Technobots
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The Technobots are a subgroup of five Autobots that transform into futuristic vehicles in the Transformers universe. Their counterparts are the Terrorcons.
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[edit] Transformers: Generation 1
The toys were first released in 1987 and continued to be sold in 1988. They were sold separately but also available together as a gift set. They are red, orange or brown with white highlights. The five combine into Computron (Computicon in Japan).
- Scattershot (spaceship/battlestation) the leader, forms torso. His solution to the Decepticon problem is to empty as many weapons in their direction as possible. Refuses to stop until his defeated or out of ammunition. Resorts to name-calling when others disagree with him. Motto: Decepticons are like rust spots - they're ugly and can pop up anywhere.
- Afterburner (motorcycle) forms left arm. His design may have been inspired from Tron's Light Cycle. Known for frequently arguing with authority figures. Motto: Following leaders leads nowhere.
- Strafe (space fighter) forms right arm. A triggerhappy fighter who's as much a danger to friends as he is to enemies. Motto: Shoot everywhere - because that's where your enemies are.
- Lightspeed (car) forms left leg. Despite Lightspeed's popularity and blazing speed as a car, he longs to be converted into an interstellar spacecraft. Motto: Interstellar travel is the only way to freedom.
- Nosecone (drill vehicle) forms right leg. Very intelligent, but slow and methodical about completing a given task. Motto: It's not who's the fastest, it's who reaches the finish line first.
- Computron - Combined form of the Technobots. Motto: Thorough data analysis is essential for the synthesis of successful strategy.
While the Technobot team utilizes the same combining technology earlier used by the Aerialbots, Stunticons, Combaticons, and Protectobots, Computron is one of the few combiners with only one consistent combination. This is due to several of the smaller Technobots being different sizes when forming a leg or arm. Lightspeed and Nosecone are consistently the left and/or right legs, and Afterburner and Strafe are consistently the right and left arms. As Computron, the team's group dynamic allows them to create a super-intelligent gestalt whose mind and thought processes have been compared to "500 supercomputers". Although sometimes late when arriving at a conclusive decision, Computron's intelligence makes him the smartest and most strategic of the Transformers gestalts.
[edit] Animated series
The Technobots first appeared in the season 3 episode Grimlock's New Brain. After being exposed to anti-electron particles inside Cybertron's core, Grimlock became super-intelligent, and created the Technobots to combat the Terrorcons. The Terrorocons combined into Abominus and to combat him Grimlock transferred his vast intellect into Computron, the Technobots' combined form, leaving him in the same mental state as before. Like Omega Supreme, Computron speaks only in suffixed phrases, taking the form of "analysis: conclusion", however unlike Omega, Computron often combines shorter suffixed phrases (such as items or datums) as variables in a larger problem, and seems less concerned than Omega with vocal economy.
The Technobots appeared on numerous other occasions, including when they were assigned to destroy a Quintesson base on Mars, and when they tried to stop the Terrorcons from stealing a special heat-resistant alloy. The two teams merged into their combined forms, but Computron's need to analyse every strategy before committing himself led to Abominus swiftly defeating him. The Technobots also appeared in the Season 4 episode The Rebirth Part 1. They were on Earth when the Decepticons attacked Autobot City.
[edit] Marvel Comics
The Technobots were among the Autobots who joined Fortress Maximus in leaving Cybertron for the planet Nebulos (Transformers: Headmasters #1). However, a crew of Decepticons under Maximus' rival Scorponok pursued them and the war began anew on Nebulos. Assisting the Autobot Headmasters Brainstorm and Hardhead against the Terrorcons and Horrorcons, the Technobots were first seen combining to form Computron in Transformers: Headmasters #3. They once agan battled the Terrorcons as Abominus, defeating him and forcing the Decepticons to flee. Realising the damage the war was doing, the Autobots, including the Technobots, departed Nebulos for Earth(Transformers: Headmasters #4).
When Maximus' forces linked up with the Earthbound Autobots, they encountered resistance from Autobot leader Grimlock, who was unhappy they might resurrect Optimus Prime and topple him. Scattershot was present when Grimlock fought Blaster for leadership of the Autobots on Earth's moon. The Autobots were then attacked by the Decepticons led by Ratbat (Transformers #41), although Scattorshot was not seen to be killed. The Technobots were last seen trying to stop the Underbase powered Starscream in issue 50, as they were all taken out and deactivated. The Technobots were never seen again in the U.S. Marvel Transformers series. While they may have been destroyed by Starscream, many of the other characters he disabled in that issue eventually returned to the series.
[edit] Dreamwave Productions
Scattershot and the Technobots received biography pages in Dreamwave Productions' More Than Meets the Eye series, however they did not appear in any other Transformers series due to the company's closure.
[edit] IDW Publishing
Jetfire and the Technobots appeared working together in IDW Publishing's comic book miniseries, The Transformers: Stormbringer. They investigated a mysterious energy spike on the deserted surface of Cybertron. Jetfire, Lightspeed, Scattershot and Strafe went down to the surface to investigate, but were ambushed and taken out by Bludgeon's troops. Nosecone and Afterburner's ship was shot down, but they managed to launch a distress beacon first and get to a escape pod. The three captured Technobots were cannibalized for their parts, while Bludgeon revealed his true pan — to reanimate Thunderwing. Nosecone and Afterburner were left on the surface on Cybertron, and were about to be killed by Centurion drones when help arrived — the Wreckers, who saved them both. The Wreckers subsequently attacked Bludgeon's cult, and rescued the Technobots. They then helped Jetfire to decode Bludgeon's data, helping shut Thunderwing down for good. It is interesting to note that the Technobots are never referred to here by their group name. Simon Furman has not tackled the subject of combiners yet in the rebooted IDW universe, and it's unknown if the Technobots can merge into Computron at this point.
[edit] Trivia
The Generation 2 Go-Bots were sold under the name Technobots in some European countries.
