MINICONS

MINICONS

Street Action Team

Destruction Team

Land Military Team

The first Minicons to activate in the series, the Street Action team are basically the Minicon mascots. Their names are Highwire, Sureshock and Grindor. Highwire transforms into a bicycle, Sureshock into a motor scooter, and Grindor into a skateboard. Each is practically bonded to one of the humans (Highwire to Rad, Sureshock to Alexis, and Grindor to Carlos). They are also the one Minicon group that can combine that DOESN'T become a weapon - their combined form is named Perceptor.

The Destruction Team consists of Drillbit, Dualor, and Buzzsaw. However, they seem to be a team only in the fact that they come packaged together as toys. Drillbit transforms into a drill vehicle, and was first discovered in the episode "Underground," and appeared later to aid Cyclonus in "Trust." Dualor and Buzzsaw appeared as captured Minicons in "Conspiracy," and then again in Vow. They were one of the Minicons who defected from Megatron, and joined Optimus and the Autobots. Drillbit was not seen in that episode, and it is safe to assume that he is still among the Decepticons' Minicons. Dualor transforms into a tank, and Buzzsaw into a bucket wheel excavator.

Multiple clones of Buzzsaw and Dualor have appeared in recent episodes, most notably "Runaway" and "Rescue."

This team consists of Bonecrusher, Knockout, and Wreckage, who each transform into military vehicles. Bonecrusher was the first one discovered (in the episode "Palace"), where he was claimed as a servant of the Decepticons. Bonecrusher went on to appear in several other episodes. Knockout and Wreckage were found between episodes by the Decepticons, and appeared for the first time in "Conspiracy." In the episode "Vow," they along with several other Decepticon Minicons defected and joined the Autobots' side.

Minicons that look exactly like Knockout have appeared in "Runaway" and "Rescue."

Bonecrusher seems to be tied to the ancient civilization that encountered the Minicons, in that he was discovered in an ancient ruin.

This team consists of Spiral, Oval, and Backtrack, all of whom transform into cars. Spiral was discovered in the episode "Gale" by the Autobots, but was later seen among the Decepticons in "Conspiracy" with his teammates (it is assumed he was captured in battle). Oval and Backtrack were seen in "Vow", and defected to the Autobots. It is assumed Spiral went back with them, or that the Spiral in "Conspiracy" was a double.

Doubles of each Street Speed Team member appeared in "Runaway," and again in "Rescue." Several of them were painted in the image of the Japanese Minicon recolors.

This team of Minicons first appeared in "Tactician," and had apparently been captured by the Decepticons in between episodes. They have reappeared in subsequent episodes, aiding the Decepticons by providing fire from the air. They've frequently been part of Thrust's strategies. Their names are Thunderwing, Terradive and Gunbarrel. Each of them becomes a type of aircraft, as well as a 3rd "weapon mode". Thunderwing becomes a throwing star, Terradive an attack claw, and Gunbarrel a chain gun. Their weapon forms have not appeared yet.

Like with many of the other Minicons, there were doubles of the Air Military team in "Rescue."

Only one member of this team has appeared so far. It was a Minicon called Dune Runner, and he appeared only momentarily, when introduced to Highwire by Rad. The two remaining members are called Ransack and Iceberg.

These Minicons are basically recolors of the Land Military Team. Their names are Fetch, Scattor and Broadside. They have appeared only momentarily, as Minicons captured by the Decepticons.

The Sea team is another group of Minicons who were apparently captured by the Decepticons off-screen. Their names are Waterlog, a hovercraft, Oceanglide, a solar powered boat, and Stormcloud, a speedboat. They were first seen, momentarily, firing at Hot Shot and Blurr from Tidal Wave's deck in "Sacrifice." Later, Oceanglide would reappear in "Sacrifice" as one of the many Minicons being rescued by the Autobots. However, due to the fact that many Minicon doubles appeared in that episode, it may or may not have been the same one seen in "Sacrifice."

The first (and so far, only) member of this Minicon team to surface is Firebot, who first appeared in the episode "Mars." He is unique among Minicons, in that he was discovered not on Earth, but on an asteroid circling the planet Mars. Jetfire and Starscream saved him from the Decepticons, but not before convincing him to fight back and not allow the Decepticons to control him. Firebot transforms into a fire truck, and, as indicated by his toy, can also take on the form of a missile launcher.

Before Highwire was reactivated, which caused the Autobots and Decepticons to be alerted of the Minicons on earth, humans discovered Minicons on their own. They managed to learn from them, and developed impressive technology. However, they also used Minicons as weapons, including the three Minicons that became a weapon known as the Star Saber. The power and misuse of weapons such as this ended up destroying the ancient civilization, whose only remnant would be a hologram of a young girl that was activated to warn the kids and Autobots of the Minicons' power.

The Star Saber's component Minicons were collected over the course of several episodes. They could not be activated until the last, Runway, was found in "Prehistory." Megatron managed to bring the one called Sonar online, and then attacked the Autobots' base. Runway and Jetstorm were brought on-line, and combined with Sonar to form the Star Saber. However, much to Megatron's chagrin, the sword ended up in the hands of Hot Shot, who wielded it from then on.

Or he would have, if not for Sideways, who betrayed Hot Shot, resulting in the Star Saber entering Decepticon hands. For a time, it was wielded by Megatron, but was lent to Starscream as part of a plan to gain control of the Requiem Blaster. When Starscream seceded from the Decepticons, he took the Saber with him. The Air Defense Team seems to have developed an appreciation for Starscream, and when Starscream betrayed the Autobots, he took the StarSaber with him.

There are unanswered questions about the Star Saber. Are the ancient humans responsible for the Air Defense Team's ability to combine, or had they always been able to? What connection does it have to the Skyboom Shield and Requiem Blaster?

That question has resulted in some strange complications. In the episode "Mars", the Skyboom Shield, Star Saber, and Requiem Blaster exhibited strange powers when brought together. Sideways revealed to Thrust that the "three complete each other"... did this mean that the three weapons combine? Or do they merely have even greater power when near one another?

This revelation has raised more questions than it answered. One thing is for sure, however, that the human civilization is evidentally not solely responsible for the Minicons' ability to combine...

Jetstorm transforms into a transport jet, Runway into a Concord, and Sonar into a concept space shuttle.

The Race Team, like the Air Defense team, was discovered by the ancient human civilization, and used as weapons. They, like the Star Saber, had the ability to combine, this time into a powerful shield known as the Skyboom Shield, which is capable of blocking a strike from the Star Saber. The use of the Skyboom Shield and other Minicons caused the destruction of this ancient race of humans.

The Skyboom Shield first became known in the episode "Overmatch," where the first member was discovered by the Decepticons. The 2nd one was found by Scavenger, who had to hand it over to Megatron in order to drop his spy mission (what, do you think they'd let him leave with it?). The 3rd one, named Downshift, came on-line himself in the episode "Reinforcement," causing the activation of the other two members, named Mirage and Dirtboss. Downshift was captured by the Decepticons, and when he met his "brothers", they combined into the Skyboom Shield. Megatron then challenged the Autobots to a battle, wielding both the Star Saber and Skyboom. However, due to the intervention of Sparkplug, the shield was used to save Optimus from being struck by the Star Saber. The two weapons struck one another, causing a beam of energy to be beamed into outer space... the result of the two Minicon teams "crying out, because they had been forced to fight one another"...

As with the Star Saber, there's a great deal of questions surrounding the Skyboom Shield. Scavenger knew of it, so it's possible that both it and the Star Saber have always been able to combine. And just why did that beam of energy get sent into space when the two weapons hit each other? In the past, the weapons hit each other, and it ended up destroying an entire civilization. Did the Star Saber and Skyboom Shield end up... calling someone?

In the episode "Mars", the Skyboom Shield, Star Saber, and Requiem Blaster exhibited strange powers when brought together. Sideways revealed to Thrust that the "three complete each other"... did this mean that the three weapons combine? Or do they merely have even greater power when near one another?

The SkyBoom Shield was stolen, due to Starscream's betrayal of the Autobots. It is currently in Decepticon hands.

Downshift and Mirage turn into race cars, and Dirt Boss becomes an SUV. Doubles of Mirage and Dirt Boss appeared in quot;Rescue."

SPACE TEAM

The third of the three Minicon weapon teams, the Space Team is perhaps the most powerful of all of them. Composed of Skyblast, Payload, and Astroscope, who transform into a rocket, a carrier truck, and a satellite, the Space Team transforms into a powerful weapon known as the Requiem Blaster. Capable of firing an incredibly potent blast of energy, the weapon could potentially turn the tide of battle between the Autobots and Decepticons.

The Space Team first appeared in the two parter that began in the episode "Awakening", when Sideways alerted the Autobots to their activation. Skyblast was the first to awaken, and made it clear to Rad that he did not wish to fight. However, he was persuaded to go to the battlefield, where the combined form of Megatron and Tidal Wave was battling Jet Optimus. Skyblast, seemingly afraid for the Autobots, awakened his brothers using a signal boosted by the Star Saber and Skyboom Shield. Astroscope and Payload appeared, and combined into Requiem Blaster, which seemingly intimidated the Decepticons into retreating. Afterwards, in the episode Runaway, Optimus Prime made it clear that the Minicons would not be forced to fight if it was not their wish to.

Then, tragedy struck. Due to Thrust's machinations, and Sideways' interferance, Megatron was led to the Autobot base, where Smokescreen was guarding the Space Team. Megatron overpowered the Autobot, forced the Minicons to combine, and eventually turned the Requiem Blaster on Smokescreen, destroying him. So, now the Requiem Blaster is held by the Decepticons, and it is unknown if they will continue to possess it.

Interestingly enough, Astroscope's Minicon panel activated on the moon, so he and the rest of the Space Team must have gained the ability to combine from someone other than the ancient human civilization. There is more to them than that, however. In the episode "Mars", the Skyboom Shield, Star Saber, and Requiem Blaster exhibited strange powers when brought together. Sideways revealed to Thrust that the "three complete each other"... did this mean that the three weapons combine? Or do they merely have even greater power when near one another?

The destinies of the Requiem Blaster, Skyboom Shield, and Star Saber are undoubtedly tied together. And to them, the fates of Earth, the Autobots, the Decepticons... and perhaps even the universe itself.

THE MINICONS

SPACE TEAM