Metalhawk

Metalhawk is a fictional character, a Transformer robot in the Japanese Masterforce series.

Transformers: Generation 1

Metalhawk transforms into a jet, and has a human Pretender shell. In robot mode his left hand could retract and launch knock-out gas. His weapons include a Jet Rifle, Titanium Saber. In jet mode he can travel from Earth to the moon and back in 15 minutes. He works as an astronautics professor in his human guise.^[1]

He is the leader of the Autobot Pretenders and Headmaster Juniors. Metalhawk is known as "Hawk" when in his human guise.

Animated series

Eight thousand years ago, a star ship containing the Autobot Pretenders Metalhawk, Lander, Diver and Phoenix pursued the Decepticon Pretenders Blood, Dauros and Gilmer to neolithic-era Earth, where they crashed. Using their Pretender abilities, the Autobots adopted the form of humans - not using simple external shells like in the American fiction, but actually transforming the very structure of their bodies into an organic equivalent, shrinking down to normal human size to hide in plain sight among burgeoning humanity. The Decepticon Pretenders, on the other hand, adopted the forms of monstrous creatures, becoming feared as demons by early man. After many battles, the Autobots succeeded in defeating their enemies and sealing them away - Blood in the pyramids of Egypt, Gilmer in the ruins of Atlantis, and Dauros beneath the Nazca Lines in Peru - for thousands of years.

Liberated in the near future by the mysterious Decepticon god, Devil Z, the three Pretenders entered his service, and immediately began to draw the Autobot Pretenders out of hiding, before turning their attention to a series of plans to acquire energy and to disrupt one of the three Chokoon Powers on Earth.^[2]

Ginrai successfully located Lightfoot, Ranger and Road King, and recruited them to the Autobot side, after which the Autobot Pretender leader, Metalhawk, stepped down as Commander and requested that Ginrai take his place. After some deliberation, Ginrai accepted.

In the Transformers: Zone animation Metalhawk was seen among other high-ranking Autobots (such as Road Caesar, Grand Maximus, Landcross, Lander, and the Autobot Godmasters) when Dai Atlas is sworn-in by Victory Saber as the new Supreme Commander of the Autobot forces.

Fun Publications

In the biography for Dion in the Wings of Honor comic, Metalhawk was mentioned as a member of the Elite Guard, head of the Strike Team.

Thunderclash, Dion, Flak, Kup, Landshark, Metalhawk, Over-Run and Ironfist battle against a horde of Insecticons.^[3][4][5]

The Elite Guard Alpha Team and Strike Team did battle against a horde of ferrovorous bugs in one of Cybertron's city-states. Magnum then ordered the Strike Team to escort the Alpha Team to Space Port Bravo for their next mission. The Strike Team then reported to Magnum and Sentinel Major, who introduced them to the new Elite Guard Special-Ops Team, also called the Combaticons.^[6]

While on patrol Onslaught told Metalhawk the story of how his Elite Guard team captured Thunderwing. Metalhawk then told Onslaught about how his team captured Blue Bacchus. The teams of Elite Guardsmen then came across a Decepticon who was separated from his group. Brawl was able to get the location of a Decepticon base from the captive before he went offline. The Guard teams around the base and were able to kill Shadowcaster, the base's leader. Metalhawk's team reported to Magnum, but the Combaticons stayed to investigate, Onslaught thinking their victory was too easy. They were captured by Decepticons.^[7]

Metalhawk and his Strike Team were searching for Decepticons when they ran into a crazy "empty" who ranted about the coming of the "brute". They received a distress signal from Sentinel Major ordering all Elite Guard units to return base. When Metalhawk's team arrived at the base Ricochet told them of a Decepticon attack. Among the attackers are the Combaticions, but when Sentinel Major orders them to surrender, they combine into Bruticus and crush Sentinel Major.^[8]

When most of the members of the Autobot Elite Guard confronted Bruticus they were nearly wiped out, with Bruticus killing most of the Guard. Dion was able to blind Bruticus, forcing it to separate into the Combaticons, but the Combaticons finished off most of the remaining Guard, including Metalhawk, who was killed by Onslaught. This left only Dion alive, buried in the rubble, and Thunderclash's team, which was off planet at the time.^[9]

Toys

• Generation 1 Pretender Metalhawk (1988)

A Pretender toy released exclusively in Japan.^[10][11]

• Timelines Deluxe Metalhawk (2012)

A BotCon 2012 exclusive blue/red redeco of Deluxe Thunderwing from the Generations toy line with a human-like head sculpt as an homage to the original G1 toy.^[12]

References