Highbrow (Transformers)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Highbrow is the name of a fictional character in the Transformers universes. Neither the name Highbrow or the mold used for his toy were ever reused.
Contents |
[edit] Transformers: Generation 1 (1987)
| Transformers character | |
 Hignbrow Box Art |
|
| Higbbrow with Gort | |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Autobot  |
| Sub-Group | Headmasters |
| Rank | 6 |
| Function | Electronic Warfare |
| Partner | Gort |
| Motto | "War is the playground of the ignorant." |
| Alternate Modes | Cybertronian Helicopter |
| Series | Transformers: Generation 1 |
| Voiced by | Johnny Haymer (English/Deceased Died in November 1989) Sanshirô Nitta (Japanese) |
Highbrow is an Autobot Headmaster who turns into a helicopter. His partner is the Nebulan Gort. Highbrow considers himself above warfare and prefers to talk out differences, and is a bit of a snob. Gort is a cheerful and couragous young Nebulan.
[edit] Animated series
Highbrow first appeared in the episode Rebirth, Part 1.
Decepticons successfully stole the key to the Plasma Energy Chamber and opened the ancient device, a group of Autobots and humans included Highbrow were blasted across the galaxy by the energy release, crash-landing on the planet Nebulos. Quickly siding with a group of rebels engaged in a war against the planet's evil rulers, the Hive, they deduced a process by which they could combine the best of their minds and bodies together, becoming Headmasters. Highbrow, along with Chromedome, Hardhead, and Brainstorm volunteered to undergo the Headmaster process, along with female Autobot Arcee who did so in order to save Daniel's life.
Unlike the profile shared by the Headmasters comic and tech spec, Gort in the three-part Rebirth was shown to be the Nebulan rebels' leader as well as one of the oldest in the group.
[edit] Transformers: Headmasters
Whereas "The Rebirth" served as an ending for the cartoon series in the west, in Japan, it was decided to continue producing new episodes. To that end, "The Rebirth" was discarded, and in its stead, a new 35-episode series titled Transformers: Headmasters was created, along with a new Japanese concept for Headmasters which differed distinctly from their Western counterparts. There would be no Nebulons or humans here - instead, the heads were small Cybertronians, and the bodies were lifeless constructs called "Transtectors" to which these small robots connected themselves, and which they controlled. Although the Japanese toyline, like the West, gave the Headmaster components different names to the larger Transtectors the animated series used only one name for both the head and the Transtector.
Four million years ago, Fortress was the leader of one of the many groups of Autobots who fled Cybertron to escape the wars. Things took a turn for the worse, however, when their spaceship crashed on the planet Master, the harsh environments of which killed many members of the crew. In order to survive the dangers inherent to life on Master, the Autobots created the lifeless bodies known as Transtectors, and underwent rigorous training to master the transformation technique and merge with them. Their training also allowed them to developed considerable mental powers such as telepathy and telekinesis.
However, a member of the group known as Zarak chaffed under Fortress's leadership, and he and three of the Headmasters loyal to him turned on him, only to be defeated and forced off of Master. Zarak subsequently teamed up with Decepticon leader Galvatron, and when they attacked Cybertron in the year 2011, Fortress and his men - Chromedome, Brainstorm, Hardhead and Highbrow - returned to their home planet aboard Fortress's battleship, Maximus, and joined the war once more.
[edit] Marvel Comics
A story told in Marvel U.K. #130-131 called Worlds Apart was set some time during the events of issue #4 of the U.S. Headmasters series. In this story the Decepticons have captured Autobot Targetmasters Crosshairs, Pointblank and Sureshot, supposedly to learn to perfect the Targetmaster process. Autobot Headmasters Brainstorm, Chromedome, Hardhead and Highbrow made their way to the Decepticon headquarters but were attacked by the Apeface, Mindwipe, Skullcruncher, Snapdragon and Weirdwolf. The Autobots won, perhaps too easily, causing an argument between the Autobots and their Nebulan partners on what to do next. Eventually the Nebulans prevail and they arrived at Scorponok's Fortress of Dispair, where they found both the missing Autobots and a trap set by the Decepticons. Scorponok and his Targetmasters Cyclonus, Misfire, Scourge, Slugslinger and Triggerhappy ambushed the Autobots, who learn the Decepticons actually were having trouble with their Headmasters and needed to capture one of Headmaster Autobots. Scorponok grabbed Highbrow to study and left the others to die, but the Autobots freed their Targetmasters, who helped even the odds. As Highbrow and his partner Gort were having trouble working together, Scorponok learned the importance of compatibility of a Transformer with his binary bonded partner. Chromedome aided Highbrow in realizing it's not compatibility as much as common goals and using the best of both minds which unite a Headmaster team and he was able to help Highbrow's team work together. Together they forced Scorponok to flee.
Highbrow and Gort died together in Marvel US #75. Mentally steeling himself for battle while piloting Highbrow toward Unicron, the preoccupied Gort accidentally cut Cloudburst off his approach vector, sending the unfortunate Pretender spiraling into Unicron's maw-borne conflagration. Horrified by what his actions had caused, Gort charged recklessly toward the Chaos-Bringer when he and Highbrow were crushed by Unicron's massive hands.
[edit] Dreamwave Productions
Highbrow never appeared in the Dreamwave Productions fiction before the company closed, save his single page biography in their More Than Meets The Eye series.
