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AUTOBOTS |
Optimus Prime
"Freedom is the right of all sentient beings!"
Optimus Prime is the most famous and well known of all Transformers, so it's
natural that he'd reappear in Armada in some incarnation. He transforms
into a Semi Truck, and can combine with his trailer to form his "Super Mode".
He's a decent enough character, but he's received less screen time than I'd
like.
When Optimus powerlinks with a Minicon in super mode, it activates a technique
called the "Maximum Blast." Also, Optimus seems to have an energy charged punch
attack, but he has not performed it yet.
| Optimus' Minicon partner is named Sparkplug, who transforms into a yellow Lamborghini. |
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Hot Shot
"Well, let's go!"
Hot Shot is your typical young, go-get-em type character. He starts
out the series as the sort who thinks he's hot stuff, but he seems to have
mellowed out since the series began. He was the first character to wield
the Star Saber, but lost it to the Decepticons. Hot Shot is good
friends with the humans and Smokescreen, has a friendly rivalry with Blurr, and
has mentors in the form of Optimus and Scavenger.
Recent episodes have revealed that Hot Shot had a more serious side, before
loosing his friend Wheeljack. I like to think the bravado he's shown was
effort to mask his sadness about the event.
Hot Shot turns into a sports car. Powerlinking in robot mode causes his
wheel axle to flip up, and act as a cannon. Powerlinking with his partner,
in either mode, also grants him the ability to fly.
| Hot Shot's Minicon partner is named Jolt, who transforms into a helicopter. |
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Red Alert
"All life is precious."
Red Alert is the Autobots' science officer and medic. He played a
heavy role early on in the series, but these days, he prefers to remain on the
sidelines. He was once a warrior back on Cybertron, but nowadays he keeps
mostly to tech-related stuff and watching over the base with the humans while
the other Autobots are away.
Red Alert turns into an Ambulance SUV. Powerlinking causes part of his back to detach, and act as a gun and/or grappling hook. Red Alert can also fire energy disks from his chest.
| Red Alert's Minicon partner is Longarm, who turns into a crane. |
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Smokescreen
"Strike hard, strike straight."
Smokescreen is one of my favorite characters. Despite some self esteem
issues in one episode, he seems to really have it all together. He's your
average joe... a friendly, jocular sort of guy. The Minicon activated
cannon on his crane is also one of the coolest weapons in the series.
Smokescreen turns into a crane. As I said, when powerlinked with a Minicon, a large cannon is activated. He is responsible for carrying the Skyboom Shield into battle.
| Smokescreen's Minicon partner is named Liftor, who turns into a forklift. |
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Smokescreen was heavily damaged in the episode "Sacrifice." Smokescreen's spark remained intact, but his body...
... Was overhauled. Smokescreen has now been reborn in a new form of a backoe crane. Evidentally, his name is Hoist, but it is uknown if that name will carry over into the cartoon. Whatever his name is... Smokescreen is back in action.
Scavenger
"Always rise to the call of duty!"
Scavenger, despite being inspired by the G1 Constructicons, is an Autobot.
However, you wouldn't know it if you'd only watched his first appearance.
Scavenger first appears as a mercenary hired by Megatron. In reality, he
was an Autobot spy sent to spy on Megatron's operation. Now that he's
dropped his double agent agenda, he serves an Autobot soldier, and acts as a
mentor of sorts to Hot Shot. He trained Optimus and Blurr on Cybertron.
Scavenger turns into a bulldozer. When a Minicon powerlinks with him, he
can fire a blast from his waste; He calls it the dozer cannon.
| Scavenger's Minicon is named Rollbar, an off-road vehicle. He's powerlinking with Scavenger in this shot. |
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Blurr
"Stand up! Keep fighting!"
Blurr is a tough, no-nonsense sort. With that in mind, he seems like
an unlikely friend for Hot Shot to make. The fact of the matter is, they
weren't in the beginning. When he first showed up, Blurr was completely
anti-social, and regarded Minicons as mere objects. However, after a
mission to rescue a Minicon was botched, he started to see the problems with
that belief. Blurr has mellowed out, but he continues to keep up the tough
guy personae.
Blurr's vehicle mode is a sleek, futuristic car. It has a "flight mode" activated by powerlinking.
| Blurr's Minicon is named Incinerator. He turns into a race car. |
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Sideswipe
"Look at the big man, dishing out the orders." (Note - not actual
tech spec quote. It's just a quote of his I really really like.)
Sideswipe is the most recent addition to the Autobots. A young,
extremely inexperienced warrior, he was saved by Blurr some time ago on
Cybertron. This convinced Sideswipe to turn his life around and join the
Autobot army, in hopes of meeting Blurr and gaining his friendship.
However, recent incidents have led him to strike up a friendship with Hot Shot.
Sideswipe can be emotional and extremely overbearing, but he has an impressive
amount of detirmination.
Sideswipe carries a pistol. When powerlinked with his partner, he has a
sort of "dragster" vehicle mode that increases his speed. I'm guessing he
also has a "swiping" attack, based on his toy.
| Sideswipe's Minicon partner is Nightbear, who turns into a motorcycle. |
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Laserbeak
Laserbeak was invented by Red Alert to aide the humans and serve as the Autobot "eye in the sky" during various battles. In other words, when the Autobots are duking it out with the Decepticons, Laserbeak is out looking for the Minicon. Laserbeak does have some degree of autonomy (he returned to the base himself in one episode), but he's certainly nothing like the other Transformers. Laserbeak has three modes: Robotic bird, camera, and stun weapon.
Jetfire
"You can fall alone or fall together!"
Jetfire is the 2nd-in-command of the Autobots' army on Cybertron. When
Optimus left with Hot Shot and Red Alert to search for the Minicons on Earth, he
was put in command for the interim. Recently, however, he has joined the
Autobots on Earth. Jetfire isn't you're typical 2nd-in-command, in that he
has a wild side to him. He likes to have fun, and makes snide remarks and
whatnot. However, he has shown a professional side in recent episodes.
Jetfire transforms into a space shuttle. He wields a gun that serves as
one of his thrusters in vehicle mode. His Minicon partner has not appeared
in the television show yet.
| Jetfire's Minicon partner is named Comettor. He transforms into a moon buggy. |
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Optimus and Jetfire can combine into a Transformer named Jet Optimus. Of course, he has gained the power to fly, as well as enhanced strength. He also wields Jetfire's gun, and sometimes the Skyboom Shield. I'm guessing that he may also wield the Requiem Blaster in future episodes.
Note - Jet Optimus was called "Jet Convoy" in his first appearance. However, a recent episode identified him as Jet Optimus. I'm assuming that will be the permanent name from now on, but if it changes, I shall update accordingly.
The Humans
Rad, Carlos, Alexis, Fred and Billy are five humans that have befriended the Autobots. Actually, the fact of the matter is, they're partly the reason why they're even there, as Rad was the one who discovered Highwire's Minicon panel, thus causing the activation of Minicons worldwide. Rad, Carlos and Alexis each have a Minicon counterpart in the Street Action Team, and have the ability to understand the Minicons (most likely because they touched the Minicon panels when they activated). Fred and Billy are... well, they're mostly comic relief. The kids help out the Autobots whenever they can, usually by monitoring battles via Laserbeak. Alexis is pretty adept with the controls... especially the ones the Autobots are too tall to man (hey, their base WAS originally a Minicon ship, after all).
