Trailbreaker
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Transformers Character | |
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| Trailbreaker | |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Autobot (Cybertron) |
| Sub-Group | Autobot Cars |
| Function | Defensive Strategist |
| Motto | "An Autobot is as good as the fuel in his tank." |
| Alternate mode(s) | Toyota 4WD Hilux |
| Series | G1 cartoon, Marvel Comics, Dreamwave Comics, IDW Comics |
| Voiced by | Frank Welker (English) Unknown (Japanese) |
Trailbreaker (Glouton in Canada, Tuono in Italy) is a fictional character from the Transformers toy line and animated television series. He is one of the benevolent Autobots, who oppose the villainous Decepticons.
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[edit] Generation One (1984)
In the original toy line and animated TV series, Trailbreaker turns into a black Toyota 4WD HiLux, and is one of the first year Transformers toys, based on one of the Diaclone line of toys, where he was blue (in addition to other colors).
Trailbreaker makes light of any situation, no matter how serious. Practical joker and cheerleader, but considers himself a liability to Autobots since he consumes the most fuel. Lacks self-esteem and often asks to be left behind. Projects nearly impenetrable invisible force field. Can jam radio transmissions. Very slow. Often mopes about his handicaps, but his bravery and defensive prowess is unquestioned.
According to original tech spec notes written by Bob Budiansky found at Iacon One in 2006 the original name for Trailbreaker was Guzzle, a name later used by another Autobot character.
[edit] Animated Series
Trailbreaker was one of the original Autobots to appear aboard the Ark. When it crashed, he was re-activated four million years later and his vehicle was converted to that of a Toyota 4WD HiLux. He was a hearty character who would make light of any situation (just as his tech spec portrayed him). His primary feature was his force field which he often used to defend him and his comrades. It was his force field that saved all the Autobots from being disentigrated by The Sun in the episode 'Megatron's Master Plan' - Part 2.
However, Trailbreaker was not a regular in the series. He did not have any paticular episodes to showcase him for the audience. Like Hound was only needed when his special power was required.
Trailbreaker did not appear in the finished movie or the seasons beyond. However, part of the movie's storyboard depicted he would be lying already dead (much like Windcharger and Wheeljack) during the Decepticons attack on Autobot city. This was cut from the finished movie, but it could be assumed that he was killed offscreen.
[edit] Dreamwave Comics
When civil war broke out between the Autobots and Decepticon factions, Trailbreaker joined the Autobot cause.
Trailbreaker was present under the command of Grimlock at the battle of Altihex, where the Autobot Overhaul was killed and Decepticon Seekers Thundercracker and Skywarp destroyed a transport full of neutral Cybertronians. Unable to save the city, the Autobot helped evacuate civilians (Transformers: The War Within #1).
When Decepticon Military Operations Commander Shockwave lead a force of Decepticons against the Autobot capital of Iacon, Trailbreaker was among the Autobots who defended the city (Transformers: War Within #5-6).
When Decepticon leader Megatron and Autobot leader Optimus Prime disappeared in an accident with a space bridge, the Autobot and Decepticon forces splintered into smaller factions. Trailbreaker stayed with the Autobots under the leadership of Prowl.
Hound, Tracks, Trailbreaker and other Autobots showed up as reinforcements when Prowl and his team of Autobots confronted Trypticon. (Transformers: The War Within - The Dark Ages #4).
Trailbreaker was among the Autobots who followed Optimus Prime on his mission aboard the Ark. After leaving Cybertron the Ark was attacked by Megatron's ship, the Nemesis. Once the Decepticons boarded the Ark, it crash-landed on Earth, where all on board were preserved in emergency stasis.
In 1984 a volcanic eruption awakened the Ark's computer, Teletran-I, which repaired all on board. It reformatted Trailbreaker in the form of an Earth truck (specifically, a Toyota Hi-Lux camper pickup).
Eventually the combined forces of the Autobots on Earth and their human allies were able to capture the Decepticons. A ship called the Ark II was built to take the Transformers and some human companions back to Cybertron, but the ship exploded shortly after takeoff. The human allies were killed, but the Cybertronians were lost in the ocean, again in stasis lock.
After Spike Witwicky used a piece of the Matrix to revive Optimus Prime, Optimus traveled to the remote shoreline where he was recovered and used the Matrix to revive Jazz, Mirage, Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Superion, Trailbreaker and Wheeljack (Transformers: Generation One #2).
Trailbreaker returned to Cybertron with Optimus Prime and most of the Autobots to face charges, after Ultra Magnus informed them the war on Cybertron had ended.
[edit] Devil's Due Comics
In this reimagining of the Generation One story, the Ark was discovered by the terrorist Cobra organization, and all the Transformers inside were reformatted into Cobra vehicles remotely controlled by the Televipers. In this storyline Trailbreaker turned into a Cobra Stinger vehicle.
[edit] Transformers: Universe
Generation One Trailbreaker was among the Autobots who appeared in the Transformers: Universe comics, although he was not (technically) produced as a toy in that line.
The Maximals welcomed the Autobots Roulette, Shadowstriker, Sideswipe, Sunstreaker and Trailbreaker back to Cybertron. The returning Autobots, along with Blackarachnia and Silverbolt, were then abducted via teleportation beams and taken to Unicron where they were confined in holding cells. (Transformers: Universe #1).
Having been chosen to lead the fight against Unicron, Optimus Primal headed a mission to rescue the captive Autobots and Maximals, as well as numerous other prisoners and slaves who also had been abducted from their native timelines and held captive on Unicron. As part of this story line, Trailbreaker and Silverbolt discovered that each of the prison's holding cells was attuned to the spark energy signature unique to each specific occupant. In their own attempt to escape, Trailbreaker and Silverbolt swapped sparks for a brief time and consequently were able to break out of each other's cells. Optimus Primal then brought all of the freed prisoners back to Cybertron. (Transformers: Universe #2).
In the comic story found in issue 8 of the Transformers Collectors Club magazine Cybertron/Robots in Disguise, Optimus Prime told the story of his last battle, set in the Transformers: Universe storyline. Alongside the 10th Anniversary Optimus Primal he attacked the last of Unicron's forces when Unicron suddenly disappeared and barely escaped. Among the Autobot forces were Universe Fireflight, King Atlas, Universe Night Slash Cheetor, Universe Longhorn, Universe Prowl, Universe Repugnus, Rhinox, Universe Side Burn, Sideswipe, Universe Silverbolt, Sunstreaker, Tap-Out, Trailbreaker, Cybertron/Robots in Disguise Ultra Magnus and Universe Whirl. Among the Decepticons were Universe Blackarachnia, Nemesis Strika, Universe Obsidian, Universe Razorclaw, Reptilion and Universe Skywarp.
A toy called Ironhide in Transformers: Universe was painted in the colors of Generation One's Trailbreaker. It is suspected that this toy (along with a version of Transformers: Robots in Disguise's Prowl 2, repainted in G1 Red Alert's colors) was intended to be a part of an earlier line of eight Spychangers, produced as homages to classic Generation One Autobots cars. Because those eight toys both resembled and carried the names of their Generation One counterparts, it would seem more appropriate for the Transformers: Universe version of Ironhide to have been named Trailbreaker instead.
[edit] Transformers: Cybertron
According to Hasbro they first considered the name Trailbreaker for the toy they eventually called Overhaul (Jackshot in Japan), which is why Overhaul was renamed Leobreaker when he was reformatted into a lion/tiger.
