as WWII infantry men rather than an antiterrorist

group, but the TRANSFORMERS also get eye-catching
—
makeovers Ravage is a hand-grenade, Grimlock a WWII
tank, and so on. With retro-designs by Don Figueroa
[Transformers: The War Within) and moody art by Jae
Lee [Inhumane], this was a bold departure from the norm.
PRELUDE TO G2
While both the alternate-reality
Devil's Due story and Dreamwave's
WWII-based crossover existed out
of continuity, an earlier crossover
in the pages of G.I. Joe comic
was the closest to being essential

interms of series continuity.
With Hasbro about to launch
TRANSFORMERS: Generation 2,
a dedicated G2 comic was
forthcoming from Marvel... but
G.I. Joe was where the saga
actually began (see pages 72-73).

i
Mi;-
4 G.I. Joe's Snake Eyes

• > (left; and Scarlet (right)
assemble alongside a
WWH-variant Prime in
Dreamwave's saga.
V
G2 COMICS
WIDESCREEN TRANSFORMERS FOR A NEW GENERATION
LAUNCH PAD Generation 2 was a for four-part story that

THE
appeared Joe issues #139-142in G.I. (published in 1993],
in which the elite antiterrorist unit is reunited with the
TRANSFORMERS. Setting out to inject new life into the brand,
Hasbro had returned to basics, stripping away the gimmicks and
pushing the classic and best-loved Autobots and Decepticons to
the forefront once more. Redesigned, reworked, and largely
reimagined for a new wave of fans, the hope was to recreate the
runaway success of Generation 1 A companion Marvel comic .
series was duly launched, with

writer Simon Furman returning
for a new tour of
duty, following Larry
Hama's work on the
G.I. Joe segment.
ISSUE #1
Launched in November 1993, the first issue of
Transformers: Generation 2 appeared in a standard

DARK DESIGNS and a deluxe edition, both with art by Derek Yaniger.
Transformers: Generation 2 began
with a full-blown battle on a world
that series villain Jhiaxus is
THE SWARM
Prime's Matrix-induced
"mechaforming" process by which
(a
visions are made real by the
organic planets are turned into mini
advent of the Swarm, a dark
Cybertrons). Optimus Prime,
already plagued by visions of some
mass of all-consuming
dark apocalypse, comes to realize

energy. As the G2 series
that all his previous struggles
unfolds, we learn that the
(throughout Generation 1 ) are but

TRANSFORMER race grew by
a process similar to cellular
one tiny piece of a much bigger
picture. Jhiaxus (a Cybertronian,
replication, but it spread
further than its creator,
not an Autobot or a Decepticon)
Primus, intended. An energy
tells a crushed Prime that they left
by-product was spawned: the
Cybertron and its civil war behind
dark force that became
years ago, and have created a truly
universal dynasty in the meantime.
known as the Swarm!
G.I. Joe # 139-1 42 Issues #1-5

Megatron discovers Cobra's multi- Optimus Prime and Grimlock uncover
mode castle by accident. He strikes a a hitherto unknown faction of
deal with the group's leader, Cobra Cybertronians who are creating an
Commander, and is refitted with a interlocking planetary network of metal
new, more powerful body. The Ark worlds. As Prime faces off against the
is relocated to the Cobra-controlled Cybertronians' commander, Jhiaxus,
town of Milleville, where its Autobot Fortress Maximus challenges
technology is to be studied by Megatron aboard the Ark. Skydive
weapons expert (and double manages to save Dr. Biggies- Jones,
agent) Dr. Biggies-Jones. G.I. Joe but Fortress Maximus perishes as the
operatives team up with Autobots Ark explodes. Bludgeon and the
including Hot Spot and Skydive Decepticons return aboard a vast
in order to thwart Megatron, Warworld, and Prime communes with
but he escapes with the Ark and the Matrix mainframe, uncovering the
Dr. Biggies-Jones. secret of Jhiaxus' second generation.
r«p
JHIAXUS
In Generation 2, Optimus Prime and Megatron unite
—
against a mutual nemesis Cybertronian commander
Jhiaxus. A Decepticon tyrant, Jhiaxus believed he had
buried his primitive tendencies. But as the series
unfolds, Jhiaxus reverts to terrifying form aboard his
flagship, raging before being consumed by the Swarm.
G2 MECATRON
Megatron's new, overtly
a
militaristic G2 design — in
alternate mode he was now
a tank, as opposed to a gun-
fitted in with the G.I. Joe storyline in
which he made his debut. In return

for Cybertronian technology from the
Ark, Megatron is refitted to his own
specifications by the weapons division of the
in
terrorist group, Cobra. Naturally, Megatron TWILIGHTS LAST GLEAMING
reneges on the deal: after the refit, he The conclusion of Generation 2 came surprisingly
steals the Ark and renders obsolete any
II o _ quickly.Played out aboard Jhiaxus' ship, Twilight, the
technology given to Cobra Commander. last battle was originally intended only to end the first
main storyline, with successive story arcs widening
tne scope and scale of the saga
mm
Utm m _ _ _
£Pffi SI^Me/ÎSlT^wJSf
^P55jS|^8^3
_
^ tne f' nal issue even concluded with

a teaser/prelude page.
Issues #10-12
Issues #6-9 The Cybertronians blitz Autobase
Megatron wrests command of the while Starscream seeks the stolen
Decepticons from Bludgeon and takes Creation Matrix on the Decepticon
the Creation Matrix from Optimus Warworld. The Swarm consumes
Prime, only to be defeated by Jhiaxus. many Cybertronians and heads for
Prime and Megatron then join forces, Earth, seeking more of the same.
while Starscream initiates his own As the Warworld attacks the
power play, siding with Jhiaxus. All Cybertronians, Prime and Megatron
combatants are unaware of the new Yd realize that Starscream is not just in
threat posed by the Swarm, which is control, he is the Warworld. When
consuming all mechanical life in its the Swarm arrives, Prime forces
path, until Prime uncovers its dark Starscream to surrender the Matrix
secrets. Before he can act, Starscream and allows himself to be consumed.
leads Jhiaxus and his forces directly hi The Swarm's void is filled, and Prime
to Autobase (the Autobot HQ). is recreated as a parting gesture.
73
BEYOND GENERATION GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
2
FTER JUST THREE series 2 monthly comic
of toys and 1
issues, TRANSFORMERS: Generation 2 was no more.

Ir Its demise seemed to be the final death knell for
TRANSFORMERS as a whole, the new characters failing to
reignite the passion and excitement of the original

But a dedicated core of loyal fans kept the TRANSFORMERS
concept and ¥
toys.
torch burning. Through fan conventions (notably Botcon,
which opened doors
x
its 1994), fan fiction, fanzines
in
and, ultimately, the Internet, the saga and overall

interest were kept alive. Plans for a new
TRANSFORMERS toyline and TV series were
already in the works, but in the dark, desolate W J
interim days, the dangling storylines from
Generation 2, centering on a character (introduced
literally at the death) called the Liege Maximo, —
r
provided fuel for fandom's collective imagination.
The Liege Maximo

The vast and imposing mass of Liege Maximo was glimpsed
—
on just one occasion the final page of the final issue of
Transformers: Generation 2. It was enough to excite and
frustrate TRANSFORMERS fans in equal measure. His
words seemed to indicate he was one of the very earliest
TRANSFORMERS, predating both Optimus Prime and
Megatron (the latter of whom, it appeared, had some kind
of "bloodline" connection to the Liege Maximo).
IX Vi
THE HUB
The Liege Maximo nestled in a womblike command cradle within a
—
sprawling network known as the Hub an impossibly vast interplanetary
network of identical (but different-sized) metal worlds, each fashioned to
resemble Cybertron itself. How had this come to be? What was its
purpose? And who, if anyone, could stop its relentless advance across
the Universe? All good questions, but although fans soon began to
provide their own answers in various fan fictions, no real answers were
forthcoming from writer Simon Furman. At least, not yet....
ALIGNMENT
Finally, across two UK fan conventions in 2001 and 2002,
Furman provided his own conclusion to the saga. "Alignment"
Part 1 was a prose story with illustrations by the likes of
Lee Sullivan, Geoff Senior, and Andrew Wildman, It appeared
in the convention program for 2001 's Transferee
^L>
convention and was followed the year after by a novella-
sized paperback featuring "Alignment" Part 2 and a reprise
of Part 1 In the story, the Liege Maximo bids to ascend
.
via his vast resonating planetary structure to the realm of

the Dark Gods (Unicron et al.).
'
rtP
M i
GENERATION 2 IN THE UK
Though short-lived, TRANSFORMERS: Generation 2
did surface in the UK courtesy of Fleetway [which,
1 at the time, published the long-running sci-fi comic

2000 AD}. Only five issues were published, and only
the first two contained original comic-strip material
(a potted rehash of issue #1 of the US series,
$mim
f
c 1 re-presented for the UK market). For the rest of its
'ALL FRICZ
± A short life, it was a straightforward reprint title.
Fan Fiction
The worlds of G 1 and G2 continued in numerous fan fiction
adventures, some of which spun out of the then-discontinued
Liege Maximo storyline. Writers such as Andy Dornan and Martin
McVay, and artists like Nick Roche (whose fanzine cover art,
featuring the Liege Maximo, is reproduced here) created intricate
and epic new storylines from G2's truncated conclusion. Many
-^
of the new wave of artists currently working for US publisher
Dreamwave emerged from the fan fiction community, which had
moved from print publishing to the Internet. In its own way,
"Alignment" is fan fiction. Though it answers some questions
(for instance, the Liege Maximo is indeed one of the original 13
TRANSFORMERS), the official conclusion to G2 remains untold.
GENERATION 2 TOYS
EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN Robot
mode
THE UNITED STATES, Generation 2 toys first hit """T
IN stores in 1993. The main push was spearheaded

by the release of Optimus Prime and a completely
redesigned Megatron. Other classic toys, retaining
and rubber parts, were joined by
their original metal
new characters with innovations such as sound-
chips, water cannons, and color-changing plastic.
Twin handheld weapons
Megatron
^W
In Europe and Japan, however, the very first LJ
The Megatron remold was one of G2's
Generation 2 toys had appeared throughout 1991 crowning achievements. Modeled on a
—
and 1992 although these toys are often lumped in General Dynamics M1A1 Abrams MBT,
Megatron's tank mode came complete
with the latter Generation 1 releases. Some of these with sound-chip engine noise, missile-
loading SFX, and cannon-blast. Pushing
UK/European toy exclusives never appeared in the
down on the head produced
United States, although many were recolored and a "Megatron — attack!"
sound bite.
released in later US waves.
Lever produces
cannon loading sound
when pulled back
A European G2 exclusive, Pyro was

clearlydesigned in the mold of an Autobot
leader (his tech specs class him as "10" in
the RANK As befits his name, Pyro's
category).
vehicle configurationand trailer form a futuristic fire Missile platform
truck (on eight chunky wheels). The rear section of his trailer (mode 1]
opens up to form a missile platform with two configurations, one

of which can be manned by robot mode Pyro.
Fire Truck
mode
Clench
Pre-G2 Megatron, Clench was clearly intended as a
—
European-exclusive Decepticon leader a row of unbroken
10s make up his tech specs. Classed as an Obliterator,
he [strangely) led a subgroup of one. Much like Pyro
in general robot-mode style. Clench's vehicle mode
was quite similar to G1 Motormaster, being a kind

of truck (in Clench's case, one that splits in two on
transformation). The rear section of Clench's truck
Twin handheld n
mode transforms into a missile launcher/platform.
Missile
launcher and
support arm
Flash is a member of the Autobot
Turbomasters cars line [others being
Boss, Scorch, and Hurricane).
Robot mode
The Turbomaster line also included
—
larger toys Thunderclash (an
Optimus Prime-style vehicle] and Rotorforce
(a helicopter). Flash is a Hot Rod-style sports car.
The leader of the Turbomasters is Boss, a blue
robot and turbocar with front-mounted missile
launcher. Turbomasters were largely ruled out
Vehicle mode from US release because of these highly
efficient missile launchers, which ran afoul of
the restrictions on toys with firing weapons.
Missile
St
Missile launcher
Scorch f*
^P Missile
launcher
In vehicle mode, Scorch
central turbo (which
is a pickup truck
becomes a missile launcher in
robot mode). Released only in Europe in a period
powered by a
Vehicle mode ©
that wasn't yet G2, but wasn't officially G1
C either, Turbomasters rest uneasily between

generations. But given their relationship
with other lines such as Predators, many
Vehicle mode
Robot
mode
collectors now regard them as G2 toys.
Vehicle mode
Hurricane
Also known as Blizzard, Hurricane is a white
sports car in vehicle mode. His tech specs
cast him as the Defensive Tactical
Specialist for the team. Available in some
parts of Europe under the alternate name
Cannonmasters, the Turbomaster line was
Robot mode
also briefly available in Canada.
: J
"T I
v_.«# 2Lv 'A*>~-s 1
BEAST WARS
1996, Beast Wars introduced fans
fej V"
Ik .ft
V
LAUNCHED IN to the
next era of TRANSFORMERS, set some 300 years after
the end of the Great War on Cybertron and Earth.
New —the heroic Maximals and Predacons,
factions evil in
semiorganic "beast modes" — battle the distant past on an in
unidentified planet, rich in energon. The new toy line cut all
ties with former TRANSFORMERS "generations" [at least

initially), and was supported by a visually striking computer-
animated series... the Beast Wars had begun.
y
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THE ARRIVAL
TRANSFORMERS— MAXIMIZE!
NITIAL REACTION TO the new Beast Wars line was a mixture «*,*v
I of excitement and confusion.

classic generations or
Was this a continuation of the
something completely new? The first
—
episode referred to Cybertron and tantalizingly the "Great —
War." But was Megatron the same character fans had come to
know and loathe? Was Optimus Primal linked to Optimus Prime? AGENDA
Megatron scans the Beast Wars planet for energon,
Were Maximals and Predacons descendants of the Autobots and — —
the key he believes to victory over the Maximals.
With planetary stockpiles low and both factions now
the Decepticons? When they began work on Beast Wars, script downsized for better efficiency, Megatron knows that if
he can gather new energon reserves, the Predacons

editors Bob Forward and Larry DiTillio chose to sidestep the can restart the Great War... and this time win it!
tangled web of continuity that was G1 and G2... but not for long.
Pursued by the Maximal

spacecraft, the Axalon, Megatron's
stolen Predacon ship turns to fight.
,.m»--
\
Beginnings STASIS PODS
The opening sequence of "Beast Wars" During the orbital dogfight, the
part 1 uncannily mirrored the first-ever Axalon ejects its cargo of Stasis
Pods as a precautionary measure.
G1 animated episode, "More Than
The shielded, metal Stasis Pods
—
Meets the Eye" Part 1 even though contain Maximal protoforms
Bob Forward, who wrote the Beast (masses of gray, shapeless gel filled
Wars episode, hadn't seen it. with replicating nanomachinery] and
i their Sparks [the sentient aspect of
A transwarp portal (similar to a the Maximal itself). On arrival in a
Space Bridge, only involving time as new environment, the Pod's
well as distance] opens up and two computer scans for compatible life-
spaceships emerge, one in pursuit of forms, reformatting the occupant
accordingly. However, the Maximal
the other. After a firefight, both ships
crash-land on an Earth-like planet. ^î chip can be overridden, making the
protoform believe it is a Predacon.
\
Golden Disks
The first Golden Disk, stolen by
Megatron from Cybertron and used

^^^*
to guide his ship, was originally sent
into space on board Earth's Voyager
•
craft. The second Disk belongs to an

r*.
alien race (later identified as the Vok),
V
P»*J _Â^fl and holds the key to great power.
v .**
E/lffTH fSV >q A/K OTWER A/AME; Detecting buried dinosaur

It is Maximals and Predacons
eventually revealed that the bones on Earth, Megatron
have crash-landed on prehistoric Earth (sometime after G1 's
Ark crash-landed there). Initial confusion results from the
planet's twin moons, one of which is eventually revealed to
be an artificial construct fashioned by an alien race. The
proximity of the G1 characters (deactivated aboard the Ark),
and the time paradoxes inherent in this clash of generations,
/ adopts the form of a T-Rex
as his beast mode.
launched a large number of subsequent storylines.
OVERLOAD
Guided by a "Golden Disk,"
Megatron travels back in
time in search of raw
energon (the substance that
empowers TRANSFORMERS).
However, overexposure to
m
energon causes both the
Maximals and the Predacons »»
i .
to overload. To prevent system-
wide shutdown (or "stasis lock"),
both factions create secondary
organic "beast" modes.
First Strikes
As the hastily ejected Stasis Pods begin to fall to ' '
Earth, the Maximals scramble to gather their brethren.

Megatron, meanwhile, instructs his Predacons to find the
Pods first, and to override their occupants' built-in personality
chips with a "shell" program in order to create new Predacon
As the first series develops, unmistakable traces of
warriors.
technology and artifacts begin to surface, and the vast
alien
energon deposits are discovered to be artificial. The planet has
clearly at one time been used by the aliens as part of some
mysterious experiment, and everything points to the
fact that they were coming back....
Mainframe: Computer Animation Pioneers

Canada-based animation house Mainframe Entertainment turned
Hasbro's new TRANSFORMERS toys into a 3-D-animated TV
^ series. Mainframe was a pioneer of CG (computer generated)
animation, breaking previous boundaries and limitations.
The studio used digital "wireframes" (such as Cheetor, left)
to model the Beast Wars characters in 3-D
before adding surface colors and
textures. In 1997, production designer
Clyde Klotz was honored with an Emmy t-
(for Outstanding Individual Achievement

in Animation) for Jiis work on the Beast
Wars animated sferies.
"Ml
OPTIMUS PRIMAL CRISIS OF COMMAND
Cyber-enhanced,
super-dense carapace
is resistant to most
(non-fission) firepower
THOUGH HE BORE the name Optimus,

Communications
Primal was not a Prime elect, since the uplink array and
Matrix did not choose him. On Cybertron, sensory hub
Primal's fascination with the former

Autobot leader, Optimus Prime,
led him to take a variation of his
name as a tribute. Primal
admired Prime's
greatly
compassion for friend and foe
alike, as revealed in studies of
the Great War. But when the
Maximal High Command ordered Primal
to capture a rogue Predacon named
Megatron, the momentous trials that
followed would forge a true leader.
The Makings of a Great Warrior

Optimus Primal preferred to resolve disputes by
peaceful means, defying a deeply buried instinct to
lash out. Cast back thousands of years through a
transwarp portal, Primal found life or death
decisions thrust upon him. Some among his crew felt
Primal wasn't ready, but time and circumstance
changed the opinion of even his harshest critics.
FIREPOWER
In robot mode, Optimus Primal
possesses shoulder-mounted
mega-blast missile cannons and
twin wrist-mounted blasters,
each of which fires micro-
concussion shells. He carries
twin tri-polymer swords and a
high-impact seismic mace.
BEAST MODE
Cybernetically fused musculature
enhances Primal's natural strength in Built-in
gorilla mode. Though utterly unlike his rockets allow
original Cybertronian "monster truck" short periods
mode, Primal finds he's actually more
offlight
at home in his new, techno-organic
form. It's as if the (surface) civilized
and (buried) wild aspects of his nature
are finally reconciled. He finds he has
far more capacity in beast mode for INTELLIGENCE 1Q ENDURANCE 10
instinctive thought, translated instantly SPEED 10 SKILL 10
into controlled, forthright action. COURAGE 10 RANK 10 FIREPOWER 10
82
THE FEAR FACTOR
Inspiring fear, Megatron knew, would
make him master of all he surveyed.
So it was that this Predacon
Commander, one of the last to
L?*iVtt surrender the Great War, strode
in
MASTER OF HIS DESTINY uncowed into an era of peace with a

name to conjure fear in his enemies.
As well as housing
OF PEACE on Cybertron, Megatron decided to defy his
hisplasma-ray
emitter, Megatron's
TIRED
superiors and take matters into his own hands. Energon
powerful pincer-
claw can slice an was the key: a rich source would allow him to prepare for
enemy in half.
war. To this end, Megatron and a group of like-minded Predacons
stole a Golden Disk, which revealed the location of a planet
brimming with natural energon fields. But Megatron's plans did
not stop there. The planet on which he had set his sights was
Earth, and its prehistory held the key to ultimate power.
Predacons
The Predacons rose out of the ashes of
—
the defeated Decepticons, but left with little
or no energon and relatively few in number
they had no choice but to accept Maximal
terms for surrender. In the years following the
end of the Great War, the Predacons rebuilt
their power base, their ruling Tri-Predacus
Council secretly preparing for a new war to
reclaim Cybertron. But the Tri-Predacus
Council was willing to bide its time, and would
not tolerate a rogue force such as Megatron.
BEAST MODE
Megatron strikes with all the thunderous power
and rage of his prehistoric proto-model, the
T-Rex. His former mobile battle-base mode
had more tricks, but Megatron enjoys the
terrifying purity and simplicity of his new
form. He relishes the stunned shock in
the optical sensors of an opponent as
he charges, the fear-induced moment
of paralysis. And if that fails? His
jaws spit paralyzing fluids
before they snap shut!
COURAGE 10 RANK 10 FIREP0WER1O

THE MAXIMALS
A MIGHTY MENAGERIE
MAXIMAL PROTOFORMS were rescued from

AS their Stasis Pods, the number
under Optimus Primal's command grew.
of Maximals
The flight crew (Rhinox, Cheetor, and Rattrap]

were joined by Airazor, Tigatron, and Silverbolt.
Some would bravely fall in battle. Others would
fall, only to return again, altered beyond
recognition. Certain Predacons would even
join the Maximals, their evil natures checked
to varying degrees. Trapped on prehistoric

Earth, all yearned for an end to the Beast
Wars, hoping to return to Cybertron and
the peaceful ways they had left behind.
CHEETOR
Fiery, fast...and foolish. That's how
Cheetor often appears to others.
But strip away the impulsiveness, the
^ reckless need to impress, and you'l
find the Spark of a loyal and true
warrior. Cheetor's combat skills are sharp
enough to get him out of most scrapes,
and his Quasar cannon (or "gut gun," so
called for its organic styling) supplies the
necessary firepower in hotter spots.
SKILL 7
RANK 6
Vast and imposing in his

own right, Rhinox is the
SKILL 6 rresistible force and the

immovable object rolled into
—
one with firepower to match.
His auto-firing, repeating chain-
gun ("of Doom") unleashes a
Rhinox: Beast Mode small war's worth of artillery shells
Slow and somewhat lumbering in robot in a matter of seconds. Though
mode, Rhinox works up a good head of slow, and admittedly a big target,
steam in beast mode, literally charging Rhinox is resistant to most attacks:

his exoskeletal superstructure is
into battle. His broad back and
highly shock-absorbent, making him
shoulders can bear huge weights,
something of a mobile shield. Fiercely
and he acts as ground loyal and totally dependable, Rhinox
transportation for slower is Primal's trusted second-in-
Maximals and those command, as well as an all-around

without a flight mode engineer and mechanic.
RATTRAP ^
Arrogant and mouthy, Rattrap talks
a good fight, but prefers to leave
the actual combat to others.
His particular talents (leaving
the more unsavory ones aside]
involve covert infiltration and
reconnaissance, and Rattrap can
provide a comprehensive tactical
assessment of most situations faster than the flick
of a Forever berating Optimus Primal or

tail.
needling Dinobot, he lives a decidedly charmed life.
STRENGTH 6
RANK 5 1 FIREPOWER 6
Ultra-dense metal
alloy hide, with
AIRAZOR
radiation shielding
Reformatted on Earth as a peregrine falcon, Airazor actually
feelsmore kinship with her adopted planet than Cybertron.
Soaring on air currents at 30,000 feet (9,000 meters),
Airazor can scan detail on the planet surface, relaying it to
base instantly as a virtual-reality graphic. She also feels a
INTELLIGENCE 7
strong bond with Cheetor, since part of Cheetor's circuitry
SPEED 9 SKILL 7
completed her protoform/Spark reintegration.
COURAGE 7 ! RANK 6
Razor-sharp,
platinum-coated claws
STRENGTH 8
RANK 6 FIREPOWER 6
DINOBOT
A warrior to his Spark Core, Dinobot
is a former Predacon who values
honor and duty above all else. When
he challenged Optimus Primal for
the leadership of the
Maximals, and Primal
subsequently saved his life,
an enduring debt of loyalty
was forged. Dinobot's code of
honor is so deeply ingrained,
it even permeates his DNA as—
Megatron later discovered to his
cost (in "Nemesis" Part 2; see
page 93). His speed and savagery
are backed up by cybernetic eye
beams and a rotary sword.
—
PREDACONS
PREDACONS HAVE THE same capacity for tyranny and
treachery as Decepticons: always looking for trouble and
ready to stab Megatron in the back. The core Predacons
comprise chaos-causing Scorponok and Terrorsaur, traitorous
Tarantulas and Blackarachnia, and loyal but luckless
Waspinator. Megatron's ranks were subsequently bolstered by
other subverted Maximal protoforms such as the fire ant—
Inferno and the Fuzor Quickstrike
and rogue Predacon
criminal Rampage
(formerly
Protoform X].
Blackarachnia
This is one dangerous as far as the definition
lady,
applies. It's not just the poisonous cyber-venom
that immobilizes Blackarachnia's captives, nor the
life-force-draining fangs, but rather her sheer
capacity for sudden rage and the devastating
firepower from her multiple arm-mounted
machine guns and energo-web spinners.
TERRORSAUR
Swooping down from the sky,
Terrorsaur rains fire on those
below and randomly pounds
terrain even when his target
is long since departed {as in dead!).
ENDURANCE 4 In his destructive zeal, Terrorsaur SPEED 6 SKILL B STRENGTH 4
STRENGTH 6 sometimes forgets to close his mouth in
COURAGE 7 RANK 6 FIREPOWER 5 flight and swallows whole flocks of birds.
86
INTELLIGENCE 5
SPEED 8
COURAGE 7
WASPINATOR
SKILL 6
RANK 6
ENDURANC
STRENGTH 8
FIREPOWER 7
^
It's not that Waspinator lacks fighting skills
or firepower: his wing missiles and cyber-
stinger are more than a match for many Maximal
weapons. But he has a habit of being in the wrong
—
place at the wrong time usually the line of fire
and he tends to get parts blown off him. His fellow
Predacons do tend to push him to the
forefront of any offensive. It always ends
badly for poor old Waspinator.
Scorponok
A thug with a brain is a dangerous combination. But that's just what
Scorponok is. He's also loyal to Megatron, often acting as a kind of
personal bodyguard and enforcer. His pincers
serve as both crushing implements and the
housing for his double-shot missile launchers.
In scorpion mode, his tail stinger administers
a cyber-shock bolt that overloads his target's systems.
Scorponok also carries a secondary robotic
bee drone for surveillance.
INTELLIGENCE 5
SPEED 5 SKILL 8
COURAGE 7 RANK 6
Spider-sac with
venom storage
pods and neural
web-spinners
TARANTULAS
With enough agendas, schemes, and designs to make even Megatron
look like a rank amateur in the "evil genius" stakes, Tarantulas' only
loyalty is to himself. He is actually working for the Predacon secret police
as a double agent. With Dark Science links that go all the way back to
Tarantulas operates on an entirely
Unicron the chaos-bringer itself,
different playing field from the rest of the Predacons and Maximals. |
J
| ]
87
——
BEAST WARS
TV SEASON
SELECTED EPISODES FROM THE DEFINING FIRST SERIES
1
season of Beast Wars began with a
FIRST, 26-episode
THE tight focus and gradually broadened its scope to become a
sophisticated and multi-layered sci-fi epic. At first, references "CHAIN OF COMMAND"
to previous continuity were throwaways: the series built its own The Maximals investigate an alien-style stone
circle and are attacked by Terrorsaur, whose
mythology, focusing on the planet itself (only revealed to be Earth missiles reawaken a buried energon crystal. In
response, an alien pod appears, and apparently
in Season 2) and the proliferation of signs, structures, and
—
destroys Primal although he has in fact been
artifacts that indicate a previous alien visitation. Then, as script absorbed by it. The now-leaderless Maximals
are attacked by a gleeful Megatron. Rhinox
editors and writers Bob Forward and Larry DiTillio became more devises a way to release Primal, and he puts the
Predacons The probe vanishes.
versed in TRANSFORMERS lore, the series also started to explore to flight. alien
its G1 roots, building toward epic, sweeping revelations. "POWER SURGE"

Terrorsaur discovers an energon-rich flying
mountain. His powers hyper-boosted, he attacks
Megatron and declares himself leader. Ever loyal,
Scorponok sets out to restore Megatron to
power, while Terrorsaur plans an attack on the
Maximals. Returning to the mountain for a new
infusion of power, Terrorsaur encounters the
Maximals, who are trying to destroy it. Primal
draws Terrorsaur away while Rattrap detonates
charges. Megatron takes revenge on Terrorsaur.
"BEAST WARS" PART 1 "BEAST WARS" part 2

Emerging through a transwarp portal into the Primal and Dinobot battle, just as the Predacons
past, dueling Maximal and Predacon ships attack. Dinobot falls into a chasm, Primal only
are forced to crash-land on Earth. Large just saving him from certain death. Predacon
concentrations of energon force both factions to missiles expose a vast energon deposit in a
create organic beast modes. Predacon Dinobot mountain, and both factions race to claim it.
attempts to wrest command from Megatron, Megatron targets Primal, but Dinobot deflects
only to be blasted by Scorponok. Dinobot then the missile, repaying his debt. The missile ignites
challenges Optimus Primal to a duel, insisting the mountain, initiating a destructive chain
that the victor will lead the Maximals.... reaction. Dinobot joins the Maximals, and Primal
grimly announces, "the Beast Wars have begun."
"THE PROBE"
The Maximal High Command on Cybertron sends
probes through transwarp portals in an effort to
locate Primal's ship. Rhinox detects one, but the
high energon levels make any kind of normal
communication with it impossible. In an attempt
to send a transwarp signal to the probe, the
Maximals build a signal array deep in Predacon
territory (the only suitable site], but Megatron
—
not wishing to be found destroys it. The
Cybertronian probe heads away from the planet.
"VICTORY"
Spying on the Predacons' ship/base, the
Maximals watch as the Predacons turn on
"THE WEB" Megatron. A stray shot ignites energon crystals
Rhinox constructs a communication device and and the base is destroyed, taking it seems —
Cheetor volunteers to test it. Rashly dashing the Predacons along with it. The Maximals
away from the Maximal base, he runs into prepare to launch the Axalon and return to
Scorponok and engages him in battle. Primal is Cybertron, but Dinobot stays behind, fearing
angry, and an abashed Cheetor vows to redeem imprisonment on his return. Heading off alone,
himself. To this end, he seeks intelligence on a Dinobot discovers the Predacons had faked their
—
new Predacon mega-cannon but this time has demise to lull the Maximals into a false sense of
to be rescued from the clutches of Tarantulas. security. The Axalon is grounded once more.
"CALL OF THE WILD"
Waspinator and Terrorsaur steal the Axalon's
rectifier coil, the device that shields the
Maximals from high energon levels. Forced to
remain in beast mode (or face stasis lock), the
Maximals' more overtly animal personas come to
the fore, and they "go native." Abandoning the
base, Primal, Cheetor, and Rhinox link up with
their wild animal counterparts, while Dinobot
hunts Rattrap. Tigatron monitors the situation,
aware that the Predacons are hunting down the
defenseless Maximals. He leads them to safety,
while Airazor steals back the rectifier coil.
"OTHER VOICES" PART 2

The Maximals regroup after a failed Predacon
attempt to steal a Stasis Pod from their base.
When the "moon" fires an energy beam, igniting
energon deposits planetwide, Maximal shields
hold long enough for Primal to pilot the Stasis
Pod into space. Primal triggers a transwarp
explosion, but finds that the Pod is rigged so the
pilot can't escape. The transwarp explosion
destroys the moon... and Primal with it.
'POSSESSION"
"THE SPARK" G1 Starscream's disembodied Spark appears
during an energon storm and possesses
Maximals Rhinox and Cheetor spot a Stasis Pod
Waspinator. In return for secrets that will allow
fallingto Earth. The Predacons see it, too. All
a breach of the Maximals' defenses, "Starscream"
converge on the Pod's position. The Maximals
asks to become Megatron's lieutenant. A
arrive first, and Rhinox attempts to repair the
Predacon attack on the Axalon forces the
Pod's faulty scanning unit, which is putting the
Maximals to flee. Megatron leaves Starscream
protoform at risk. The Predacons attack, and
and Blackarachnia in command, and the two
Rhinox is forced to return to beast mode. He is
form an alliance. But when Primal "surrenders,"
only saved from Terrorsaur's assault when the
Starscream turns traitor and Blackarachnia
Pod reactivates and Airazor emerges. The
blasts his Spark back into oblivion.
winged Maximal puts the Predacons to flight.
"THE TRIGGER" PART 1 "BEFORE THE STORM"

Under attack from Waspinator and Terrorsaur, When otherworldly energies are detected,
Tigatron discovers that a nearby cloud masks a Megatron makes plans for the arrival of the
floating island paradise, which —

when imperiled aliens. Inferno finds an alien Golden Disk that
reveals mechanical defenses. While Tigatron matches the one Megatron stole from
investigates, Scorponok and Blackarachnia Cybertron, and Megatron initiates an uneasy
attempt to secure the island. They shoot down ceasefire between the factions. Desperate to
Airazor, but the island responds in kind. Tigatron

escape before the aliens arrive, Tarantulas
steals a transwarp engine, unaware that he's
reprograms Scorponok's scouting Cyberbee with
playing into Megatron's hands. Tigatron breaks
a warning that the Predacons plan to use the
into the Predacon base and reads the Golden
island to attack the Maximal base...
Disk. The Maximals' suspicions were correct: the
"THE TRIGGER" PART S aliens are coming back... and they're not happy!
Blackarachnia crosses the floating island, having
figured out that the alien symbols etched here
and there mark booby traps. Her goal is to
reach a high tower, the island's only artificial
structure. Tigatron and the wounded Airazor
also close in on the tower, but by now
Blackarachnia is in control of the island's
systems. She mentally commands the island to
move to a position from which she can attack
the Maximal base, but Tigatron destroys the
propulsion systems in the nick of time. The
island crashes but releases a signal into space.
"SPIDER'S GAME"
Convinced that the alien race that seeded the
Beast Wars planet with artifacts and tests will "OTHER VOICES" PART 1
soon be returning, Tarantulas plans a response. Primal attempts to make contact with the aliens.
He and Blackarachnia locate a fallen Pod, Lacking physical form, the aliens address Primal
planning to convert it into a spaceship primed via an image of Unicron. Primal pleads their
to detonate an electromagnetic pulse. They case, but the aliens see the Maximals and
subvert the identity of its occupant, producing Predacons as an infestation. They begin a
Inferno, a fire ant-style Predacon convinced that termination sequence that begins with a beam of
the Pod is its Colony or Queen and must be energy fired at one of the planet's moons. The
protected. Frustrated by Inferno's efforts, beam scorches off the rocky crust, revealing a
Tarantulas'scheme is revealed and the Pod itself metal construct. The moon cracks open,
is destroyed by Tigatron. beginning a strange transformation....
FUZORS AND <X :
0^
S SEASON 1 Beast Wars TV series draws to a

of the ^
close, a vast transwarp energy wavefront is heading
r [toward Earth... the result of the destruction of an Transmetal Tarantulas
artificial, moon. Although the immediate danger
alien-created After the transwarp energy surge, Megatron's chief
science officer (and double agent) Tarantulas emerges
to the Maximals and Predacons on Earth passes, the as a techno-organic arachnid. In spider mode, he can
wavefront brings with it dramatic changes. Many Maximals now lower two wheels from his abdomen and race into
battle at high speed. His Transmetal incarnation
and Predacons are exposed to the strange transwarp appeared on TV before the toy was released, making
energies, which causes their robot and beast forms to mutate mode one of the first to be seen. In robot
his vehicle
mode, Tarantulas now has hands instead of pincers.
into techno-organic Transmetal forms. Even the downed Stasis
Pods are affected, giving rise to hybrid beast-form
TRANSFORMERS known as Fuzors. Transmetals II
The Transmetals would evolve again

during thefinal season of the Beast Wars
TV series. Though still all-robotic, the

Coming Of The Fuzors secondary vehicular/flight modes disappeared,
The Fuzors had mixed and matched beast modes, literally a fusion of
and the characters (and toys) were simply further
extant animals to create a quasi-legendary new beast. Heroic, noble
augmented in both robot and beast mode. While
Silverbolt (below), for instance, had eagle's wings and the body of a wolf.
Some Fuzor toys did not appear in the TV series, including Air Hammer Optimus Primal morphed into his "Optimal" Optimus
(shark and eagle), Bantor (baboon and tiger), and Injector (lionfish and bee).
form (still retaining his largely simian characteristics),
Megatron changed alternate mode entirely.
Transmetal Tarantulas'
massive firepower is
concentrated in two shoulder-

mounted rocket launchers.
Fuzor Quickstrike
combines scorpion
and snake in one
terrifying whole.
QUICKSTRIKE
When two damaged Stasis Pods
landed side by side, Silverbolt
emerged from one and eventually
M /' joined the Maximals. The occupant

of the other Pod was Quickstrike,
whose violent, destructive nature led
him directly into the clutches of
Megatron and the Predacons.
DINOBOT
Back from the dead, ^•t
Dinobot returns in a
new Transmetal II
^m Transmetal Modifications
In addition to their new techno-
configuration. Megatron, organic bodies and enhanced
it transpires, used a abilities, Transmetals also possess
sample of the original additional mechanical accessories
Dinobot's DNA to create that they can access in beast mode.
a cloned Transmetal In the Season 2 episode "The
version. He subdivided
Coming of the Fuzors," Transmetal
Rampage's super-Spark,
Megatron uses inline skates in T-Rex
using one portion to bring life
mode, and Primal launches himself
and sentience to his new,
savage creation. into the air on a turbo-powered
hoverboard (left).
Transmetal Cheetor with

Dinobot in his original form
MEGATRON
The transwarp wave that hits
the Earth in the Season 2
episode "Aftermath" [see page
92] dramatically mutates
Megatron's robot and beast
modes. One of the first few
Predacons to get a Transmetal
form, Megatron emerges more
powerful and deadly than ever,
with three forms, flight
capability, and new, enhanced
weaponry. He would change
again in the course of the TV
series, becoming a Transmetal
IIfire-breathing dragon.
Transmetal Megatron
has wheels in the soles
Apparently destroyed in the transwarp explosion that wipes out the alien "moon,
of his feet. Primal returns from the Matrix (courtesy of Rhinox) and is granted a new,
enhanced body, with twin maces, built-in weaponry, and hoverboard. He swiftly
puts all to good use, trouncing the Predacons almost singlehandedly.
Inferno was among the

characters not granted
a Transmetal mode.
Waspinator appeared only

non-Transmetal
in his
form in the TV show.
/ ////
Dtftai vim hs
TV SEASONS 2 & 3
SELECTED EPISODES FROM THE G1 -FRIENDLY SEASONS 2 AND 3
INSPIRED BY THE positive fan reaction to Series 1 , script editors

Bob Forward and Larry DiTillio brought Seasons 2 and 3 firmly
back into the core Generation 1 mythology. Their script
consultant for all things G1 was Benson Yee, a committed fan and
general font of TRANSFORMERS knowledge. The fact that the
series was set on prehistoric Earth was happenstance, but
Forward and DiTillio made full use of the Ark's chronological and
geographical location to fuse the two generations into a proper
whole. Even Generation 2 gets a nod. DiTillio used the Swarm "MAXIMAL NO MORE"
(or at least an evolution thereof) as his "alien" force inspiration. Believing that Megatron is on the verge of
gaining ultimate power, Dinobot considers
returning to the Predacons. He offers Megatron
the Cybertronian Golden Disk as proof of his
sincerity. But when Megatron demands he kill
the helpless Rattrap, Dinobot rebels again,

managing Megatron and the Predacons
to hold
at bay long enough for Primal and the others to
arrive. Though Dinobot offers to go into exile,
Primal welcomes him back to the Maximals.
"OTHER VISITS" part 1

As Dinobot and Rhinox analyze the alien Disk,
Tigatron and Airazor uncover yet another alien
snare. Super-strong vines (from an alien plant]
restrain them, and they are transported
offworld. Megatron, meanwhile, forges a wary
alliance with Tarantulas against the aliens, while
Inferno and Blackarachnia steal back the alien
Disk. Predacons and Maximals clash at the site
of Tigatron and Airazor's disappearance, but
"AFTERMATH" "COMING OF THE FUZORS" PART 1
conflict is suspended when the alien plant
The quantum surge from the transwarp In a bid to bolster his depleted forces, Megatron
morphs into a podlike spacecraft. An energy
explosion (in "Other Voices" Part 2, see page 89] locates two downed Stasis Pods. The occupants
surge from the vessel fells all combatants....
mutates many of the Maximals and Predacons, are identified as Quickstrike and Silverbolt, both
creating new "Transmetal" forms. Terrorsaur and of whom are promptly given new forms (arachnid
Scorponok are destroyed by a sudden lava and winged and Predacon
wolf, respectively)
outflow. Tarantulas (also now in a Transmetal Meanwhile, Dinobot and Waspinator
inclinations.
body) recovers, and, having been mind-linked to agree to break into Megatron's inner sanctum
Blackarachnia during her bid to refit the Stasis and steal the two Golden Disks. Dinobot allows
Pod, reveals his new mental domination over Waspinator to absorb the brunt of Megatron's
her. Megatron and the surviving defenses, and escapes with both Disks. Rattrap,
Predacons attack the now in temporary command of the Maximals,
leaderless Maximals, prepares for the inevitable Predacon attack.
but Rattrap and Rhinox goes offline, sending his consciousness
Cheetor force into transwarp space in an effort to find any
Megatron to withdraw. trace of the missing Optimus Primal.
"COMING OF THE FUZORS" part 2

Battle commences, Silverbolt suggesting that
they allow the Maximals to surrender. Megatron,
though, will have none of it, and the vulnerable
Maximal base, the Axalon, comes under
sustained fire. The base's auto-guns shoot down "OTHER VISITS" part 2
Silverbolt, but Rattrap and Cheetor spare the The Transmetals recover first, and Megatron
new Predacon, in a nod to their departed leader, uses the alien Disk to break into the alien ship.
Optimus Primal. They place Silverbolt's body in a Once inside, Megatron symbiotically bonds with
restorative chamber. The attack continues until the ship, and commands it to rise up, snaring
eventually the base's shields buckle and the the fallen Predacons and Optimus Primal in a
Maximals are overwhelmed. Before Megatron tractor beam. Megatron uses and then discards
can execute them all, Optimus Primal returns in Tarantulas, who forges a new alliance with the
a new Transmetal body, having followed Rhinox's Maximals. Tarantulas reveals that Megatron has
trail back to the Beast Wars planet (now installed transwarp engines, and is preparing to
identified as prehistoric Earth). Aided by return to Cybertron. The Maximals attack the
Silverbolt, who switches allegiance, the Predacon ship, allowing Rattrap and Tarantulas to access
forces are put to flight. the interior and foil Megatron's plans.
"THE AGENDA" part 3
Just as the Axaloris defenses start to crumble,
Rattrap manages a daring raid on Ravage's ship,
bringing it down with two well-placed grenades,
killingRavage. Megatron flees, and Primal

fearing what he has discovered —
pursues.
Meanwhile, Silverbolt and Blackarachnia have
uncovered the G1 Autobots' ship, the Ark.
Blackarachnia allows Megatron access,
convinced that he will make good his threat to kill
Silverbolt. The Maximals manage to breach the
Ark's defenses, but too late. Megatron, meaning
to change history, shoots G1 Optimus Prime in
the head, initiating a terrifying timestorm....
"CODE OF HERO"
Anguished at having originally surrendered the
Cybertronian Golden Disk to Megatron, Dinobot
"NEMESIS" part 1
sets out to reclaim it. Megatron, meanwhile,

Now a Transmetal dragon, Megatron locates
II
the Decepticon ship, refurbished and fitted with

is using the Disk to see if the future can be
transwarp engines, in Tarantulas' lair. Just as he
changed. He decides it can be, and sets out to
destroy a valley occupied by early Homo sapiens,
and the cloned Transmetal Dinobot are about to
take off, Depth Charge finally kills Rampage. This
thereby denying the Autobots a key ally in the
reinstates the missing part of Dinobot's Spark
future. Appalled by Megatron's plan, Dinobot
and causes memories of his heroic past to
stands alone against the massed ranks of the
surface. As Primal and Tigerhawk rush to the
Predacons, and dies protecting the valley and its
Ark, the Nemesis rises from the water...
inhabitants. The Golden Disk is destroyed.
"NEMESIS" part 2
As Megatron unleashes the Nemesis' firepower,
Prime returns to the Ark to prepare its defenses.
"OPTIMAL SITUATION" Tigerhawk holds back the Nemesis as long as
possible but is finally destroyed, and Megatron
As the timestorm threatens to tear apart the
moves the ship into position above the (still-
fabric of time and space, Blackarachnia realizes
that the rewriting of history her entire
will nullify
buried) Ark. When the Ark's engines fail, Dinobot
(remembering his heroic last stand) directs the
existence. She activates the Ark's computer,
Maximals to an Autobot shuttle. Rhinox rams the
Teletran-1 and secures Megatron in a defensive
,
Nemesis, as Primal and Megatron meet in final

net. Aided by Silverbolt, Blackarachnia stabilizes
battle. The Nemesis crashes down to Earth
Prime's condition, and reality reasserts itself.
again, and the Maximals head back to Cybertron
In order for Rhinox to make repairs to the
aboard the shuttle, the Beast Wars finally over.
Autobot leader, Prime's Spark/the Matrix is
absorbed by Optimus Primal, mutating him to an
"Optimal" Optimus form. Meanwhile, the Axalon
finally breaks in two under Predacon firepower
and falls into an abyss. With Optimus Prime's Silverbolt

Spark restored, the Maximals (along with
"THE AGENDA" part 1 Blackarachnia) set up a new base in the Ark.
As the wavefront from the transwarp explosion
nears Cybertron, the Tri-Predacus Council
detects its approach and shields it from Maximal
sensors on the planet. Fearing further
repercussions, they dispatch a covert agent
(aboard a transwarp cruiser) to wipe out rogue
Predacon Megatron... and any Maximals and
Predacons on Earth. The agent immediately
makes his presence felt on prehistoric Earth,
using the ship's firepower to scatter the
attacking Predacons. Primal identifies the agent
as Ravage, a former Decepticon, and agrees to
an alliance. The Predacon base is breached and
Megatron is placed under arrest.
"THE AGENDA" part 2

With Ravage's ship lacking enough energon to
return to Cybertron, the Maximals (except for
Silverbolt, who is searching for the errant
Blackarachnia) go in search of Megatron's "DEEP METAL"
hidden energon cache. Ravage tells Megatron Maximal Depth Charge detects the Axalon's
that Tarantulas was a double agent, loyal to the original cargo from deep space. Ever since a
Tri-Predacus Council. While the Maximals battle slaughter on Colony Onicron, Depth Charge has
a crazed, energon-soaked Inferno, Megatron been seeking the perpetrator, Protoform X (now
appeals to Ravage's former Decepticon loyalties, recreated as the Predacon Rampage). Piloting
revealing that the Cybertronian Golden Disk his transwarp cruiser back in time to prehistoric
contained a secret message from G1 Megatron. Earth, Depth Charge emerges reconfigured as a
Ravage is swayed, believing that the manta ray. The two old adversaries battle, but
Predacons/Decepticons can still claim ultimate Rampage escapes. The last laugh, though, goes
victory. He releases Megatron and turns his to Rampage, who destroys Depth Charge's ship,
ship's guns on the Maximals stranding him.
—
BEAST WARS TOYS

EFORE A SINGLE frame of the TV series was rendered,
B the Beast
States and Europe. The

Wars toyline was already
board and heading for toy stores across the United
line was
off the drawing
a dramatic departure from

the G1 and G2 toys in that initially there were no vehicles
at all, just alternate beast modes with many extra features
more, in fact, than could be animated. The toys' secondary
"mutant" heads didn't feature in the TV series at all, though
Forward and had considered making them into
DiTillio
"battle helmets," and plans to make Optimus Primal a

triplechanger (robot/ape/bat modes] were shelved. The
Transmetal toys were again robots, without molded fur
or organic styling. The line included new characters and
new versions of existing characters, all with three
modes. Their beast modes, while still "beast" in style,
now had vehicular/flight enhancements and third modes.
Blackarachnia
Blackarachnia's screen/CG appearance differed
radically from the toy, which is actually a
repaint of Tarantulas. As with Tarantulas, the
serrated inside edges of the claws were
smoothed somewhat for final release. Some of
Blackarachnia's legs are detachable, and can
be used as firing missiles when inserted in the
grapple gun. The grapple itself could also be
fired, the hook and cord allowing the toy to be
suspended like a spider.
Beast mode
Optimus Primal
Featuring 14 points of articulation and a wealth of
built-in or handheld weaponry, the Optimus Primal
figure is a crowd-pleaser. Originally released in bat

form, Primal's gorilla styling, with its textured fur
lines, came later. The robot mode includes two
pop-up, shoulder-mounted missile launchers
(which actually fire missiles], two swords, a
mace, and a dual-barreled cannon. As in beast
mode, Primal's arms move, allowing the hand-
held weapons to be swung back and forth.
Beast mode
Movable forearms
94
Robot mode
Beast mode
uar
Released by Takara as part of their Beast Wars Metals
line, Jaguar was based on Ravage, introduced in the TV
episode "The Agenda" Part 1 Working from a Transmetal

.
Cheetor body, the designers rebuilt the basic figure to

make it transform and move differently. The chest panel
opens to reveal internal detail and a Predacon insignia.
Separate stickers came in the pack, including a Decepticon
insignia and one featuring G1 Megatron's head!
Thrusters
fold out for
flight mode
W Quickstrike
Part of the 1 S98
Fuzor sub-line of Beast Wars
toys, Quickstrike's beast mode is actually two
beasts (scorpion and cobra) in one. The claws
snap open and closed, as do the jaws of his
cobra head. The cobra head itself contains a
bladder that can be filled with water and squirted,
Beast mode
to simulate spitting venom. His oversized claw
arm is a weapon in its own right, and can grip,
whip, and thrust.
Robot mode
Optimus Minor
Optimus Minor is part of the second wave of
Transmetals, which dispensed with the third
mode but included a marble-style "Spark Crystal."
He is not another version of Optimus Primal, but rather a
character in his own right (a cybemetically enhanced Ground
Commander). Not featured in the TV show, Optimus Minor
was both robot and ape (more monkey than gorilla], with
detachable tail/whip weapon. The beast-mode head splits
to reveal the robot-mode head within.
Beast mode
Silverbolt
Among the first of the deluxe Fuzors, Silverbolt (like
Quickstrike] takes the Beast Wars line into a heightened
dimension of beasts drawn more from myth and legend than
Molded to fuse the wolf and eagle elements of his
reality.
makeup, the underside of Silverbolt's wings feature pseudo-
fur styling, while the tops are feathered like a bird. The tips
of each wing eject (at the push of a peg] the feather missiles
doubling as handheld weapons in robot mode.
BEAST MACHINES
THE EPIC, but essentially upbeat, resolution of Beast Wars, the
AFTER
Beast Machines animated series, which aired 1998, took us to
first in
a darker, more dangerous world. Set on Cybertron, Beast Machines

introduced a drastically altered reality in which Megatron is ruler of all
Cybertron and Optimus Primal's Maximals are outnumbered and outgunned

by Megatron's Vehicon Drones. The series ran hand-in-hand with a new
toyline, and opened the door to an intriguing and challenging proposition:
what if the metal world of Cybertron had once been
an organic planet... and could be again?
- i -^
^fv'p
// /
' . »
^
THE REFORMATTING
A PLANET DIVIDED!
EVADING CAPTURE
T THE END of Beast Wars, the Maximals head To find out how Megatron went
from being their prisoner to ruler of
home to Cybertron aboard an Autobot shuttle all Cybertron, the Maximals down-
load flight data from the Autobot

"borrowed" from the Ark. Megatron, magno- shuttle. They discover that, on the
clamped to the hull, is their helpless prisoner. But journey back from prehistoric Earth
to present-day Cybertron, they hit a
at the start of Beast Machines, all that has changed. time disturbance and Megatron was
—
The remaining Maximals Optimus Primal, Rattrap,
sucked into a wormhole. He then
landed on Cybertron months ahead
—
Blackarachnia, and Cheetor find themselves on of the Maximals' arrival.
Cybertron in their original beast modes (from Beast

Wars Season 1 and on the run from hordes of mind-
]
less drones called Vehicons. Megatron now rules an

eerily deserted Cybertron. With no memory of the
final stages of their journey home, the Maximals must
both fillin the blanks and liberate their homeworld.
*V3£
—
< k>
A ~
Vehicons
Megatron enslaved Cybertron's population through a
transformation virus and stripped out their Sparks,
turning their inert metal forms into a Sparkless Vehicon
drone army. Each Vehicon variation (tank, motorcycle,
and airborne jet) is stamped out of an identical
drill,
mold. Megatron controls his mass-produced army by the

power of thought alone.
Beast Machines Cybertron
Infected by Megatron's transformation
virus, the Maximals are trapped in
their early, organic beast forms,

unable to revert to robot mode.
They are forced to flee into
Cybertron's subterranean depths.
The planet's main city, Cybertropohs,
-
% MM I
is dark and desolate, with no trace
of the billions of Maximals and

Predacons that once filled its cyber-
lanes. Deep within Cybertron, the
Maximals encounter the Oracle, which
wm purges the transformation virus from
their systems and grants them new,
#*
upgraded robot/alternate modes.
;
' r
ORGANIC ROOTS
Beneath the surface of the planet, the
Maximals make a shocking discovery. Ancient
fossils reveal that Cybertron once supported a
full range of organic life, and a lush grove of
plants and trees still flourishes at its core.
Transformation Virus
Megatron's first step in erasing organic life
* •
I - t on Cybertron was to create a virus that
would rob its inhabitants of their ability to
—
transform and thereby to fight back. Early
Vehicon Drones fired canisters of the virus
into the planet's densely populated areas.
\
.
I
1
DIAGNOSTIC DRONE
Systematically attempting to purge his body of /
organic matter, Megatron relies heavily on his
automated Diagnostic Drone to monitor his • THE ORACLE
evolving form. Though Sparkless, the Drone
has independent thought and takes seriously
A K
The Oracle is a primary interface portal of the massive
Vector Sigma mainframe that taps Matrix energy from the
its job of repairing and upgrading Megatron's planet core. Its long-term aim is to restore the balance
systems. The Drone's access to Megatron is between Cybertron's organic and technological aspects.
later exploited by Vehicon General, Tankor.
Back-mounted
MAXIMALS
STRANGERS IN A STRANGE LAND
jump jets allow
short-range flight
BEAST WARS tested the Maximals to

THE
the endurance (and beyond].
limits of their
Now the Maximal warriors require even

greater depths of courage and fortitude in
order to free Cybertron from Megatron and

his Vehicon hordes. The Oracle —the
intelligence at the heart of Cybertron
itself —forged the Maximals into freedom
fighters, equipping them with new,
techno-organic forms in an effort
to thwart Megatrons plans. Now
championing Cybertrons organic roots, the
Maximals prepare for their greatest battle.
Growing Pains
The transition from early beast modes
to advanced Cybertronian quasi-organic INTELLIGENCE 10 ENDURANCE 10
configurations (courtesy of the Oracle] SPEED 10 SKILL 10
was by no means straightforward. The COURAGE 10 RANK 10 FIREPOWER 10
Maximals were still affected by the last

vestiges of Megatron's transformation
virus, and the new forms were highly
sophisticated. Each Maximal had to
attain new inner levels of purity and
control to switch from beast
to robot mode. Intensive
programs followed,
training
mastery coming in slow,
painful stages.
CHEETOR
INTELLIGENCE 7 ENDURANCE 9 In beast mode, Cheetor's speed and agility
SKILL 8 STRENGTH 8 create a vacuum that scatters opponents
RANK 7 FIREPOWER 6 as he runs. His robot body has a
frictionless surface that deflects energy
blasts. Life on Cybertron has made
Cheetor grow up quickly, though he can
still be somewhat brash.
BLACKARACHNIA
Bigger, faster, deadlier than ever — it's just as well
Blackarachnia continues to follow her more

heroic instincts (though some of the other
Maximal warriors still don't quite trust
her). Her robot mode has a super-speed
facility, and her spider mode is larger in
size and leg length. She spins metal-

deteriorating webs of great tensile
strength, which she can use to ensnare
foes on protect herself like a shield.
INTELLIGENCE 9.3
SPEED 7.2 SKILL 8.5 WEB-THROWING
COURAGE 7.6 RANK 5 FIREPOWER 6.1
Blackarachnia hurls webs like discuses, which
expand on impact to trap and drain Vehicons.
Other web-discuses unfurl to form tripwires.
Nightscream's winged
feet allow him to
remain airborne in
both modes.
NICHTSCREAM
Curiosity drew the nic bat-
1
1
creature Nightscrean to the

Maximals, and they were
among the first to experience
the sheer power of his RATTRAP
circuitry-disrupting sonic
Of allthe Maximals, Rattrap found transforming
scream. Badly injured in a into robot mode the most difficult to master.
Vehicon attack, Nightscream In early battles, he was prone to violent
was reformatted by the transformation seizures, in which both modes
Oracle's power. Now a techno- would engage simultaneously and
organic bat/robot, he has haphazardly In robot mode, Rattrap can
razor-sharp claws can produce sustain long bursts of rapid acceleration,
audio illusions, and his "vampire and in beast mode his tail serves a
bite" drains energy from his variety of functions (including tapping
victims. His upper fangs can intocomputer terminals, decoding
also be fired, like mini-missiles.
door locks, and laser-cutting).
VEHICONS
OLD ALLIES, NEW ENEMIES
M
EGATRON CREATED THE Vehicons to round up Cybertron's
inhabitants and ultimately remove their Sparks. These
mindless drones fulfilled Megatron's dream of a world
unhampered by individual free and imagination
will. But free will
have their advantages, as the Maximals demonstrated by

repeatedly trouncing the Vehicon forces. So in order to thwart
the Maximals, Megatron created Vehicon Generals, using
captive, subverted Maximal Sparks to instill each
drone with creativity and flair on the battlefield.
For the Maximals, the agonising truth about

their new adversaries could only serve to _
undermine their courageous spirit. H
Megatron
Now encased in a robotic suit of armor, Megatron
was truly in control of Cybertron. Hard-wired into the ' Ip l III
planet itself via his diagnostic drone, he was able to
•
command his Vehicon troops and reshape distant 1 * T
•
matter with a single thought. But within the robotic

shell his techno-organic beast form still existed, and
1 1 If; I
in times of severe stress or rage he reverted to
his fire-spitting Transmetal dragon mode. II
Brfi
•11 I-
Megatron's dragon mode breathes

devastating streams offire and ice.
Airborne mode
OBSIDIAN
One of the most feared and
deadly Predacon warrior-
generals from Cybertron's
past, Obsidian (along with his
Obsidian in
cohort, Strika) is a veteran of
airborne mode
countless campaigns. He is an
expert in military strategy
measured, coldly calculating, and
highly focused. But in battle, his
\
Combustion ferocity is awesome to behold.
blasters double His heat-seeking missiles
as tlirusters in can bore to depths of
JETSTORM jet mode 2,600 feet (800 meters).
Modeled on Megatron's standard Aero His fingers retract into his
Drone template, Jetstorm is as fast lower arms, revealing
inthe air as he is with his verbal artillery ports.
repartee. While he's raining plasma
bombs on an enemy, he'll be
wisecracking away, his homicidal
tendencies equaled only by his
vitriolic sarcasm. Fast and
maneuverable in airborne mode,
Jetstorm doesn't actually touch
down in robot mode, preferring to hover.
To the Maximals' horror, they discover that
within Jetstorm is the Spark of their former
comrade—the noble and selfless Silverbolt. Antigravity
generators for
INTELLIGENCE 8 ENDURANCE 8 hover mode
THRUST
Mysterious and self-centered, Thrust likes
the image of himself as a brooding loner
(in fact, his Spark is that of brooding
loser Waspinator!]. Commander of the

Cycle Drones and the only Vehicon General
not in awe of Megatron, Thrust has his own
agenda. He's never openly rebellious, but he

possesses an independent streak unique
among Megatron's inner circle.
TANKOR
Initially simple-minded, Tankor
existed purely to crush and
One of Thrust's grind everything and
arms an
is everyone under his treads.
energy weapon, Unless, of course, he had
the other a already blown it up with
grappling hook. his flamejet cannon. The
Maximals were shocked
to discover that
Tankor's Spark was
THRUST CYCLE MODE that of the loyal Rhinox,
In mode, Thrust is extremely
cycle and doubly so when they
fast and can handle the tightest realized that Tankor had
twists and turns. He fires multiple embraced evil so wholeheartedly.
pulse bursts from his front wheel In robot mode, head-mounted
while in thruster-boosted mid-jump. lasers augment Tankor's arsenal.
103
BEAST MACHINES
TV SEASONS
SELECTED EPISODES FROM THE REFORMATTED SERIES
1 & 2
WITH TWO SEASONS

Machines
years, Beast
totaling 26 episodes airing over
took up the CG-animated gauntlet
two
thrown down by Beast Wars and turned the entire

TRANSFORMERS universe on its head. Though clearly spinning out
of storylines from the previous series, new script editors Bob Skir
and Marty Isenberg created something radically new, forcing fans
to reexamine their preconceptions about the TRANSFORMERS and
Cybertron itself. As the first episode, "The Reformatting," opens,
the viewer (not to mention the Maximals] has genuinely no clue as
to the what, why, and how of Megatron's dark machinations....
"REVELATIONS" 2: "descent"
In an attempt to look into Cybertron's past and
"FIRES OF THE PAST" and is
future, Primal mind-links with the Oracle,
Megatron forced to face the bitter truth that
is
granted visions of an organic world overtaken by
his mindless Vehicon Drones cannot best the technology. Meanwhile, the other Maximals
innovative Maximals. So he retrieves three attempt to capture Tankor and reconvert his
Sparks from his hidden Spark containment vault Spark. Through a direct interface with Tankor's
and transfers them to augmented drones [which systems, Rattrap concludes that Tankor's Spark
he then names Tankor, Thrust, and Jetstorm]. belonged to lost comrade Rhinox. Meanwhile,
These Vehicon Generals spearhead a new Blackarachnia falls to an assault by Jetstorm
assault on the Maximals, who are attempting and Thrust, and her Spark is extracted.
to download information from the downed
Autobot shuttle on their mysterious arrival.
Having discovered what she can, Blackarachnia
destroys the shuttle.
"THE REFORMATTING"
Awakening on Cybertron in their original beast
forms with no memory of how they got there,
the Maximals are attacked by an army of Cycle
Drones. Guided by a sirenlike voice, they escape,
uncovering a mythical supercomputer, the
Oracle, in the depths of the planet. The Oracle
rids the Maximals of the transformation virus
that locked their systems. But Megatron
detects the Maximals' organic energy
signature and prepares to purge their
"contamination."
"REVELATIONS" 3: "apocalypse"
Jetstorm attempts to present Blackarachnia's
Spark to Megatron, but Nightscream steals it
back in an ambush. Tankor, meanwhile, briefly
exhibits flashes of intelligence... before suddenly
going berserk, whereupon he has to be
restrained. Primal contacts Rhinox through the
"REVELATIONS" 1: "discovery" Oracle/Matrix, but concludes that Megatron's
Now joined by Nightscream, the Maximals slave program has tainted Rhinox's Spark. Finally,
repel an attack by Thrust's Cycle Drones. In Primal sets Tankor free, aware that forcibly
doing so, they uncover a junkyard filled with reverting his Spark to Rhinox would make the
empty, Sparkless TRANSFORMER bodies. Maximals no better than Megatron.
Strangely, Thrust saves Blackarachnia when
the Vehicon assault begins again, and they "THE KEY"
both venture inside one of Megatron's The now-intelligent Tankor aims to take command
Spark extraction facilities. When Thrust of the Vehicons from Megatron by downloading
experiences flashbacks of prehistoric Earth, the Key to Vector Sigma (see page 37] from the
Blackarachnia concludes that his Spark must Oracle. Able to transform organic matter into
belong to former Maximal Silverbolt. With the metal, Tankor uses the Key to infect the lush
factory about to explode, Cheetor assumes plant-filled grove created by the Maximals within
command and clears everyone out. Primal Cybertron's depths. But the Maximals reverse
wonders how they can fight Megatron's Vehicon the process by tapping into a deep vein of
Generals without harming the Sparks within. organic matter. Tankor fakes his own death.
"SPARKWAR" 1: "the strike" "ENDGAME" 1: "the downward spiral"
Frustrated by Thrust's lack of success against Megatron's drone factories begin churning out
the Maximals, Megatron creates new Generals Vehicons for a renewed offensive. Megatron
in the shape of Strika and Obsidian. Veterans of downloads his Spark into a new body modeled
many hundreds of campaigns, the duo swiftly on Primal's Optimal Optimus body from the latter
plans an attack [bolstered by new waves of stages of the Beast Wars. Now in control of
Vehicons) on the Maximals. As battle begins, Megatron's flying base (and its cargo of Sparks),
the Maximals are lulled into a false sense of the Maximals embark on a final effort to
security, believing Obsidian and Stnka to be complete the reformatting of Cybertron
rather dim-witted. In fact, they're the opposite, according to the Oracle's wishes. The Vehicons
and soon the Maximals are pinned down in attack the flying base, and Rattrap raises the
Megatron's old ground citadel. The Oracle alerts shields. Unfortunately, in doing so, he cuts
Botanica to the Maximals' impending Botanica off from Cybertron's organic core,
destruction, and she bores into the citadel, which nearly kills her. The shields fail and the
allowing the Maximals to retreat. base is shot down. The Vehicons converge...
"SPARKWAR" 2: "the search" "ENDGAME" 2: "when legends fall"

Primal begins to search for the missing Sparks. The Maximals regroup at the downed flying base,
"END OF THE LINE" Botanica and Rattrap head for Megatron's and repel the first waves of attacking Vehicons.
Tankor watches Megatron prepare a doomsday citadel, while Cheetor, Blackarachnia, and But they are soon close to being overwhelmed,
weapon in the shape of a planetary pulse, Silverboltsearch a TRANSFORMER junkyard. and the captive Sparks make a collective decision
powered by the Key to Vector Sigma. Hoping In lacon [see pages 12-13), Primal interfaces to aid the Maximals. Using the Oracle as a
that Megatron will destroy his own organic with a hologram of Optimus Prime. But it's a conduit, they relay theirpower en masse to the
components with the weapon, Tankor alerts —
trap the hologram is actually Megatron, intent —
Maximals, and transformed into nonrobotic
Optimus Primal to the threat. Primal accesses on securing the Oracle's access codes. As —
energy beings they decimate the Vehicon ranks.
the Plasma Energy Chamber, an age-old device Vehicon drones converge, Nightscream and But when Megatron telepathically severs the
capable of wiping out electrical/mechanical life.
Noble/Savage (a previous organic aspect of connection with the Oracle, the Maximals are left
As Megatron unleashes his Key pulse, so Primal Megatron] battle. Primal reveals he knew the helpless. Cheetor sends Obsidian and Strika
opens the Plasma Energy Chamber. The two interfacewas bogus, but wanted the location of shooting into space, but ultimately the Maximals
missing Sparks from Megatron's mind. fall and their Sparks are extracted. Now
forces collide catastrophically....
Megatron faces off against Optimus Primal....
"FALLOUT"
As the released Plasma Energy and Vector "ENDGAME" 3: "seeds of the future"
Sigma forces clash, Megatron and Primal are Primal and Megatron's titanic battle fails to
repeatedly destroyed and recreated. Finally.
produce a winner. Megatron ups the stakes
Primal absorbs both energies and redirects by opening the Spark containment chamber,
unleashing a Spark maelstrom. Making one final
them into the Oracle. When the Maximals burst
effort to destroy all organic life on Cybertron,
in, they find only his collapsed shell. Cheetor and
the others contact Primal's disembodied Spark, Megatron bores down to the planetary core.
appealing for him to return. Primal is unwilling,
Now connected to the Oracle and empowered by
convinced that by accessing the Plasma Energy countless Sparks, Megatron prepares to unleash
the Key to Vector Sigma. Just then, Primal uses
Chamber, he went against his most deeply held
his own Oracle powers to bind Megatron and
principles. But the Oracle convinces him he
suspend him over the deep pit. Suddenly, they
acted wisely, and his Spark is given a new body.
both plunge to their doom. Through their waning
life essences, the Oracle reformats the planet
into a new techno-orgamc paradise.
Botanica
"SPARKWAR" 3: "the siege"
Using the Oracle, Megatron evolves himself to
a new level. Primal, Rattrap, Botanica, and
Blackarachnia sneak aboard a shuttle bound
for Megatron's flying base. Once in, they
attack Megatron, just as he begins to
consume his stored Sparks. Noble/Savage
is killed as Megatron grows in size and
power, and the Maximals fall helpless before

him. But Nightscream unleashes a sonic
scream that disrupts Megatron's Spark, and
he appears to fade out of existence. The
"HOME SOIL" Sparks are stored in a containment field.
When a shuttle crash-lands on Cybertron, the
Maximals investigate. They discover techno- "SPARK OF DARKNESS"
organic matter within, and are attacked by a With the war seemingly over,
tentacled plant monster. Silverbolt (now released Vehicon Generals Obsidian and
from his Jetstorm slave-form) unwittingly allows Stnka defect to the Maximals.
the creature to escape, and the Maximals But Megatron's Spark still
pursue underground. Sensing "potential,"
it
exists,and it stalks Silverbolt
Primal exposes the creature to the Oracle's and Blackarachnia. Finally,
power and it is recreated as Botanica, a Rattrap captures it within a

diagnostic drone. But Obsidian and
Cybertronian explorer. Botanica and her team
had successfully transformed into plant-based Stnka, on learning that Megatron sti
lives, revert to their Vehicon ways and steal the
TRANSFORMERS, but on receiving a distress call
drone. Grimly, the Maximals anticipate a final
headed back to Cybertron. Botanica makes
assault by Megatron and the Vehicons.
short work of a troop of Vehicons.
BEAST MACHINES TOYS
TWILIGHT OF THE BEASTS
ALTHOUGH BEAST-FORM TRANSFORMERS would

continue to be a part of the toyline, Beast Wars and
Beast Machines had all but exhausted the potential of
this divergent strand. Beast Machines, in many ways,
represents the best of both worlds, with its quota of highly
sophisticated animalistic and purely vehicular toys.
The various Drones and subsequent General
their
incarnations are both a nod to Generations past and an
indicator of things to come. Once again, not all the toys would
make it into the TV show, and those that did would often not
get the full CG treatment. The Tank Drone, for instance, was
simply remodeled slightly for the debut of Tankor, while the
Tankor toy is quite different. In many ways, this only increased
the appeal and collectibility of the toys.
Tank Drone
The basic Tank Drone toy (though smaller than the earlier "mega" Tankor variant)
has many points of articulation and exciting design elements, and is far closer to
the eventual CG-representation of both. Tank modes have always been popular with
fans, and the Drone's cannon feature is big, detailed, and comes with a firing
missile. The firing angle of the cannon can be varied, and it has an upward-pointing,
nonoffensive position. The tank mode has an action feature: holding down the Spark
Crystal and moving it forward makes the cannon spin and fire.
Beast mode
Battle Unicorn
Part of the Battle of the Spark line, a range of Beast Machines toys
that hit the stores toward the end of the animated series, Battle
Unicorn became a much-sought-after rarity on its first release due
to the limited numbers produced. The toy gained a wider audience
and appreciation when it was reissued. Classed as a Maximal Scout
Warrior, Battle Unicorn's tech specs list extra features such as
silent-approach hooves, teleportation, and radar-invisible armor.
In toy terms, Battle Unicom had good articulation and a battle ax
Tank mode
that formed his spine and tail in beast mode.
106
Missile port
^ Optimus Primal Beast mode
The Optimus Primal toy displays a great level of

design sophistication in both modes, especially
the beast mode. This is a bulky and
. substantial toy, with great articulation.
\ It's also a departure from previous
Primes or Primals, in that the
head/face has none of the trademark
features, like antennae or faceplate. Bruin *m
The right arm is an action feature,
with a spring that can be used to fling
the energy star weapons (although it
limits the toy's posability).
Armored battle gauntlets

Robot mode
Cheetor
This third, deluxe version of Cheetor is known as Night Slash
Cheetor. The toy is more standing robot mode than

stable in
previous versions, and its beast mode tail is more sculpted

and features a laser weapon. Action features
include swords that flip down into the hand in
robot mode, and, in beast mode, a slashing,
clawing action and a head that moves from
side to side and appears to snarl.
Jf^ Motorcycle Drone

The Motorcycle Drone is a good example of a Drone toy that closely
resembles its TV show counterpart. More powerful-looking than the
sleeker Thrust toy, the Drone's right arm can be used as a missile
launcher. Press the Spark Crystal and the yellow "flame" fires like a
missile. The flame features resemble the "Spark Capture" devices
from the TV show, though this could be coincidental.
Robot mode
Beast mode
TRANSFORMERS
ROBOTS IN DISGUISE
THE ESTABLISHED course of events, TRANSFORMERS and TV series were
toylines
IN developed and produced in the US, with input from Japanese toy manufacturer Takara,
and then reworked for the Japanese market. In the case of Robots in Disguise, the
opposite is true. Robots in Disguise began life in Japan as Car Robots, a G1 -inspired
toyline and animated TV series. The toys were subsequently repackaged and
renamed for the US market under the Robots in Disguise banner, and a revoiced
and slightly modified version of the TV show aired in late 2001 For many .
western viewers, this was the first direct access they had to Japanese
TRANSFORMERS toys and TV shows.
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TRANSFORMERS ROBOTS IN DISGUISE TOYS:
A NEW WAVE ROLE REVERSALS

Vehicle mode
JAPANESE TV series "Car Robots" an is old-

THE
fashioned struggle between two
good-versus-evil
factions of robotic beings. Set on Earth in the year Hightower
2001 , the Cybertrons (or Autobots) have integrated Hightower clearly displays his pre-G1
credentials. In his Car Robots incarnation,
themselves wholly into Earth society, though their presence he was Build Cyclone, a part of the four-
is not a matter of general knowledge. When the evil Autobot Buildmaster team. Construction
vehicles had featured in Takara's Diaclone
Destrons arrive, the battle for Earth begins in earnest. line (later introduced to western toy buyers
as the Constructicons), and High Tower is
Fire Convoy (the Optimus Prime-style character] and an excellent example, with great detailing
Gigatron (Megatron) are the respective leaders, and Yuki and articulation.
Onishi is the young human who befriends and aids the

Cybertrons. The TV series is a mix of an/me-style eel animation
with CG effects and backgrounds. The TV show and toys were
adopted wholeheartedly by fans in the United States when they
made their debut as Robots in Disguise in 2001
Spychangers Optimus Prime

The line featured a number of classic car molds Renamed Optimus Prime for US/UK release, this
and subgroups. One such subgroup is the is a slightly recolored reissue of the Car Robots'
Spychangers, a covert infiltration/rapid response heroic lead, Fire Convoy: the rubber tires still have
group led by Hot Spot [a.k.a. Artfire) and backed Fire Convoy written on them! The toy comes with
up by Crosswise (a.k.a. X-Car), Ironhide (a.k.a. an extendable ladder and a variety of sound bites,
Ox), Mirage (a.k.a. Counter Arrow], W.A.R.S. including a repeating siren and small segments of
(a.k.a. Wars), and R.E.V. [a.k.a. Eaglekiller). dialogue ("Optimus Prime, maximize!"). Unlike the
Originally launched as G2 "Gobots," these mini- original G1 Optimus Prime, the toy features a
TRANSFORMERS came with weapons (a rarity "Matrix" chest cavity.
among previous smaller toys such as these).
R.E.V
Car Brothers
Several classic G1 characters returned for Car
Robots/Robots in Disguise; some just borrowed an earlier
name, others used a similar mold. Prowl (formerly Mach
Alert) and X-Brawn (formerly Wildride) evoked their G1
namesakes. They were joined by Side Burn [formerly Speed
Breaker], who resembled G1 Tracks, but looked more like
Hot Shot in
G1 Hot Rod in a later, "powered up" reissue. Larger and
vehicle mode more detailed than fellow car robots the Spychangers, the
trio wereloosely known as Autobot "brothers," with a
distinct —
age-based pecking order X-Brawn was the oldest,
followed by Prowl and then Side Burn.
Hot Shot X-Brawn
110
Robot mode
Train toys featured heavily the early Japanese Takara

in
incarnations of TRANSFORMERS,
but had rarely appeared
in Hasbro's range. Triple Changer Astrotrain aside.
The transformation of the Car Robots JRX team into the

Robots in Disguise Rail Racer team helped to fill that
gap in the US market. Originally released in the Car
Robots line as J-7, Rapid Run's vehicular mode is
based on a Rail Star-model train. Rapid Run's
Autobot credentials list him as the toughest
member of the Rail Racers, a character
who loves a good brawl.
Midnight Express
released in Japan as J-4, Midnight Express is based
Originally
on the Japanese Shinkansen [bullet train), in this case an E-4
Max Bullet Train. His US tech specs describe him as cheerful
and fun-loving with his friends, tough and
unrelenting with enemies. The wheels move in
vehicle mode, allowing it to be pushed along.
s$*&
Railspike Train mode
The third member of the Rail Racer trio, Railspike

(formerly J-5, a Series 500 Nozomi Bullet Train
is courteous and intelligent... but that doesn't
make him any less of a warrior. Railspike 's color
scheme is the most different from his original version.
The Rail Racer team has one other interesting feature
the three component team members Rapid Run, —
Midnight Express, and Railspike —combine to form the
giant robot, Rail Racer.
Train mode
Ultra Magnus
Called God Fire Convoy in line, Optimus Prime's
the Car Robots
trusted right-hand Magnus, returns in Robots in
'bot, Ultra
Disguise. Available in two sizes, Magnus came as a
larger, more detailed Ultra figure and a smaller
basic figure (pictured here]. In his Ultra
configuration, Ultra Magnus could be combined
with Optimus Prime to form the giant super-
robot Omega Prime. Both versions
transform into a car carrier, a tip of the
hat to Magnus' original G1 vehicle mode.
Some of the Ultra version's armaments
are not included on the basic figure.
Robot mode
111
TRANSFORMERS ROBOTS IN DISGUISE TOYS:
Storm Jet
AUTOBOTS AND The Robots
to
time,
match
woe
in
his
Disguise toy range featured several
mode Autobots and Decepticons, including Storm Jet,
Nightcruz, and Wind Sheer. Storm Jet has a temper
name. Though he controls it most of the
betide anyone who pushes him too far.
jet-
An expert in high-altitude reconnaissance, Storm Jet
DECEPTICONS sometimes allows himself to be spotted, just so he

can prove he's faster than anyone else in the sky.
THOUGH SET IN an alternate reality outside of the core

TRANSFORMERS Robots in Disguise
continuity, the
line harked back to the classic G1 era, with the
emphasis on the battle between the Autobots and the

Decepticons (known as Cybertrons and Destrons in
Japan) and a largely vehicular cast. In the United States

and Europe, the basic molds of the Japanese line were
upgraded with some new logos and western tech specs.
Fire Convoy and Gigatron became Optimus Prime and
Megatron, with other classic characters Prowl and —
—
X-Brawn making a welcome reappearance.
Mega-Octane
Combiners play a large part in the Robots in Disguise range, and
Mega-Octane is one component (with Armorhide, Movor, Rotor,
and Rollbar) of giant robot Ruination. The highly popular G1
Combiners, the Combaticons, are here reimagined (as they had Robot mode
been previously in Generation 2), with Mega-Octane resembling
G1's Onslaught. Released in Japan as Dolrailer,
Mega-Octane is a deluxe-size toy, with two
alternate modes: a vehicle
and base configuration.
In common with other
former Destrons, Mega-
Octane's original insignia
has been replaced with
the more familiar
Decepticon logo.
Formerly called Build Typhoon, Heavy Load is part of the

combining construction vehicle team, along with Wedge,
High Tower, and Grimlock. He is one of the toughest
Autobots in the Robots in Disguise character lineup, with
imposing size, thick armor and reinforced rear compactor,
and martial arts skills. He's a formidable character, and a
compact but substantial toy, with good articulation.
Vehicle mode
112
Megatron
Megatron is the most sophisticated toy in
the line, with no fewer than 10 alternate
modes (robot, dragon, bat, car, claw, jet,
cruiser, elephant, and two "devil" forms]. Megatron's Car

Robots predecessor, Gigatron, had a mere six modes when it
was first released, but Hasbro used the subsequent "Devil"
Gigatron mold (with its extra 4 transformations) for Megatron
v>»
Robot mode
Wedge Sky Byte
the Robots in Disguise Predacon (beast
Falling into
mode-based) subgroup, Sky Byte actually began life as
Beast Wars Transmetal Cybershark. Brought under
II
the Car Robots banner as Gelshark, Sky Byte

is a fearsome-looking toy, as befits his
character. He has vast array of attack
options. His shark-mode jaws and teeth
can tear through any known metal, and
his robot-mode anchor arm can snap
shut with equally devastating force.
n
w
TRANSFORMERS
ARMADA & ENERGON
START! TRANSFORMERS Armada and
ANEW
under and
previous generations
its
started afresh.
continuation, Energon,
As Armada opens, the
drew a
history
line
and
origins of the TRANSFORMERS are completely revisited. For the first time Cybertron is
not the sole province of the Autobots and Decepticons. There is a third, pivotal faction
involved: an autonomous race of beings collectively known as Mini-Cons. When "power-linked"
to TRANSFORMERS, these diminutive mechanoids unlock in their hosts enhanced tactical
options ranging from weaponry and gadgetry to elevated levels of strength and endurance.
Armada pits Autobots against Decepticons, with the Mini-Cons caught in the middle.
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A "SMALL" WAR... ON A COSMIC SCALE
HE SAGA OF TRANSFORMERS Armada opens
I one million years ago. The Autobots judiciously

regulate Cybertron from the glittering
metropolis of Cyber-City. Large areas of the
\
Approximate
location of
Megatron's
Fortress HQ
planet are designated Mini-Con sectors, l"
home to Cybertron's second indigenous '
population of robots, the two races

coexisting peacefully. But, as with CIVIL WAR
As civil war grips
previous Generations, there's a nest Cybertron, the Mini-Cons
become pawns in
of vipers at the heart of this Megatron's power
struggle. The Decepticons
technological Eden: Decepticons.
round them up and force
Megatron's campaign of terror them into servitude. When
Megatron's troops boost their
begins by targeting the Mini-Cons powers to new levels and lay
siege to Cyber-City, the Autobots
and seeking to bend their power-
under the command of Optimus
enhancing abilities to his will.... —
Prime are hard-pressed to resist.
ESCAPE
f *%, Some Mini-Cons escape enslavement by
Megatron, among them the valiant
Sparkplug. The remaining Mini-Cons know
it's only a matter of time before they too are
enslaved by the Decepticons, and choose

instead to leave Cybertron forever. Gathering
all those still at liberty, the Mini-Cons board a
large spacegoing vessel, and —

much to
—
Megatron's fury escape from Cybertron,
their enslaved comrades, and the civil war.
FLIGHT
The Mini-Cons' intergalactic
odyssey is cut dramatically
short when one of the ship's
engine modules blows out.
Crippled, the ship plummets
toward a nearby planet.
The ship impacts first on the
planet's moon, breaking in
5kC
two, and the forward section
ird, finally making
planetfall... on Earth.
Carlos Alexis
FIRST CONTACT
Fast-forward... and three high-school
Power-Link! kids —
Rad, Carlos, and Alexis
In Megatron's underground base on Cybertron lie the stumble upon the crashed forward
dreaded "chop shops." These hellish production lines section of the Mini-Con ship. Now
forcibly reconfigure Mini-Cons. Safety interlocks and J buried in the caverns beneath the
city of Lincoln, Nebraska, the ship
built-in inhibitors are stripped out; new hyper-processors has lain undisturbed for over a million
and "slave" clamps are attached, creating custom-made years, its occupants in protective
Decepticon Mini-Cons. When power-linked to their stasis. Pursued through the cavern by
school bullies Fred and Billy, Rad
Decepticon host, Mini-Cons like Dirt Boss [above] have
plunges through loose rock, dropping
no choice but to give it their all... literally. 3L into the heart of the Mini-Con ship.
®
w^
K.
I&3
REAWAKENING
Rad's arrival in the main control hub of the former Mini-Con spacecraft Cyber-City
initiates an automatic emergency protocol. Long-dormant systems come Before the Decepticon uprising and the subjugation of the Mini-Cons, Cybertron
on line, generating a distress signal pulse that beams its way to the far was a technological paradise, the crowning achievement of a race committed to
side of the galaxy... and Cybertron. The Mini-Cons aboard the ship are peace and intellectual pursuits.And the jewel in the crown was Cyber-City, with
brought out of stasis and power up to full operational status.
its vast, glittering towers and sweeping meta-highways. As with much of the rest
of the planet, Cyber-City came under the general jurisdiction of the Autobot
Peacekeeping Assembly, all duly elected by (and sworn to protect) the general
Cybertronian populace. Though self-regulating and governing, the Mini-Cons,
too, relied on the Autobots to keep Cybertron's local and galactic borders secure.
Z..J
sVX ^ K 'v*
i^l
-###!
THE HALLS OF JUSTICE DECEPTICON HO

Serving as the seat of Cybertron's In Megatron's Fortress HQ, situated in
government (known as the High Cybertron's eastern peninsula, the

Council] and the headquarters of the Decepticons prepared weapons of war
Autobot Peacekeeping Assembly, the and laid out a blueprint for domination
Halls of Justice dominate the through terror.
landscape of Cyber-City. The towering
building stands as a symbol of • L
freedom and equality.
BATTLEGROUND: EARTH
Even as Rad, Carlos, and Alexis befriend the Mini-Cons,
the signal pulse reaches Cybertron, alerting both
Megatron's Decepticons and Optimus Prime's
Autobots. Megatron readies a hunting party,
traveling to Earthin a matter of
moments via a Space Bridge portal,

and—with the Autobots in hot
—
pursuit the quest for the
Mini-Cons begins anew. v
JB UH
TRANSFORMERS ARMADA
High-frequency
AUTOBOTS
radio-wave shielding
for secure battlefield
transmissions
TRUTH, JUSTICE, AND FREEDOM
ARE THE guardians of Cyber-City, a vast

THEY
metropolis on the metal world of Cybertron.
Under the command Optimus Prime, the
of
Autobots' aim is to keep the peace and promote
liberty and justice for all. Sadly, those ideals
aren't enough to save them from Megatron

and the Deceptions, and the Autobots
have been forced underground...
literally. Now they fight both to liberate
Cyber-City on Cybertron and to
safeguard the inhabitants of Earth.
Although they do not wish to
compromise the freedom of the
Mini-Cons, Cybertron's other transforming
inhabitants, the Autobots need all the power
that they can get if they are to defeat Megatron.
Optimus Prime
Dedicated to helping all living creatures wherever freedom is
threatened, Optimus Prime's courage is surpassed only by his
wisdom. Prime has seen enough war and strife to know that
conflict must always be the last option. To that end, he
tries to appeal to reason and logic, searching for a
peaceful solution. But if that fails, then beware, because
Prime is a fierce warrior, with years of combat experience
and colossal strength and firepower on tap. You really
don't want to get on the bad side of this 'bot!
Super Optimus Prime

Optimus Prime has
In the fight against evil,
enhanced powers and hardware on tap. His
monster truck/trailer possesses unique
features and defense mechanisms, including a
front weapons pod and missile launcher. The
trailer opens up to become a Mini-Con base and
battle platform, and, when combined, trailer and robot

become Super Optimus Prime, a giant Transformer
with multiple Mini-Con Powerlinx connection points.
Robot mode
Vehicle mode
RED ALERT JNTtl
Red Alert's business is saving lives. In his SPEED B
day, he was a fierce, uncompromising COURAGE 8
warrior, but too many battlefield casualties
made him see that all life was precious. Now,
as doctor and chief science officer, Red Alert
braves the heat of battle to reach fallen
comrades. He's constantly searching for new
and different ways to repair the
wounded and sick. Red Alert
transforms into an SUV
rescue vehicle, with lifepod
launcher and claw.
SMOKESCREEN
Smokescreen doesn't do anything fast.
But when he does act, he makes it
count. Smokescreen has no time for
fancy fighting styles or combat
manuals. He sees, assesses, and
INTELLIGENCE 10 ENDURANCE 8 Subsonic blaster reacts, always one step ahead of the
SPEED 7 SKILL 9 STRENGTH 8 attachment enemy. More than one adversary has mistaken
COURAGE 10 RANK 7 FIREBLAST 5 Smokescreen's measured approach for vulnerability.
Magnetic
He transforms into a heavy-duty crane, with
grapple hook
extendable hoist/hook.
SCAVENGER
A long-time instructor at the top
military academy on Cybertron,
Air-velocity
Scavenger is almost as seasoned a
blaster ports
campaigner and strategist as
Optimus Prime. In fact, on many
occasions Prime actively seeks the
distance and perspective Scavenger
brings to any situation, no matter
how difficult. Powerful and wise,
Scavenger makes a detailed study of
the enemy, evaluating their strengths
INTELLIGENCE 8 ENDURANCE 8 and weaknesses. Scavenger
SPEED 5 SKILL 10 STRENGTH 10 transforms into a bulldozer, with a
COURAGE 9 RANK 9
| |
FIREBLAST 6
super-reinforced scoop/shovel.
Reinforced Cotnbi-warhead
superstructure missile launcher
INTELLIGENCE 7
SPEED 9
Hot Shot
Though undeniably young and reckless, prone to
jump into any situation feet first at a moment's
notice, Hot Shot is a natural warrior. Optimus Prime
was one of the first to recognize his potential, when
others had more or less given up in exasperation.
Prime even sees Hot Shot as having leadership
potential. He's a fast thinker and an even faster doer
and, with the right guidance, Prime thinks Hot Shot
will go far. Hot Shot transforms into a turbo-charged
sports car, with pulse cannon.

TRANSFORMERS ARMADA
DECEPTIONS
FREEDOM EQUALS TYRANNY
WHILE
race
CYBERTRON FLOURISHED as
home Cybertronians
society, to both
a dual-
and Mini-Cons, another faction plotted and

—
schemed in secret a faction of malcontents bent on
conquest through tyranny. The peaceful nature of
Cybertronian society felt like shackles to Megatron,
and others like him, who craved conflict and conquest
above all else. But ironically, the very liberties
he despised allowed Megatron the freedom he
needed to stockpile weaponry and upgrade
hisown offensive capability, recruiting
others who shared his dreams of
universal domination.
Megatron
This would-be dictator had his sights set on the
vast power-enhancement potential of the Mini-
Cons... and he vowed to exploit it to the fullest.
Though the Autobots were the superior force in
terms of numbers, Megatron knew that, augmented
by Mini-Con power and with the element of surprise,
they would fall beneath his conquering feet.
CYCLONUS
Reckless and eager to impress, Cyclonus often
—
throws caution and the well-being of his fellow
—
Decepticons to the wind. His aerial attacks are
devastating, and Megatron often lets Cyclonus loose
on the enemy in the opening moments of a battle,
just to see how much damage he can inflict. In
helicopter mode, Cyclonus fires photon rockets and
countless rounds of ammunition from twin mini-guns
ENDURANCE 7
STRENGTH 8
FIREBLAST 7
Tank Mode
secondary mode,
In
Megatron is a heavily armored,
all-terrain attack tank.
His primary weapon in
both modes an ion-
is
displacement pulse cannon,

which can disintegrate matter at a
molecular level and initiate explosive internal chain reactions.
Additionally, this terrifying robot is equipped with
multiple power-link options, a missile launcher, a grabber
claw, and a built-in Mini-Con prison cell.
120
THRUST
A combat veteran, Thrust is a
warhorse through and through.
But his many successes on the
have bred a deep-rooted
battlefield
arrogance that often blunts his
effectiveness and riles his fellow
Decepticon lieutenants. Thrust's
blind ambition means
he'lldo anything to INTELLIGENCE 8 ENDURANCE 9
advance his own SPEED 10 SKILL 9 STRENGTH 7
cause, often at the RANK 9 FIREBLAST 6
expense of others.
Tactical underwing
sensor array
Missile storage
ports
Starscream
Petty, self-serving, unreliable... the list of Starscream's faults
is endless. It's just as well he's a consummate professional
in the air, otherwise Megatron would have dismantled him
some time ago... with his teeth! Starscream covets the
Decepticon leadership, often openly, and stands poised
to take charge should the means and opportunity
INTELLIGENCE 8 present themselves. In airborne jet mode, he wields
powerful thermo-shock cannons.
COURAGE 8 RANK 9 j
FIREBLAST 7
121
TRANSFORMERS ARMADA
LEADER-1
Leader-1 is highly intelligent
MINI-CONS
A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
his
and a testing adversary in
own right. He transforms
into a mini-assault vehicle.
THOUGH THEY ARE both transforming robots

and inhabitants of Cybertron, the Mini-Cons
are a unique race of beings. They choose to
keep to themselves, aware of the potential for LEADER-1: ROBOT MODE
Truth be told, there's a part of
others to abuse their amazing powers. After the Leader-1 that relishes his new role as
a "bad guy." Though enslaved, and
Decepticons declared war and began rounding up faced with the daunting task of power-
linking with Megatron himself, Leader-1
Mini-Cons for enforced servitude, many chose to
more than rises to the occasion. It's as
fight with the Autobots. They see the Autobots in ifsome dark, hidden aspect of his
one that even he never
personality,
a positive light, but are still unable to fully trust acknowledged, has been let loose.
them. Even on Earth, it took some Spark-searching

before wary allegiances were finally formed. SPEED 10 SKILL 10 STRENGTH 10
COURAGE 1 RANK 1 FIREBLAST 1
Power-linked to Megatron
ICEBERG
Some Mini-Cons just seem to gravitate
together, normally in threes. These Mini-
Con teams form autonomous units,
allied tothe main anti-Decepticon war
effort but allowed to operate largely
independent agendas. Iceberg, along
with Ransack and Dune Runner, is a
part of the Adventure Team.
RANSACK
Always ready for action, Ransack
forms the third angle of the
all-terrain, all-weather specialist
search-and-rescue unit, the
Adventure Team. Ransack's
specialty is working in wet and
marshy conditions. His jeep mode,
with its built-in hook/pulley, is ideal for
offroad recovery.
* Rating for combined Adventure Team
The Air Defense Team

The Air Defense Team is one of the most powerful
Mini-Con units. Individually, Jetstorm, Sonar,
and Runway are very fast and carry a range
of armaments. When combined to form the
Star Saber (see page 125), they possess almost
unlimited power. They tend to shun other Mini-
Cons, and have spent so much time together that
they often finish each other's sentences.
COURAGE 6
'Rating for combined Air Defense Team
122
LONGARM
Though small, Longarm has surprising
levels of strength, in both robot
mode and crane mode. His crane
arm can lift 30 tons, and — power-
linked to Red Alert — has enough
traction and pull to down a
TRANSFORMER. He can
also use the crane arm as
a bludgeoning weapon.
* Power-linked to Optimus Prime
SPARKPLUG
One of the few Mini-Cons to
embrace the alliance with the
Autobots, Sparkplug lives up to his
ENDURANCE 8 name with a fast, fiery personality
STRENGTH 8 and a sports car alternate mode.
FIREBLAST 5 He power-links to Optimus Prime and
'Power-linked to Red Alert shares Prime's ideals of freedom.
SPEED 5 SKILL 6 |
STRENGTH 5
COURAGE 7 RANK 5 |
FIREBLAST 3
* Power-linked to Starscream
1*4 ?V
JOLT
One of the most intrepid Mini-Cons,
Jolt prepared to go beyond the
SWINDLE is
call of duty to get the job done.

Swindle is quite prepared to
remorse His helicopter mode grants him a
overcome a few pangs of
high degree of maneuverability, and
over his victims to come out on
he fires circuit-disrupting taser bolts
top. A daredevil risk-taker, he's
Jolt power-links to Hot Shot.
well matched with Starscream,
and, when in race-car mode, INTELLIGENCE 7 ENDURANCE 6
likes to live life on the edge. SPEED 9 SKILL 5 STRENGTH 6
'Power-linked to Hot Shot
TRANSFORMERS ARMADA
"DECISIVE BATTLE"
Armed with the apocalyptic Star Saber and
THE TV SERIES
SELECTED EPISODES FROM THE EPIC SAGA
protected by the Skyboom shield, Megatron
challenges Optimus Prime to a do-or-die battle.
Prime agrees, and the two begin their duel.
But nothing in Prime's arsenal can even scratch
the Skyboom shield, and he's soon struggling to
survive. Meanwhile, the Decepticons are keeping
the Autobots busy, but the intervention of
Sideways gives Hot Shot and Blurr the chance to
distract Megatron. Prime knocks the Skyboom
CO-PRODUCED THE United States and Japan,
IN the 52-episode shield out of his grasp and it responds by
TRANSFORMERS Armada TV series utilizes the distinctive protecting Prime. The clash of shield and Star
Saber sends a signal out into space.
Japanese anime style, using classic eel animation and CG
elements. Set in the United States, the first 20 episodes set out
the initial skirmishes in the new phase of the Autobot/Decepticon
struggle and introduce the core Mini-Cons. With increasing
momentum, the series moves into its final phase, dubbed "The
Unicron Battles," and pits the TRANSFORMERS Armada Autobots
and Decepticons against the ultimate villain Unicron laying the — —
scene for the next incarnation: TRANSFORMERS Energon.
"CHASE"
When Decepticon Sideways uses a virus to hack
into the Autobots' mainframe computer, Rad,
Carlos, Alexis, and the Street Action Team try to
stop him. But their attempt to shut down the
interface results in an explosion that sucks them
all cyberspace, where they are attacked

into
directly by Sideways. As the chase through the
virtual world continues, the kids witness a
representation of Cybertron and a second,
shadowy planet creature with horns, which
pursues them.
"FIRST ENCOUNTER" "METAMORPHOSIS"

After uncovering the remains of a crashed While Optimus Prime, Megatron, and their
spacecraft in local caves, school kids Rad, forces battle, Rad, Carlos, Alexis, and High Wire
Carlos, and Alexis are confronted by a human- take refuge in the caves. Back at the Mini-Con
sized robot (High Wire], who scans and spacecraft, they activate two further Mini-Cons,
duplicates Rad's bike. A larger, hostile robot Grindor and Sureshock. Above ground, the
(Megatron) attempts to seize High Wire, but Decepticons retreat, and Cyclonus is dispatched
the arrival of Optimus Prime to the moon to investigate a Mini-Con signal.
saves him. Both factions duplicate Earth forms, aware that
other Mini-Cons lie scattered on the planet.
"AWAKENING"
Alexisand Red Alert have located three new
Mini-Con signals. One appears to be right under
them, and Rad, Carlos, and the Street Action
Team go to investigate. Sideways (for his own
reasons) starts to feed Alexis information: the
trio of Mini-Cons form the Requiem Blaster, a
weapon of colossal power. Beneath Autobase,
the kids and the Street Action Team meet one of
the component parts, Sky Blast.
"RUIN" "SACRIFICE"
After receiving a holographic cry for help from a In order to steal the Requiem Blaster (the
mysterious girl, the Autobots travel to the bottom powerful combined form of the Space Team),
of the sea in search of a lost Mini-Con. Attacked Thrust (armed with the Star Saber] initiates a
by the Decepticons, Prime (with Rad, Carlos, and battle with the Autobots in the jungle. Prime has
Alexis in his cab) takes refuge in a ruined city. left the Space Team, who refuse to be used as a
The holographic girl tells of three Mini-Cons, who weapon, at Autobase, guarded by Smokescreen.
combine to form a sword of great power: the Megatron attacks Autobase and Smokescreen is
Star Saber. Megatron breaks through the city killed trying to protect the Space Team. Delighted
walls, escaping with one part of the sword. with his new weapon, Megatron departs.
"CRISIS" "CLAMP"
Armed with three Mini-Con weapons the Star — In an attempt to arrange a truce, Prime
Saber, the Skyboom shield, and the Requiem agrees to meet with Galvatron. But Galvatron
—
Blaster Megatron plans to return to Cybertron. uses the opportunity to take the Autobots by
As a parting shot, he targets Earth with his surprise, blasting them remorselessly. Convinced
awesome Hydra Cannon. Prime and the now of the threat posed by Unicron, Starscream
Autobots fail to prevent Thrust from firing the battles Galvatron, but is critically wounded by the
Hydra Cannon. To save Earth, Prime uses the Star Saber. Unicron, meanwhile, starts to
power of the Matrix to nullify the blast, but his awaken. Finally convinced that the threat is real,
body is destroyed in the process. Galvatron offers the Star Saber to Prime, but it
is stolen by Sideways.
"MIRACLE"
The Autobots, with Hot Shot in command,
complete work on their own spacecraft and lift
off from Earth (with the kids and Mim-Cons).
Megatron, aware of their pursuit, turns his ship
around, ready to fight. The Autobots notice
countless Mini-Cons gathering nearby, but before
they can investigate the phenomenon, Megatron
attacks. The battle is brutal, Megatron intent on
wiping out the Autobots once and for all. Hot
Shot challenges Megatron directly, but lacks the
power to finish the job The Mini-Cons interact
with the Matrix to bring back Prime.
"UNION"/"ORIGIN"
Galvatron destroys the traitorous Thrust, and the
Autobots and Decepticons unite against Unicron.
Unable at first to hurt or damage the planet-
sized being, the combined armada manages to "MORTAL COMBAT"
find a weak point: Unicron's neck. Optimus Prime Believing Unicron destroyed, Galvatron renews
and Galvatron (along with High Wire, Gnndor, his attack on Optimus Prime, the truce
and Sureshock) take the fight inside Unicron forgotten. But Galvatron's evil intentions start to
itself. But Unicron has been waiting for just this bring Unicron back to life again. The Autobots
moment and offers Prime the chance to merge and Decepticons prepare their attack. The kids
with him. Defiant to the end, Prime refuses, and and Mini-Cons are evacuated, leaving Prime and
his heroics and the efforts of Rad and High Wire Galvatron to battle it out. But as Unicron begins
rouse the dormant to stir, Galvatron is sucked into a black hole and
Mini-Cons, who turn Unicron is finally taken offline. As Cybertron is
"UPRISING" on their creator, sucking rebuilt, Rad and the others return home.
On Cybertron, Galvatron (formerly Megatron) the life out of Unicron.
steps up his campaign to conquer the planet.
Optimus Prime and the Autobots also return,
aware that an even greater threat is looming:
that of Unicron. The Autobots are ambushed
by the Decepticons and battle commences.
The Star Saber
But when a mysterious force field surrounds One of three instruments of doom, the
Cybertron, Prime attempts to get Galvatron to Star Saber combined form of the Air
is the
join forces against Unicron Mini-Cons from Defense Team and
(Sonar, Jetstorm,
across the galaxy gather, ready to do battle. Runway). It is first mentioned in "Ruin," in
which its power to destroy and bring forth chaos
"DRIFT" is made brutally plain. Along with the Skyboom shield
Thrust reveals his allegiance to Unicron and (the combined form of Downshift, Dirt Boss, and Mirage,
disappears into tunnels deep within Cybertron, a.k.a. the Race Team) and the Requiem Blaster (the
taking the Requiem Blaster and Skyboom shield
combined form of Sky Blast, Astroscope, and Payload,
with him. Rad starts to think that he met High
a.k.a. the Space Team), the Star Saber was forged
Wire before his revival on Earth, and as they
journey within Cybertron they find themselves
by the TRANSFORMERS' arch-nemesis, Unicron.
slipping back in time, to the creation of the Mini- Sideways (an agent of Unicron) manipulates the Autobots
Cons. Rad and the others realize that the Mini- and Decepticons in an effort to reclaim the lost weapons.
Cons are the component cells of Unicron himself.
125
WHEN THE TRANSFORMERS
Armada was toyline previewed,
many fans believed the Mini-Cons
were reworkings the small G1 toys
called
of
Micromasters. But the extra play
Demolishor
TRANSFORMER Demolishor interacts with Mini-
value of the new line soon became Con Blackout in many
different ways and has
extra features in all three modes: robot, base and
apparent. Not only did the Mini-Cons
assault tank/vehicle. In vehiclemode, Blackout
transform, but their vehicle-mode forms can sit in a flip-up driver's seat and add his own
weaponry to Demolishor's 14 points of potential
could connect to "powerlinx" points on firepower. both base and robot mode, powerlinx
In
points allow for extra weaponry.

the larger toys to activate hidden
features. In addition, some Mini-Con A*'<.
teams combined to form larger robots
Blackout in
or weapons. Rather than simply appealing vehicle mode
to long-term fans, the toyline brought in a

new, younger audience with its entry-level
storyline and character specs.
Optimus Prime
This amazing toy is really three or four toys
with a trailer that auto-transforms into base
one. It comes
in
mode when
Thrust
activated by a signal transmitterin the cab section,
Modeled on an F-35 jet, Thrust is armed
and features several powerlinx points for with pressure missile launchers, launched
Mini-Con Sparkplug. There is also a by the powerlinx point on Mini-Con
secondary robot form: in base mode, companion Inferno. Due to safety
the trailer section can be connected regulations, Thrust's missiles are mounted
to the cab section to form the giant- on his legs rather than his arms. Thrust
sized Super Optimus Prime. also has a third attack mode, which is a
slight variation on his jet configuration.
Robot mode
126
Laserbeak
With a name that recalls the G1 Decepticon
spy bird/cassette. TRANSFORMERS Armada
Autobot Laserbeak also performs a covert
surveillance function. The bird-mode Laserbeak
has two alternate modes: a handheld digital
camcorder and a gun configuration, each slight
variations on the other. Laserbeak's LCD screen
features an image of Optimus Prime.
Laser gun
mode
Vehicle mode Spy camera

mode
Red Alert
Inrescue/emergency SUV mode, Red Alert has four
poweriinx points for Mini-ConLongarm (who is a
rescue crane in vehicle mode). The two poweriinx
points on the doors are for attachment only, while the
one on the right side of the hood opens up a disk
launcher behind the front grille. The one at the rear
activates two extra functions: push forward for a
"Red Alert" sound bite and back for a cannon noise.
—1
*>.
Longarm in
robot mode
Galvatron
Continuing the tradition begun in G1 and Robot mode
continued Robots in Disguise, Megatron
in
reemerges as Galvatron Leader-1 M.e g atrons Mini-Con,

,
Twin missile
is also repainted and renamed as Clench. The purple color launcher
scheme is more appropriate for a Decepticon! The sound
effects present in the Megatron toy are reprised, with one
slight amendment: "Deceptions —
attack!" has been 9
replaced by a meatier "The power is mine!"
Tank mode
Clench
power-linked
tn Goh-atmn
Clench in
robot mode
127
iHHraarunivicHa
8QCB
ENERGON
TRANSFORMERS ENERGON IS set some
10 years after the end of TRANSFORMERS
Armada. Core characters such as Optimus
Prime, Hot Shot, Megatron, and Starscream
return, along with a cast of new Autobots,
Decepticons, Terrorcons, Mini-Cons, and
Omnicons! At the end of TRANSFORMERS
Armada, Unicron is all but destroyed,
a lifeless shell adrift in space. Now the
chaos-bringer returns, but still cannot
muster a direct attack on Cybertron or
Earth. To rebuild and reenergize, Unicron
needs vast quantities of the TRANSFORMER
fuel known as energon. In this generation,
energon is a naturally occurring substance,

and Earth is a rich source....
The Return of Unicron

In Energon's opening cut and thrust, Unicron is the focus
of all attention as he undertakes to engineer his own
resurrection. Through his manipulative and conniving
go-between, Alpha Quintesson, Unicron recruits a
number of embittered former Decepticons (among them
Scorponok, Battle Ravage, Ouellock, and Divebomb).
In return for their solemn pledge to gather vast quantities
of energon on his behalf, Unicron grants them lethal

new Hyper-modes, renaming them Terrorcons!
SPEED 10 STRENGTH 10
SKILL 10
Megatron
His physical body utterly
destroyed in Armada's
final battle, Megatron's
Spark has been absorbed
into Unicron's own Spark
Core. Having spent 10 years
in the heart of darkness, he will
do anything to get out... even if
it means striking a deal with his
greatest enemy,Optimus Prime.
While Unicron's not looking, Megatron
uses his expanded consciousness to
create a new body, complete with
energon weapons and triple-
changing capabilities.
123
Energon stinger
SCORPONOK
Megatron's new rival in villainy is Scorponok,
a former Decepticon who is unwilling to accept
the grudging peace that emerged in the
aftermath of the Unicron Battles.
Recreated in Hyper-mode configuration
within Unicron, Scorponok emerged
to lead the Terrorcon assault on
Earth. He is equipped with three
alternate modes: a scorpion battle
configuration with energon stinger,
a powerful jet, and a monumental
construction vehicle. Scorponok
eschews Megatron's roundabout,
underhand approach, preferring direct,
brutal action and swift results, but
Megatron himself would have the final word.
The Spark of Combination

To aid in the fight against Unicron, the all-
seeing, all-knowing intelligence at the heart

of Cybertron grants Optimus Prime and a
trusted crew of Autobot warriors the Spark
of Combination. The Spark unlocks amazing
multi-option combination/team-up abilities.
SUPER OPTIMUS PRIME

In his fight against the tyranny of
OPTIMUS PRIME Unicron and the Terrorcons, Optimus
Though others believed the Prime is now augmented by a
war was finally over, Optimus personal team of Autobots. OP-1 (fire
Prime remained wary, certain that truck],OP-2 (helicopter), OP-3 (drill

one day evil would return. He defied and OP-4 (sub) maintain a direct
the Autobot High Council, actively mental link with the Autobot leader,
seeking out the whereabouts either operating as solo agents
and status of Unicron. In this
endeavor, Prime was assisted
or utilizing the Spark of
Combination to create an
^
by a personification of amazing four-way linkage and
Cybertron's internal mainframe. the ultimate Autobot warrior.
TRANSFORMERS ENERGON
AUTOBOTS
AN AUTOBOT EVOLUTION
ENERGON SEES THE return of many familiar faces

in different configurations, alongside new Autobot
recruits and a new race known as Omnicons.
In the 10 years following the destruction of Unicron,
peace settles on Cybertron. Cyber-City is rebuilt, the
leaderless Decepticons are grudgingly reabsorbed into
Cybertronian society, and the Mini-Cons return to their
designated sectors, no longer bound to either Autobots
or Decepticons. The former Autobot Peacekeeping
Assembly is reestablished and the Autobot High
Council returns from exile. But there are those who
keep a wary optic sensor on the long-range scanners.
A Fragile Peace
Even in peacetime, Optimus Prime prepares a trusted inner circle
of warriors for war. Though officially a part of the Autobot
Peacekeeping Assembly rank and file, under the jurisdiction of
the High Council, these carefully selected warriors
(including Hot Shot, Jetfire, Inferno, and Ironhide]
answer directly to Prime.
HOT SHOT
The battles on Earth and against Unicron
have seasoned and tempered Hot Shot,
revealing a skilled warrior with true
leadership credentials.In his upgraded
modes, he is faster than ever, and can

combine with fellow Autobot Inferno,
thanks to the Spark of Combination.
INTELLIGENCE 8
SPEED 4 SKILL 7
COURAGE 9
INFERNO
Cool in battle, always putting the safety
of others before his own, and aware of
the consequences of his actions, Inferno
is a role model for many up-and-coming
troopers like Ironhide. With his all-

purpose search-and-rescue fire-truck
mode and sharpshooting skills, Inferno is
Optimus Prime's secret weapon against
the Terrorcons (see opposite page).
OMNICONS
Though Mini-Cons and Mini-Con
teams continue to operate on post-
Armada Cybertron, a new faction
—
has emerged the Omnicons. Able
to process raw energon and turn it
into incredible tools and weapons,
Omnicons such as Strongarm
STRENGTH 8 [right], Skyblast, and Signal
FIREBLAST 10 Flare add new muscle to

the Mini-Con equation.
130
nniuarunmcno cnicnuuiw
STARSCREAM
Left for dead by Scorponok and his Terrorcons,
DECEPTIONSA DECEPTICON REVOLUTION

Megatron's former lieutenant Starscream is reborn as
the strangest TRANSFORMER of all. Bonded with pure
energon at a molecular level, he can take on a phantom-
like aspect that allows him to go anywhere, anytime.
More determined than ever to come out on top,

Starscream is a rogue force of pure power!
SOME DECEPTICONS found

WHILE Cybertronian reintegration
into an society less of ordeal than
they had imagined, for others it was the
bitterest of pills The Autobots' open-armed
to swallow.
and nonjudgmental approach to the survivors of the
Unicron Battles only rubbed rust in the wounds.
Unsurprisingly, a core group of malcontents plotted in
secret, while appearing to acquiesce to the new regime.

Few in number, and without enough energon to fuel a renewed
uprising, they could do little except bide their time....
Terrorcons
When Unicron's emissary, Alpha
Quintesson, came looking for recruits
willing toserve his master, he found
Scorponok and his secret enclave of
former Decepticons. They were
recruited and transported to Unicron,
and granted terrifying new Hyper-modes
by its remaining dark power. Now, on
Earth, they wreak havoc in its name....
SPEED 9 SKILL 6
COURAGE 6 RANK 5
BATTLE RAVAGE
A ferocious force of nature, Battle
Ravage simply has no capacity for
emotion or mercy. He exists to blindly
tear and rend and destroy, obsessively
running down his victims. In cougar
mode, Battle Ravage uses his energon-
soaked jaws, razor-edged claws, and
powerful mace tail (which can double
as a handheld weapon in
robot mode) to decimate
all who stand in his way.
He never gives up. Never.
Vise-grip
attachment
DIVEBOMB
Silent and stealthy, Divebomb combines
ninjalike skills in robot mode with aerial
"bird-of-prey" fire and fury in hawk mode
to devastating effect. In either mode, he's
lethal, with energon blades and tools for close-
ENDURANCE 7 range feathers cut through any known
fighting. His
STRENGTH 5 metal. Very rarely remaining on the ground,
FIREBLAST 7 Divebomb uses leg turbines to hover in robot mode
TRANSFORMERS Scorpion mode
ENERGON TOYS A WINNING COMBINATION
LATTER WAVE of pre-Energon

THE
Armada toys finally gave collectors the Scorponok
one item they'd always wanted — One of the "Ultra" figures, along with Tidal
Wave, Scorponok is a Triple Changer with a
transforming Unicron figure. Various Takara fourth "Hyper" mode. As well as robot,
scorpion, and jet modes, Scorponok's
prototypes had been developed, but it took
powerful scoop claws allow him to
the greater sophistication of engineering function as a construction vehicle.
The toy also features projectiles
techniques that came with Armada to make that launch from the claws and a
hidden stash of missiles.
it possible. Unveiled to great acclaim as an
Armada toy, Unicron crossed over into the
Energon line alongside an expanded and
upgraded roster of Autobots, Decepticons,
Mini-Cons, Terrorcons, and Omnicons. Multiple
modes and an amazing interchangeable
transformation/combination facility for the
Autobot characters turned Energon toys Jet mode
Robot mode
into a bona fide hit in their own right.
Optimus Prime
As with the Armada version, thePrime toy comes with a Super
Optimus Prime variation.But in this case, the main figure combines
with its own personal squad of four ancillary vehicles (OP-1 to OP-4):
a sub, a helicopter, a drill, and a fire engine. The four drones can be
carried in trailer mode and launched from base mode. The cab/chest
windows open to reveal Prime's Matrix compartment, and the figure
has a variety of sound effects, plus one for each drone.
Robot mode
Base mode with OP-1,

OP-2. OP-3 and OP^l
132
Tidal Wave
Another toy to roll on from Armada into Energon is
TidalWave. The mold is virtually identical, though the
rear/leg wings point backward instead of forward
But Energon Tidal Wave has a radically different color
scheme and markings, with several translucent
"energon empowered" areas. Once again, Tidal
Gunboat mode Wave is his own "dark fleet," with three
seagoing alternate modes and an impressive

number of launching/pivoting missile towers.
Robot mode
Transporter mode
Unicron 0. Hotshot
Approximately 16 in (41 cm) tall in robot mode. Unicron is one Sporting a redesign that retains
of the biggest toys in the entire TRANSFORMERS range. In elements of his Armada version, Hot
planet mode, Unicron can accommodate 24 Mini-Cons on his Shot is back. His vehicle mode is more
outer ring. With leg and chest projectiles, light-up hands and detailed, and the hood lifts to reveal
eyes, and traps and hiding places for Mini-Cons, the Unicron toy engine detail within. In robot mode,
proves that the long wait was worth it. The Energon upgrade Hot Shot sports a Spark Crystal on his
sports "damaged" areas in luminous green — ^"rr"*
i
—
chest the first to be seen since the
following the Unicron Battles in Armada. ( • —
Beast Machines era and combines
with Inferno to form a larger robot.
Planet mode with full

Mini-Con complement
Vehicle mode
133
'X
J
J lA/l WAl/E
THE DEMISE of Marvel's Generation 2 comic
COM ICS
1994, the only TRANSFORMERS
AFTER in
comic books to appear were exclusives published by US fan convention Botcon (now
OTFCC). That all changed in early 2002, when comics Dreamwave Productions
studio
announced that they would be working alongside Hasbro to publish new material.
The series would be based in and around both the current Armada toyline and
the classic Generation 1 era. Dreamwave president Pat Lee, whose
manga-influenced artwork had launched the company and established
its early credentials, was to draw the first six-issue Generation 1
story arc, provoking a storm of eager anticipation among

TRANSFORMERS fans and comic buyers....
T-
.Q>
9 »
&
,1
A ''-
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*-**# ^
VS a
G1 ISSUE #1
GENERATION
The first issue of
1 Transformers: Prime
Directive came
variant covers:
Autobot, Decepticon,
in six
RIDING THE RETRO WAVE retailer incentive,

holofoil, and second
and third printings.
DREAMWAVE'S NEW GENERATION 1
comic could hardly have had a better

start. Issue #1 of the six-issue
story arc, dubbed Prime Directive,
became the top-selling comic for April
2002, ahead of regular bestsellers
such as X-Men, Spider-Man, and

Batman. The launch rode the crest
of a wave of renewed interest in the
1980s. Pat Lee's breathtaking
"widescreen" artwork, previewed ahead
of the launch, was a huge draw.
A confirmed fan of the G1 toys and
original comic series, Lee brought to
the title visual flair and attention to
detail, satisfying the different demands
of both TRANSFORMERS fans and comic
fans. On the back of Prime Directive's
success, Dreamwave launched their
revisionary TRANSFORMERS universe.
The First Series

Prime Directive was written by Chris Sarracini, whose
previous credits included Fate of the Blade and
Darkminds, both for Dreamwave. The story picks up
after the launch and subsequent crash of the Ark II
spacecraft. Spike Witwicky uncovers a covert military

operation gone terribly wrong, one designed to control the
TRANSFORMERS and use them as mindless machines of
war. Freed from human control, Megatron unleashes a
^S
nanovirus, which will turn the Earth into a wholly meta
'''-fi^S 0P
^^Jr
world, and it's up to
timus Prime and the
Autobots to stop him
M LAZARUS
Megatron, by Pat Lee
Introduced in the prelaunch G1

Preview comic, Lazarus is both
a character and the code name
of the military project devised
by him to autopilot the offline
TRANSFORMERS. Lazarus
abandons the project, taking
with him the research and
the most powerful captive
Autobots and Decepticons.
His ultimate aim is to auction
off these war machines to the
highest bidder.
136
War awd Peace
The second six-issue series was written
by Brad Mick. Entitled War and Peace,
it pulled in much more G1 continuity.
The action takes place on Cybertron,
now ruled by Shockwave. Uniting all
under the Cybertronian banner,
Shockwave has ended the civil war,
and now seeks to gather in the
rogue Earthbound Autobots and
Decepticons. Some resist, and it falls
to Optimus Prime (aided and abetted
by Grimlock) to uncover the terrifying DINO-MIGHT!
truth at the heart of Shockwave's Having sided with the Decepticons in the
world domination. Featuring Ultra first G1 series, Grimlock chooses a more
independent allegiance in War and Peace.
Magnus, Omega Supreme, and the
He reactivates his fellow Dinobots and
Sharkticons, the series heralded the returns to Cybertron to confront his old
start of the ongoing G1 series. adversary. Shockwave.
ALPHA TRION
Making his first-ever comic book appearance, Alpha Trion [see pages
36-37] is revealed as Shockwave's helpless captive in War and
Peace. The physical embodiment of Cybertron's Vector Sigma
computer, Alpha Trion is Shockwave's ticket to omnipotence. Via the
Matrix, the ultra-logical (but nevertheless deranged] Shockwave
intends to access the Vector
Sigma mainframe and bend
ertron itself to his will.
COLOR ART
Foreground tone and solid colors
are added before the application of
computer color and backgrounds.
Pat Lee
War and Peace featured an inner "white
Prime" mode of Ultra Magnus (right), first
realized by Pat Lee. The president and

co-founder (with his brother, Roger) of
Dreamwave Productions, Lee first came to
FROM PENCIL TO INK prominence drawing Bloodpool for Rob Liefeld's

Pat Lee's pencils are part-rendered in ink by Rob Extreme Studios. Initially operating under the
Armstrong, leaving much of the background Image Comics banner, Lee's own imprint, Dreamwave,
detail open for computer rendering and effects. went solo with the launch of the first Gl series.
THE WAR WITHIN
THE CIVIL WAR YEARS
TRANSFORMERS SAGA takes place over some 9 million years, a

THE
vast time scale of which readers and viewers have seen only the tiniest
fragment. So it stood to reason that there were many stories still to tell.
Little or nothing was known of the Cybertronian civil won

war, of the battles
and lost on Cybertron before the TRANSFORMERS came
to Earth, of this period's triumphs and tragedies.
When Dreamwave President Pat Lee brought Simon
Furman (writer of classic Marvel G1 and G2 series)
onboard, the result was The War Within, a six-issue
miniseries that sought to question all the
collective suppositions about Cybertron, the
civil war, Optimus Prime, and Megatron,
and in doing so reveal the secret

history of the TRANSFORMERS.
Don Figueroa's depiction

ISSUE #1
The War Within debuted in October
of Starscream appeared
2002 with a wraparound cover by Don
in the preview book of
Figueroa. A special, limited-edition
The War Within. lenticular variant followed.
Volume 1 The : War Within

The initial story arc of The War Within focuses on Optimus
Prime and Megatron, as the two leaders clash for the first
time. It's the early stages of the civil war, and, following the
death of Sentinel Prime, a lowly records clerk called Optronix
steps up to take the Matrix and the mantle of leadership. But
rather than fight on, the newly dubbed Optimus Prime orders a
mass evacuation, deciding that Cybertron is not worth fighting
for. The cost in terms of lost lives is too high. However, Prime
discovers that Megatron's plans are more far-reaching than he

magined, and that Cybertron is key to the destiny of many worlds.
RETRO-DESIGNS
The task of retro-designing the G1 TRANSFORMERS in their pre-Earth
Cybertronian modes fell to newcomer Don Figueroa. He reworked a
host of characters, such as Megatron and Starscream [above], his
fully transformable designs evoking each robot's later configuration.
Volume 2: The Dark Ages
In the second volume of The War Within,
S
Efr-V ft G E Optimus Prime and Megatron are lost,
D n R. K-
*>*t T i presumed dead when a prototype Space
»2" Bridge explodes. The civil war descends
net I
into a turf war between various factions

(Autobots, Decepticons, Predacons,
Wreckers, and so on). Into this dark
cauldron of a world comes The Fallen.
One of the original 1 3 TRANSFORMERS,
The Fallen's machinations crank the BLUDGEON S CO
chaos up to fever pitch, as Gnmlock, Foreshadowing his evolution to master of the
Shockwave, Jetfire, Springer, and others Dark Sciences and exponent of the forbidden
martial art of Metallikato, pre-Pretender
attempt to identify and neutralize the
Bludgeon agrees to serve The Fallen, as do
threat he poses to all creation. Mindwipe and Bugly.
fellow acolytes
ANDREW WILDMAN
With Don Figueroa busy on the new, ongoing
Generation 1 series, Furman was reunited on The Dark
Ages with artist Andrew Wildman, who had drawn the
last 1 2 issues of the Marvel Transformers series and
many stones for the Transformers UK comic. Figueroa
provided retro-designs for new characters and covers
for the six-issue series.
PENCIL DRAWING
Andrew Wildman's
pencil artwork (/eft) for
page 5 The Dark
of
Ages issue #1 is based
on Pat Lee's original
design for The Fallen
'
FROM INK TO COLOR

Erik Sander's ink work [right] was
turned into a final colored
page by Rob Ruffolo [far right].
The text was added later.
139
TRANSFORMERS
ARMADA THE SAME... BUT DIFFERENT

& ENERGON
ALONGSIDE THE INITIAL Generation 1 miniseries,
Dreamwave launched an ongoing TRANSFORMERS
Armada comic. In the same way that the toyline and
TV series provided an easy entry level for kids new to the
TRANSFORMERS concept, so the comic sought to draw in
new, younger readers without alienating the established fans.

The first five issues provide a much-expanded setup for the
whole saga, with the two issues set entirely on Cybertron,
first
mere glimpses of which were afforded to viewers of the TV

series. The other notable difference was that while in the TV
show, the Mini-Cons spoke only in bleeps and whistles, in the
comic they had full English-language speech bubble facility.
Initial scriptwriter Chris Sarracini and subsequent scribe
Simon Furman were grateful for this variation. The series

ran for 1 8 issues, the focus of the story expanding to
include alternate timelines, concluding in an all-out battle
against Unicron. At issue #19, the comic's title changed to

TRANSFORMERS Energon, directly continuing the saga....
ISSUE #1
Featuring a wraparound cover by
artist James Raiz, TRANSFORMERS
^v Armada #1 hit the stands in

July 2002. The
[right] is by
holofoil variant
Don Figueroa.
Mini-Con Sparkplug lashes out

in TRANSFORMERS Armada
issue #8 (art by Guido Guidi)
Fortress
The second major story arc, called
"Fortress," saw the recently arrived Mini-
Cons kidnapped and taken away to Earth's
Moon —not by the Decepticons, but rather by
The story introduces a
their fellow Mini-Cons.
number of new Mini-Cons and Mini-Con teams,
including the Space Team, the Adventure Team,
and, in particular, the Destruction —
Team Dualor,
Drillbit, and Buzzsaw. For the first time, we realize
that not Mini-Cons are necessarily good guys,
all
out to do the right thing. The Destruction Team

has their own, distinct world view, one in which
the enemy is not just the Decepticons, but the THE MINI-CON MATRIX
Autobots, too (and, for that matter, anyone who Kicking off the epic "Worlds Collide" storyline, the Mini-Con Over-Run
doesn't agree with them!). Sparkplug, Mirage, and travels across dimensional space in search of Optimus Prime. This
timelost Mini-Concomes from a Cybertron consumed utterly by
a number of other Mini-Cons rebel, and the Mini-
Unicron. Over-Run brings with him the Mini-Con Matrix [above], which
Con Fortress on the Moon is destroyed. houses the combined Sparks of all of his world's surviving Mini-Cons.
FAMILIAR FACES
Plucked from a variety of alternate Cybertrons and timelines,
Unicron's five heralds are almost, but not quite, characters
we've met before. Though not named, they are versions of G1
Decepticons Furman had used in the original Marvel series.
Artists Don Figueroa and Guido Guidi made subtle changes to
each, making them distinct from the core G1 characters.
i? w
#** I
'' I > w n g ~
im THE UNICRON BATTLES

Despite the efforts of Optimus Prime and Jetfire, Unicron
enters the TRANSFORMERS Armada Universe. But once there,
it meets a concerted attack from
Autobots and Decepticons.
With Unicron distracted, Over-Run unlocks the power of the
Mini-Con Matrix and the chaos-bringer is destroyed... or is it?
ENERGON
At the start of
TD/I
TRANSFORMERS
Energon, Unicron is
back. The prelude leads
into the epic "What Lies
Beneath," which
introduces new human
character Kicker.
S~
BEanv&Ls
Worlds Collide
A prelude to TRANSFORMERS Energon, "Worlds
Collide" introduces the concept of alternate timelines
and parallel universes. Having fought his way to
TRANSFORMERS Armada Earth, the dimension-hopping
Over-Run is shocked to find that one Optimus Prime has
vanished, replaced by another, all but dead [above). This
Prime is stranded on an alternate Cybertron that is 1
> «2 - 1 T - L > ft
*N
/
about to be consumed by Unicron, and somehow Over-
Run must reach him. The fate of this universe (and
ISSUE #19
countless others) rests on Prime and the Mini-Con Matrix
Variant covers marked the
acting in concert. Put, as Over-Run, Sparkplug, Commetor, dramatic transition from
and other Mini-Cons prepare for transdimensional travel, TRANSFORMERS Armada to
the Autobots and Decepticons on Cybertron and Earth Energon, one from series
regular Guido Guidi and one
come under attack from Unicron's ruthless heralds. in from the prolific Pat Lee.
141
INDEX
The fallowing abbreviations are used Co Bruticus 55 (TA) 120 (TA) 124, 125, 127
distinguish the various "generations": Budiansky. Bob 6, 40, 42, 43 (TE)128, 131, 132 Gears 62,
Bumblebee (G1) 22, 34, 35, 36, 49, 62 (DW) 137. 139, 140, 141 Generation 1 8-67
G1 = Generation 1 (G2) 70 "Decisive Battle" 1 24 TV 34-35,36-37,48-49
series
G2 = Generation 2 Buster Witwicky 35, 40 "Deep Metal" 93 comics 40-47
BW = Beast Wars Buzzsaw (G1) 28, 34 Defensor 54, 55, 67 toys 62-67
BM = Beast Machines (TA) 140 Demolishor 120, 126 Generation 2 68-77
RID = TRANSFORMERS Robots In Disguise Depth Charge 92, 93 comics 72-73
TA = TRANSFORMERS Armada Destrons 110, 112 toys 76-77
TE = TRANSFORMERS Energon Destruction Team 140 "Ghost In The Machine" 49
"CallOf The Wild" 89
DW = Dreamwave Comics
Carlos 116, 117, 124
Devastator 32, 33, 35, 54 Gigatron 110, 112, 113
Devil's Due 71 G.I. Joe 40, 42, 62, 70-71, 72, 73
"Chain of Command" 88
Diaclone 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 110 Goldbug 49, 59
"Chase" 124
Action Masters BO Diagnostic Drone 99,102 Great War 78, 80, 82, 83
Cheetor (BW) 81, 84, 85, 88, 89, 91
Adventure Team 122,140 Dmobot 85, 88, 89, 91, 92, 93 Gnmlock(G1] 30, 31, 35, 48, 60, 65
92
Aenalbots 37, 54, 55 "Dinobot Island" (Parts 1-2) 36, (G2) 70, 71, 72
(BM) 98, 100, 104, 105. 107
"Aftermath" 91, 92
Chip Chase 35, 36
Dmobots (G1) 30-31, 35, 36, 38, (DW) 137. 139
"Agenda, The" (Parts 1-3) 93. 95 65, 66 Gnndor 123, 124, 125
Chromedome 57, 63
Airazor 84, B9, 92
Civil War (G1) 14-15, 18, 24, 49, 56, (DW) 137
Air Defense Team 122,125 Dirt Boss 116. 125 H
72
Air Hammer 90 (TA) 116 Di Tillo, Larry 88, 92 Hama, Larry 72
Air Raid 55 (DW) 137, 139
Divebomb 131 Hasbro 36, 40, 42, 62, 63, 64. 66, 69
Alexis 116, 117, 124 Downshift125 71, 72, 81, 111, 113, 134
"Clamp" 125
"Alignment" (Parts 1-2) 75 Dreamwave Productions 34, 70, 71, 75, Headmasters 43, 49, 56-57, 63, 66
Clench (G2) 77
Alpha Quintesson 131 134, 136, 137, 138. 139, 140, 141 Heavy Load 1 1
(TA) 127
Alpha Trion 11, 36, 37. 49, 1 37 "Drift"125 "Heavy Metal War" 35. 37
Cliff|umper 62
Arcee 25, 48, 49 140
Drillbit Highbrow 57
Cloudburst 60
Ark(G1] 15, 16-17, 30, 34, 35, 36, Dualor 140 Hightower 110
Cobra 70, 72, 73
56, 81 Dune Runner 122 High Wire 123. 124, 125
"Code of Hero" 93
(G2) 72, 73 Dyno-bots 30 Hi-Q 59
58,
Combaticons 37, 54, 55
(BW) 92, 93, 98 Combiners 32-33, 37, 54 Hi-Test 59
(DW) 136 Hive, the 49
comics
Armada, TRANSFORMERS 114-127, "Home Soil" 105
Generation 1 (DW) 136-137, 139 Earth (G1) 8. 10, 17. 22, 25. 26, 28,
140-141 Hook 32, 33
G.I. Joe (Devil's Due) 71 30. 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 48, 49, 56,
TV series 124-125 Hot Rod 38, 39. 49
G.I. Joe (Dreamwave) 71 59
toys 126-127 Hot Shot (TA) 119. 123, 124, 125
G.I. Joe (Marvel) 71 (G2) 73,
Astroscope 125 (TE) 128, 130, 133
G.I. Joe And The Transformers 70-71 (BW) 78, 81, 83, 84, 85, 88, 89,
Autobase (G2) 73 Hot Spot (G1) 55. 67
Headmasters 42 90, 92, 93
(TA) 124 72
Transformers (Marvel UK) 44-47 (RID) 110 (G2)
Autobot Car Brothers 1 1 110
(RID)
Transformers (Marvel US) 40-43, 138, (TA) 117, 125
Autobot High Council 129, 130 Hub. the 74
140 (TE) 128. 129, 131
Autobot Peacekeeping Assembly (TA) 40- 1 4 Hurricane 77
TRANSFORMERS Armada 1 (DW) 136, 138, 141
117
TRANSFORMERS Energon 4 1 Eleta-1 37
(TE) 130 Transformers: Generation 2 72-75 "Endgame" (Parts 1-3) 105
Autobots (G1) 22-25
The War Within (DW) 138-139 "End Of The Line" 105 lacon (G1) 10, 11. 12-13. 15
(RID) 112-113
"Coming of the Fuzors, The" [Parts 1-2) energon 13, 34, 35, 37, 51, 61, 80. (BM) 105
(TA) 118-119
91 81, 83. 88, 89, 128 Iceberg 122
(TE) 128, 130, 132
Constructicons 32, 33, 35, 36, 37 Energon, TRANSFORMERS 128-133.141 "Immobilizor, The" 35
(DW) 137, 139, 140, 141 132-133
Convoy (01 63 ) toys Inferno (BW) 86. 88, 89. 91, 93
"Awakening" 1 24
"Cosmic Rust" 37 (TA)126
Axalon, The 80, 88, 89, 92, 93
Cosmos 36 (TE)130
Creation Matrix 59. 73 Fallen, the (G1) 15, 50 ln|ector 90
B "Crisis"125 Insecticons 26,35
Bantor 90 (DW) 139
Crosswise 110 Ironhide [G1] 25
"Fallout" 105
Battle Ravage 131 Cyber-City (TA) 116. 117, 118 (RID) 110
fan conventions 39, 74, 134
Battle Unicorn 106 (TE) 130 (TE) 130
fan fiction 74, 75
Beastbox 29 Cybertron (G1) 8. 10-11. 12, 13, 14,
Fasttrack 67
Beast Machines 96-107 15, 16, 18, 20, 24, 25, 26, 29. 30,
Figueroa, Don 71, 138, 139 J
TV 104-105
series 32, 34, 35. 36, 37. 38. 48, 49, 52,
toys 106-107
Firecons 66 Jaguar 95,
55, 56 Jazz 22, 23
Fire Convoy 110, 112
Beast Wars 78-95 (G2) 72, 74,
Fireflight 55 Jetfire '(TE) 130
TV series 88-89, 92-93 (BW) 78, 80. 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, "Fire In The Sky" 34 (DW) 139, 141
toys 94-95 88, 89, 92, 93
"Fires Of The Past" 104 Jetstorm (BM) 103, 104, 105
"Beast Wars" (Parts 1-2) 88 (BM) 96, 98, 99, 100, 102. 104.
"First Encounter" 1 24 (TA) 122, 125
"Before The Storm" 89 105 "Five Faces Of Darkness, The" (Parts 1 -5) Jhiaxus 72, 73
Blackarachnia (BW) 86, 89, 92. 93, 94 (TA) 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 122,
48 Jolt 123
(BM) 98, 101, 104. 105 124, 125
Flash 77 Junkions 38
Blackout 126 (TE) 128, 129, 130
"Forever Is A Long Time Coming" 49
"Blaster's Blues" 37 (DW) 137. 138. 140, 141
Blitzwing27, 49 Cybertrons 110, 112
"Fortress" 140 K
Fortress Maximus (G1) 49, 56, 57, 59, "Key, The" 104
Bludgeon (G1) 61 Cybertropolis 99
(G2) 72, 73
63 "Key to Vector Sigma, The" (Parts 1-2)
Cycle Drones 103, 104
(DW) 139 (G2) 72 37
Cyclonus (G1 ) 48 Forward, Bob 80
Blurr(G1] 48, 49 Kicker141
(TA) 120, 124
Frenzy 28. 29 Kup 38, 48
(TA) 124
Furman, Simon 42, 47, 72, 74, 75
Bomb-Burst 61
D Fuzors 86, 90-91, 95
Bombshell 26, 70
Bonecrusher 33 Dark Ages, The 139 Laserbeak (G1) 28, 29
Boss 77 "Dark Awakening" 49 (TA) 125, 127
Botanica 1 05 Decepticons (G1) 26-27 Galen 49, 56, 57 Lazarus 1 36
Brawn 36. 62 (RID) 11 2-1 "3 Galvatron (G1) 38, 48, 49, 65 Leader-1 122
2 1 3
Lee, Jae 71 (G2) 69, 72, 73, 76, 80 Scourge 48. 49 G1 Season 2 36-37
Lee. Pat 134, 136, 137, 138 (BW) 93 Scrapper 32 G1 Seasons 3 and 4 48-49
LiegeMaximo 74, 75 (BM) 105 Seacons 66, BW Season 1 88-89
Longarm 123, 124, 127 (RID) 110, 112 "Search For Alpha Trion, The" 37 BW Seasons 2 and 3 92-93
Long Haul 33 (TA) 116, 117, 118. 119. 123. 124. "Secret of Omega Supreme, The" 36 BM Seasons 1 and 2 104-
Lord Zarak 49. 56. 57 125. 126. 127 Sentinel Prime 14, 15 TA 122-123
(TE) 128, 129, 130, 132 Sharkticons (G1 ) 52 Terrorcons (G1) 49, 66
M (DW) 136. 137, 138, 139, 140, 141
Optronix(GI) 14
(DW) 137
Shockwave (G1) 26, 27. 30
(TE) 128, 129, 131
Terrorsaur 86, 88, 89, 92
Maccadams Old Oil House 13
(DW) 138 (DW) 136, 139 Throttlebots 49
Mainframe Entertainment 81
Oracle, the 99. 100, 101. 104. 105 Side Burn 110 Thrull 48
Marvel Comics 34. 36. 38, 40, 42,
"Origin" 125 Sideswipe 24 Thrust (BM) 103, 104, 105
44, 64, 70. 71. 72. 138, 139
Orion Pax 37 Sideways 124, 125 (TA) 120. 124, 125, 126
Matrix, the 15. 38, 39, 48. 49, 50,
"Other Visits" (Parts 1-2) 92 Signal Flare 1 30 Thundercracker 65
52, 72, 82, 91. 99. 125. 136. 137
"Other Voices" (Parts 1-2) 89. 92 Silverbolt (G1) 37. 55 Tidal Wave 132, 133
Matrix of Leadership 14, 18. 38
Over-Run 140, 141 (BW) 84, 90, 92, 93, 95 Tigatron 84, B9, 92
"Maximal No More" 92
(BM) 103, 104, 105 Tigerhawk 93
Maximals (BW) 78, 80, 81. 83. 84-85,
P Sky Blast (TA) 124, 125 toys
86, 87. 88, 89, 90, 92. 93. 98
Payload 125 Skyblast (TE) 1 30 G1 64-68
[BM) 96. 98, 99. 100-101, 102.
Perceptor (G1) 36, 37, 48 Skyboom Shield 124, 125 G1 (Japanese) 62-63, 136
103. 104, 105
Mega-Octane 1 1 (TA) 123 Sky Byte 1 1 G2 76-77
Megatron (G1) 14, 15. 16. 18. 20-21. "Plague of Insecticons. A" 35 Skydive (G1) 54 BW 94-95
26, 27, 28, 29, 33, 34, 35. 36, 37, "Possession" 89 (G2) 72 BM 106-107
Powermaster Prime 58-59 Sky Lynx 48, 49 RID 110-113
38. 58, 63, 64, 67. 93
"Power Surge" 88 Skywarp 27, 65 TA 126-127, 132
(G2) 69, 72, 73, 76
Slag 30, 35, 66 TE 132-133
(BW) 80, 81, 82, 83, 86. 87, 88 Predacons (BW) 78, 80, 81, 83. 84,
Slingshot 54 Transformation Cog 48
89. 90. 91, 92, 93. 98 85, 86-87, 88, 89, 90. 91. 91, 92,
Sludge 30, 31, 35 Transformers: The Movie 38-39, 48, 50,
(BM) 96, 98, 99, 100, 102, 103, 93
(DW) 139 Smokescreen 119, 124 65
104, 105
(RID) 112, 113 Pretenders 60-61, 66 Snarl 30, 31 Transmetals 90-91, 92, 93, 94. 95
Prima 10, 15 Sonar 122, 125 "Transport to Oblivion" 34
(TA) 116, 117. 118. 120 121 122,
Prime Directive 136 "SOS Dinobots" 35 Triggerbots/Tnggercons 66
124, 125, 127
Primus (G1) 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, Soundwave 28-29, 66 "Trigger, The" Parts 1-2 89
[TE) 128, 129, 131
space bridges 16, 34.
34, 35, 80, 117, Triple Changers 27, 49, 66, 132
(DW) 136, 138, 139 50, 52, 53
(G2) 72
139 Tn-Predacus Council 83, 93
"Megatron s Master Plan" [Parts
"Probe, The" 88 Space Team (TA) 124,125 Trypticon 48, 49
Menasor 55
Protectobots 54, 55, 67
(DW) 140 Turbomasters 77
"Metamorphosis" 1 24
Protoforms 80, 84, 86 Sparkabots 66
Metroplex 48, 49. 67
Protoform X 86, 93 Spark of Combination, the 129, 130 u
Mick. Brad 137
"Spark of Darkness" 1 05 Doom, The" (Parts 1-3) 35
"Microbots" 36 Prowl (G1) 22, 23, 66 "Ultimate
Sparkplug (TA) 116, 123, 126 Magnus (G1) 38, 48, 49
Micro-Cars 62 (RID) 110, 112 Ultra
Pyro 76, 77
(DW) 140, 141 (RID)111
Microchange 62
Sparkplug Witwicky 34, 35 (DW) 137
Microman 62, 63 64 65 I,
"Spark, The" 89 Unicron(GI) 10,38,39,49.50-51.
Micromasters 61 66. 126
"Sparkwar" (Parts 1-3) 105
.
Midnight Express 110 52. 53, 59

Quickstnke 86, 90, 92, 95 Special Teams 15, 33, 54-55, 66
Mini-Cons 114 (G2) 75
Quintessa 48 "Spider's Game" 89
(TA) 116, 117, 118, 120. 121. (BW) 87, 89
Qumtessons 15, 38, 48, 49, 52 Spike Witwicky 34. 35, 36. 48. 49, 57,
122-123, 124. 125. 126 127 (TA)124, 125, 132
136 (TE)128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133
(TE) 128. 130, 132. 133
Spoilsport 57 (DW) 140, 141
(DW) 140. 141
Race Team 1 25 Springer (G1) 48, 49 "Union" 125
"Miracle" 125
Rad 116. 117, 124, 125 (DW) 139 "Uprising" 125
Mirage (G1) 34. 110
Rail Racer team 1 1 Spychangers 110
(TA) 125
Railspike 110 Squawkbox 29
(DW) 140
Rampage 86, 91 93 Squawktalk 29
Mixmaster 33 ,
Vector Sigma (G1 ] 11, 12, 37

Ransack 122 Star Saber 124. 125
"More Than Meets The Eye" (Parts 1-3) (BM) 99, 105
Rapid Run 110 Starscream (G1) 27, 34, 36, 37, 38,
34. 35. 80 (DW) 137
Ratchet 22. 30 48, 49, 65, 89
"Mortal Combat" 25 1 Vehicons (BW) 96
Rattrap (BW) 84, 85, 88. 89, 92, 93 (G2) 73
Motorcycle Drone 107 (BM) 98, 99, 100. 101, 102-3. 104,
(BM) 98, 101, 104. 105 (TA) 120, 123
movie see Transformers: The Movie 105
Ravage (G1) 28. 29. 36 (TE) 128. 131
Generals 102, 103, 104, 105
(G2) 71 (DW) 138
IM Vok. the 17, 81
(BW) 93, 95 "Starscream's Brigade 37
Nebulans 49, 56, 57, 58. 59
'Starscream's Ghost" 48
Nebulon (TV series) 49, 56. 57,
Nebulos (comics) 42
59 Rebirth, The" (Parts 1-3) 49
Red Alert 119, 123. 124, 127 Storm Jet 112 w
War and Peace 1 37
"Reformatting, The" 104 Street Action Team 123. 124
Nebulos "War Dawn" 37
'Requiem Blaster 124, 125 Strongarm 1 30
see Nebulon W.A.R.S. 110
Return of Optimus Prime, The" (Parts Stunticons 37, 54, 55
Nemesis 16, 93 War Within, The 34, 71 138, 139
1-2] 49 Sunstreaker 25 ,
Nemesis" (Parts 1-2) 85, 93 Warworld 72, 73

REV. 110 Superion 54
Nightscream 101, 104. 105 Waspmator (BW) 86, 87, 89, 91, 92
104
"Revelations" (Parts 1-3) Super Optimus Prime (TA) 118. 1 26
Noble/Savage 104, 105 (BM) 103
Rhmox (BW) 84, 88, 89, 91, 92. 93 (TE) 129, 132
Sureshock 123, 124, 125 "Web, The" 88
(BM) 103, 104
o Robots In Disguise, TRANSFORMERS Swarm, the 72, 73, 92 Wedge 112
Obsidian 105 "What Lies Beneath" 141
108-109 Swindle (G1) 55
Octane 27. 48 (TA) 123 Wheeljack 24, 30, 35, 37
Omega Supreme (G1) 36 37 Rodimus Prime 38, 39, 48. 49, 53
Swoop 30, 31 Wildman, Andrew 47, 75, 139
(DW) 137 "Ruin" 124. 125
Wmdcharger 62
Ommcons 128. 130. 132 Rumble 28
Wreckers 139
One, the 50. 53 Runway 122. 125
Wreck-Gar 38, 49
"Only Human" 49 Takara 62, 63, 64, 66, 95, 108, 110,
0P-1. OP-2. OP-3 and OP-4 129. 132 S 111, 132
X
"Opttmal" Optimus (BW) 90, 93 "Sacrifice" 1 24 Tank Drone 106 X-Brawn 110, 112
(BM) 105 Sander, Eric 1 39 Tankor (BW) 99
"Optimal Situation" 93 Sarracmi, Chris 136 (BM) 103, 104, 105
Optimus Minor 95 Savage see Noble/Savage Tarantulas 86, 87, 88, 89, 80, 93, 94
Y
Yaniger, Derek 72
Optimus Primal (BW) 80 82, 84. 85. Scavenger (G1) 32 Targetmasters 49, 57
Yee, Benson 92
88. 89, 90. 91, 92. 93. 94 (TA) 119 Technobots 66
Yuki Onishi 110
(BM) 95. 98. 100 104, 105, 107 Scorch 77 Teletran-1 16, 17, 19, 28. 34. 35, 36.
Optimus Prime (G1) 14 15. 16. 18-19, Scorponok (G1) 49, 56. 57, 67 93
22, 23, 30, 34, 35. 36 37. 38, 40, (BW) 86, 87, 88, 89. 92 television series
49, 58. 59. 63 64 (TE) 129, 131, 132 G1 Season 1 34-35 Zachary, Ethan 58
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ADDITIONAL ARTWORK CREDITS either can't recall or never knew in the first place. To this end, I
gratefully acknowledge the help of Benson Yee, whose knowledge of

Guido Guidi painted Cybertron and Sonic Canyons (pages 1 0—1 1);
lacon cityscapes and Maccadams Old Oil House (pages 12-13];
TRANSFORMERS is beyond encyclopedic and his enthusiasm
inspirational; Bob Forward and Larry DiTillio, the omniscient creative
Unicron planet-mode cross-section and Antibody System (pages
force behind the Beast Wars TV series; and Bob Budiansky, layer of
50-51); Powermaster Prime (robot, vehicle and base modes) and Hi-Q
much G1 groundwork. Thanks to Joshua Izzo and Aaron Archer at
(pages 58-59]
Hasbro and James McDonough and Pat Lee at Dreamwave. Thanks
E.J.Su painted Optimus Prime cross-section (pages 18-19] and also to Paul Cannon, Martin McVay and Nick Roche. And, once again,
Megatron cross-section (pages 20-21) a big thanks to all the fans who have loved and cherished
6-1 7)
TRANSFORMERS this long time... and basically kept me in work!
Richard Chasemore painted the Ark (pages 1
Dan Khanna painted the Quintessons (page 52] and Longhaul/Hook Dorling Kindersley would like to thank the following:
Integration (page 33]
Joshua Izzo and Edmund Lane of The Hasbro Properties Group and
Don Figueroa painted Primus (page 53) Michelle Field of Hasbro Boys Toys; Derek "Doc" Choo-wing and the
team at Dreamwave Comics; Tony Marshall and his son James, for
supplying their G1 and G2 toys; Klay Kaulbach at Mainframe
AUTHOR ACKNOWLEGMENTS
Entertainment and Glen Hallit of 3H Enterprises, for permission to use
While consider myself pretty well-versed in the many universes that
I the Cheetor wireframe; Anna Furman, for Simon Furman photo; D.
make up the 20-year history of TRANSFORMERS, I'm the first to hold Daley, for Bob Budiansky photo; Louise Owen, for design assistance;
my hand up and scream "help" when confronted by fine details that I John Kelly, for additional screengrabs; Julia March, for the index.
P#«5.
?fe\
asms^.
7^ TrU^
c
tf§^£Bfl
THE U L T I ATE GUIDE

\c-
AT LAST, THE FIRST FULLY AUTHORITATIVE
HISTORY OF THE AMAZING TRANSFORMERS
came
First — were
the toysrobots Then comic books and animated
vehicles that actually in disguise.
TV series brought the TRANSFORMERS and their stories to life. Since then, the TRANSFORMERS
universe has expanded to encompass a rich mythology, a huge cast of characters, and a series of
intergalactic wars spanning millennia. This is the book to explain and illustrate their epic history!
• Cross-section artworks of the inner mechanics of the TRANSFORMERS

• Overview artworks showing Cybertron and the Autobots' Ark in astonishing detail
• Profiles of key characters from each TRANSFORMERS generation, complete with tech specs
• Extensive reviews of the toy lines, TV series, and comic book chronologies

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WRITTEN BY

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE

MUNICH AND Dl 111 I

Senior Editor Simon Beecroft

Category Publisher Alex Kirkham

Production Controller Nicola Torode

Cover Art Pat Lee

Additional Photography Andy Crawford and Benson Yee

First American Edition, 2004

Published in the United States by

Page Design Copyright © 2004 Dorling Kindersley Ltd.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Color reproduction by Media Development and Printing, Ltd.

and Generation 2'.

Special Teams 54 TRANSFORMERS Armada Toys 1 26

Headmasters and TRANSFORMERS Energon 1 28

Targetm asters 56 Autobots 1 30

Powermaster Prime 58 Decepticons 131

iP^^H ^^T. y^^r

BEFORE THE most primitive life-forms crawled out of the

The Neutral Territories:

Uraya: largest of the Tri-

Kalis: area of primary ore

THE WELL OF ALL SPARKS

Polyhex: satellite control and

The Tagon Heights (Industrial Quadrant

THE SONIC CANYONS

The Rust Sea: area of unstable

Hydrax Plateau: primary spaceport

Sonic Canyons: core-deep, Cybertron's city-states to show signs of a

The High Council Pavilions

Maccadams Old Oil House

the planet, and Kaon (long their secret base of

battlefield. But its power is not

past... or the future. »\*

¥ The first Autobot victory is

Cybertron, the resistance movement gathers

Megat ron's awesome

7.4-6.5 MILLION YEARS BG1

6 MILLION YEARS BG1

5 MILLION YEARS BG1

4 MILLION YEARS BG1

MEGATRON 3.5 MILLION YEARS BG1

mission was to reach the

Assault Oim The Ark

Main engine room

THE GREATEST leader to falter

without the support and backup of a trusted

Specialist Bumblebee, and Head of Special

In ambulance mode, Ratchet's RATCHET

Robot mode features

In vehicle mode, Jazz

Prowl's robot mode is

Reserve fuel tanks

to blow his cool. Sometimes, though, this makes for a

CYBERTRON, they were traders and engineers,

take up arms to defend their