Cliffjumper
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cliffjumper is the name of several characters from the Transformers line of toys.
Contents |
[edit] Transformers: Generation 1 (1984)
| Transformers Character | |
 |
|
| Cliffjumper (Cliff) | |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Autobot (Cybertron) |
| Sub-Group | Mini-bots |
| Function | Warrior |
| Motto | "Strike first, strike fast, strike hard." |
| Alternate mode(s) | Porsche 924 (Turbo) Cybertronian Car |
| Series | Transformers: Generation 1 Transformers Classics Transformers: Titanium |
| Voiced by | Casey Kasem (English) Takuro Kitagawa (Japanese) |
Cliffjumper's bio indicated he compensated for his small size by being the first to rush into any dangerous situation, desiring only to beat up "Decepti-creeps". While this has won him the respect of his fellow Autobots, it can occasionally lead him into situations he can't handle. His motto is Let me at 'em,"
According to original tech spec notes written by Bob Budiansky found at Iacon One in 2006 the original name for Cliffjumper was Blow-Out, a name later used for a Generation 2 Autobot.
[edit] Animated series
Cliffjumper was part of the original Autobot crew of the Ark. When the Autobots and Decepticons were reawakened, Cliffjumper was given the alternate mode of an Earth car. Cliffjumper and Hound were sent to scout out the location of the Decepticons. Although ordered not to engage the Decepticons, Cliffjumper took the opportunity to try to shoot Megatron, revealing their existence to the Decepticons. Because of this, Hound was blown off the road by Laserbeak - something that made Cliffjumper regret his impulsiveness. Hound, however, didn't blame him, quipping that he was only sorry he missed.
Cliffjumper's bravery was often a boon to the Autobots - as well as a problem. In the episode Changing Gears, Cliffjumper's rash actions helped the Autobots get past a Decepticon force field and stop their Solar Needle device from destroying the sun.
Cliffjumper's most prominent appearance came in the second season episode Traitor, where he developed the belief that Mirage had sold them out to the Decepticons after missing a Decepticon power plant while on patrol. Mirage then devised a scheme to prove he wasn't a traitor, setting the Decepticons and Insecticons against each other. However, Cliffjumper had followed him, and misinterpreted his actions. Reporting back to base, Cliffjumper took Prime to see for himself - only to run into an ambush, as Mirage betrayed them. The reason soon became apparent - Mirage had been implanted by one of Bombshell's cerebro shells. After the Decepticon plant's destruction, Cliffjumper apologised to Mirage.
When Starscream broke off from Megatron and created the Combaticons in Starscream's Brigade, his first act was to capture the Autobots Cliffjumper and Jazz during the unveiling of a statue of Optimus Prime.
During The Transformers: The Movie, Cliffjumper is stationed on Moonbase 1, and after an unsuccessful escape attempt by him and Jazz (and their subsequent consumption by Unicron), they are saved by Daniel Witwicky.
Cliffjumper eventually disappeared from the show in season 3. Voice actor Casey Kasem objected to the portrayal of Arab characters in the scripts as stereotypical villains [1] and departed the show as a result.
[edit] Marvel Comics
Cliffjumper also appeared in the Marvel Transformers comic, where his role was much the same as in the animated series. However, he was not as prominent, and had few large roles.
[edit] Dreamwave Productions
When civil war broke out on the planet Cybertron between the Autobots and Decepticons, Cliffjumper joined the Autobot cause. When Decepticon Military Operations Commander Shockwave led a force of Decepticons against the Autobot capitol of Iacon, Cliffjumper was among the Autobots who defended the capitol (Transformers: War Within #3).
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. Cliffjumper stayed with the Autobots under the leadership of Prowl. Learning that the Decepticons were testing a new mobile command base at the Praetorus Wharf, Prowl led Cliffjumper, Gears, Jazz, Skids and Sideswipe to investigate. What they discovered was Trypticon. The giant Decepticon easily routed them, and Prowl's team were only saved by Shockwave's calling him away to battle against the Fallen and Chaos Trinity. (Transformers: The War Within - The Dark Ages #3).
Six million years ago, Ultra Magnus united the Autobot factions and lead them to victory over Decepticons and Ultracons. Megatron returned to Cybertron in command of the clone forces of the Aerospace Extermination Squadron and took over Cybertron. Cliffjumper was among the Autobots enslaved and forced to labor tunneling into Cybertron's core (Transformers: War Within - The Age of Wrath #2). Eventually Optimus Prime returned to Cybertron and helped free the enslaved Autobots.
Cliffjumper was among the Autobots who followed Optimus Prime on his mission on board the Ark and crash landed on Earth. In 1984, when the Ark's computer re-activated, it reformatted Cliffjumper as in the form of an Earth car. 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 Cybertronians back to Cybertron, along with some human companions, but the ship exploded shortly after takeoff. The human allies were killed, but the Cybertronians were lost in the ocean, again in stasis lock.
Cliffjumper traveled to Cybertron along with Optimus Prime and a number of Autobots when arrested by Ultra Magnus. Bumblebee was placed in command of the Autobot supply shuttle Orion, with Powerglide, Warpath, Seaspray, Cosmos, Cliffjumper, Bumper and the Powerdashers assigned to him. Their mission was to aid the Autobots on Earth. Upon arriving in the Earth system from transwarp space, they witnessed the arrival of Sunstorm (Transformers: Generation One III #1). After Omega Supreme was damaged in the fight with Sunstorm, Cliffjumper was reluctantly assigned the duty of protecting him until he recovered. Dreamwave would go out of business at this point, preventing any further tales of Cliffjumper from being told.
[edit] Devil's Due Publishing
Cliffjumper reappeared in the third G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers crossover series from Devil's Due Publishing as part of the combined Autobot/G.I. Joe force trying to rescue Optimus Prime.
[edit] Toys
- Generation 1 Cliffjumper (1984)
- The toy that became Cliffjumper (Cliff in Japan, Matamore in Canada, and Grillo in Italy) was originally released by Takara in 1983 as part of the Micro Change subset of the Japanese Microman line. He was released in the U.S. in 1984. Because Hasbro used toy stock bought from the Microman line, some Cliffjumper toys were yellow instead of red. It is believed that the mold was made to resemble a Penny Racer toy in vehicle mode.
- In 1985 a special Listen 'N Fun edition of Cliffjumper was sold that included a cassette with the audio story Sun Raid.
- In addition occasionally a different, but similar, toy was put in the box, one based on a Mazda Familia 1500 XG. Because this toy was sometimes found in the box for BUMBLEbee and sometimes in the box for CliffJUMPER, fans started to refer to this toy as Bumblejumper - later shortened to simply Bumper.
- Cliffjumper was released as Carrera in some countries and was released in a variety of other colors as well - including red, yellow, green and white.
- The keychain version of Generation 1 Cliffjumper was recolored into Transformers: Universe Tap-Out. Cliffjumper was later remolded into the Autobot Hubcap.
- McDonalds Cliffjumper (1985)
- One of the four original McDonalds Happy Meal Transformers toy from 1985, this toy was just a solid blue statue of the character in robot mode.
- Transformers: Classics Cliffjumper (2007)
- In February 2007 a new Cliffjumper figure was released, a redeco of the Classics Bumblebee toy. The figure was first publicly seen at BotCon 2006.
- Oddly he doesn't come with a gun, despite being described as having one in his tech specs, he has the same accessory as Bumblebee, a waverider jetpack.
- Transformers: Titanium Cliffjumper (2007)
- Cliffjumper, a repaint of Bumblebee, was released as a 3 inch non-transforming figure in the Transformers: Titanium line in early 2007. This version of Cliffjumper does carry a gun.
[edit] Transformers: Armada
| Transformers character | |
 |
|
| Cliffjumper | |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Mini-Con  |
| Sub-Group | Female Transformers |
| Partner | Cheetor |
| Motto | "Reading is more of a thrill than punching." |
| Series | Transformers: Armada |
A recolor of fellow Mini-Con Ransack, Cliffjumper is a female Mini-Con that comes with Armada Cheetor. She does not appear in any cartoon or comic-book series, although she did receive a biography in the Dreamwave More Than Meets The Eye comics.
Cliffjumper's bio described her as almost the polar opposite of the G1 Cliffjumper - where he was brash and always ready to fight, she is quiet and reserved, seeking an end to the war so she can return to her scientific career. Sadly for her she was stuck with Cheetor, her polar opposite, as a partner. A cocky type always seeking adventure, he often teased her about her name, unaware of the damage it did to her self-esteem. After he was taken as one of Unicron's four horsemen, she felt slightly relieved - almost immediately feeling guilty at the mere thought of it.
[edit] Transformers: Energon
| Transformers Character | |
 |
|
| Cliffjumper (Overdrive) | |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Autobot (Cybertron) |
| Sub-Group | Ultra Vehicles |
| Function | Polar Region Soldier |
| Motto | "A stunt can never be too dangerous." (Hasbro) "I choose the time and place I fight." (Takara) |
| Alternate mode(s) | Dune Buggy |
| Series | Transformers: Energon |
| Voiced by | Doron Bell Jr. (English) |
The name Cliffjumper (Overdrive in Japan) was used again in the Transformers: Energon line. In the Transformers: Energon animated series, Cliffjumper's name was frequently swapped with fellow Autobot Downshift, as they were originally mistaken for one another when they first appeared. His vehicle mode was a dune racer
This Cliffjumper was more reminiscent of the original, as he was described as loving high-risk situations, although not the battle fervour of the original. Cliffjumper loved stunt driving, with the more risk and speed involved the better. While he is a skilled warrior, his unnecessary risk-taking has earned him more than one reprimand from Optimus Prime.
The toy of Energon Cliffjumper was recolored into Energon Beachcomber.
[edit] Animated series
Cliffjumper appeared in the Transformers: Energon series as one of the inexperienced soldiers sent into the rift caused by the collision of Unicron's head with his body under the command of Bulkhead. They eventually succeeded, and brought Optimus Prime's team back to the normal universe. In the final battle, he gave his spark energy to empower Optimus Supreme against the Unicron possessed Galvatron.
[edit] Dreamwave Productions
Cliffjumper also appeared in the accompanying Energon comics by Dreamwave Productions. He originally came to Earth to battle the Terrorcons, and became part of the Autobot forces permanently stationed there. Later, he was knocked out by a surprise attack from Tidal Wave, who further threatened his life to get Ironhide to do what he wanted. He was part of the Autobot forces in Los Angeles, battling against the horde of Insecticon clones - until they were surprisingly bailed out by Megatron. Dreamwave's closure prevented this story from ever being completed.
[edit] Transformers: Universe
Energon Perceptor (Cliffjumper in Japan) was repackaged for the Universe line in late 2005.
