Chromia (Transformers)

Chromia is the name used by several fictional characters in the Transformers franchise. She was one of the female Autobots, and girlfriend to Ironhide. The original Chromia was a character in the 1986 The Transformers animated television series, voiced by Linda Gary. Although introduced in the 1980s this character wouldn't get a toy until a convention exclusive in 2005. A second character named Chromia was introduced in Transformers: Cybertron this time an evil Decepticon who turned into a gunboat. She was called Thunderblast when the series was dubbed into English. A third character called Chromia was introduced for the 2009 film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen as one of three Autobot sisters.

Transformers: Generation 1

Chromia is one of Elita One's most skilled and trusted field commanders. Her flair for battlefield improvisation is legendary, and she is very good at interpreting orders to best fit a changing situation. She is fluid in handling unexpected circumstances and compensating immediately. Chromia is one of many female Autobots that fought alongside Elita One during the Great Cybertronian War. She enjoys her life as a fighter, and shows personality and interests similar to her Autobot love, Ironhide.

Most Transformers and many humans tend to underestimate her abilities as a warrior. Chromia enjoys using this misconception and the response she gets once her allies (and enemies) discover just how ruthless and deadly she can be. Chromia is one of the original warrior femmes. She is an exceptional pilot and an experienced leader. An excellent tactician and leader, she often gets frustrated when troops don't follow orders to the letter during missions. She is sometimes overconfident in her abilities, and forgets that she isn't built as strong as some of her fellow Autobots. Therefore, she tends to need patching up a bit more often than her fellow Cybertronians.^[1]

Animated series

Chromia is one of the Female Autobots from the Generation One series, and girlfriend of the Autobot Ironhide.^[2] A renowned battlefield commander and second-in-command of Elita One's notorious female Autobot team. Like the rest of the female Autobots introduced in the episode The Search for Alpha Trion, she does not make another appearance in the animated series.

Dreamwave Productions

Elita One, Chromia, Firestar, and Moonracer appeared briefly in the final issue of Dreamwave Comics Generation One series among the female Transformers sent by the Quintessons to Cybertron. Although they were supposed to character in the next plot arc involving the return of Optimus Prime, the company closing left this story unfinished.^[3]

Fun Publications

Chromia in Transformers: Timelines is a continuation of the same character from Generation 1, a recolor of Energon Arcee with a new head mold. According to Ben Yee "The original idea for this toy was to make it Moonracer. The plan was to develop the character a bit and show that she had grown since her impetuous days of Generation 1. Unfortunately, we found out very late in the game that the name "Moonracer" would not clear Hasbro legal thanks to another toy company having the word "Moonracer" as part of a toy they produced. Chromia did clear however, and we had no time to try to create another name to be researched... Thus this toy became Chromia. The tech spec draft was quickly rewritten to make the character sound more like the strong minded warrior shown in Generation 1."

For millions of years, Chromia served as one of the crack troops of the Autobot underground on Cybertron. While tough and determined, Chromia retains a witty sense of humor. She believes that words are fairly meaningless without action to back them up. It is a philosophy she employs in and out of combat. Her blunt honesty often puts off other Autobots, but those who truly understand her know that this is her way of honoring the Autobot ideal of truth. Chromia is extremely protective of Flareup, whom she has agreed to watch over, out of respect for her comrade, Firestar. In vehicle mode, Chromia is able to reach a top speed of 320 mph. Her tires have been specially reinforced to withstand most artillery fire. Combined with her side-mounted missile launcher and grenade launcher, she is a force to be reckoned with in battle. In robot mode, Chromia is extremely agile and able to move quickly around the battlefield while firing her combined weapon with deadly accuracy. Chromia is not very adept at creative thinking, preferring to use brute force most of the time.

IDW Publishing

Chromia was born from the hot spot contained in the Metrotitan Caminus, a distant colony was cut off from Cybertron long before the war and whose citizens had adapted to their new life with by developing differentiated genders. Her people's isolation ended with the arrival of Thunderclash, who had come seeking help from a Cityspeaker in order to aid Metroplex. The chosen Cityspeaker, Windblade, needed a bodyguard, however, and so Chromia (and Nautica) were enlisted. The three joined the crew of the Vis Vitalis shortly before it crossed paths with Alpha Trion. The legendary Autobot was preoccupied with an important quest, so the three volunteered to watch after Metroplex for him and keep him alive. Burning Bright Under their watch, Metroplex's insides were besieged with invaders, so Chromia and Nautica hunted them down to confront them and fight them off, if necessary. They found a small group of robots and Chromia threatened to put the hurt down on them.

Their adversaries turned out to be fellow Autobots from the Lost Light who were battling an army of angered Ammonites. Chromia and Nautica led them back to their boss, Windblade, who explained their mission, and subsequently the Lost Light was able to give Metroplex a jump, allowing him to spacebridge back to Cybertron. On arrival, they couldn't do much but hang on tight within Metroplex as the city-bot did battle with the Necrotitan. Following Metroplex's victory, Chromia and her pals got to mingle with the locals, including another female Autobot named Arcee. The Becoming When Shockwave's army of Ammonites invaded Cybertron, the three Camiens returned to Metroplex to convince him to fight the invaders. Toward the end of the battle, Mainframe contacted Chromia to let them to know the Lost Light was about to ram Monstructor, though she got frustrated by the vague, dramatic way he phrased it. Chromia accompanied Nautica to her audition to join the crew of the Lost Light, helping out by keeping her friend's rambling to a minimum.

Six months later, Chromia had stayed behind on Cybertron in order to protect and train Windblade as she performed her role as Metroplex's Cityspeaker. She was highly untrusting of Cybertron's elected ruler, Starscream, though Windblade preferred to give him the benefit of the doubt. When Windblade sought advice on how to best interact with Starscream, Chromia scoffed at Windblade's choice of talking to the "mopey" Ironhide, but was visibly upset when Windblade teased her about telling Ironhide she described him as such. Later, Chromia accompanied Windblade as the pair investigated an area of the city that might reveal why Metroplex was suffering blackouts, and at the end of the day Chromia insisted they not over-exert themselves and reconvene in the morning. However, in the morning, when they regrouped, an explosion sent Windblade through the air, badly damaged. Chromia dragged her to medical care.

Video games

In Transformers: Legends, hunting parties led by Slipstream and Flamewar managed to stop the Female Autobots (referred to in-game as "Elita One's Squadron"). It is unclear what "stopped" means in this context, as in-continuity information about the "Fatal Furies" event was limited to two brief blurbs.

Toys

• Timelines Basic Chromia (2005)

A redeco/retool of Transformers: Energon Arcee, turns into a motorcycle. A Botcon exclusive.^[4]

• Generations Deluxe Chromia (2014)

A redeco/retool of Transformers: Prime Arcee, who transforms into a blue motorcycle.

Transformers: Cybertron

Chromia is the Japanese name for the Decepticon Thunderblast.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Chromia is Arcee and Elita One's sister and enjoys hunting Decepticons with her old friend Ironhide. According to writer Roberto Orci he planned for the three motorcycles to be a single individual named Arcee, but Michael Bay went with the idea of the Hasbro biographies of the three motorcycles being individuals.

IDW Publishing

Chromia is among the Autobot forces who witness the launch of the Decepticon ship Nemesis.^[5] Although unnamed in the story Arcee, Chromia, and Elita One are among the Autobots to come to Earth in response to Optimus Prime's signal inviting all of his kind to come there. She joins with the Earth based Autobots in Transformers: Alliance #4.

In California the Autobots set a trap for Starscream's minions Divebomb, Fearswoop, and Skystalker by having Theodore Galloway pose as an arms dealer attempting to purchase Cybertronian technology. The trap is uncovered and the Autobots send in Arcee, Chromia, Elita-One, Ironhide, Mudflap, and Skids. Divebomb and Skystalker are killed while Fearswoop is captured by the Autobots and taken back to the NEST base on Diego Garcia.^[6]

Movie plot

Chromia, Arcee, and Elita One chase the Decepticon Sideways in an alley in Shanghai. She is later present when the Autobots face off with the Decepticons in Egypt, sent with Ironhide as an advance team to recover Sam. Upon finding Sam and Mikaela, Arcee and Elita One are hit by Decepticons while trying to protect Sam while Chromia is seen taking cover. Chromia is not seen or mentioned for the remainder of the film.

Toys

• Revenge of the Fallen Deluxe Chromia (2009)

Pictures of this figure first leaked to the internet early on during production, where she was mistaken for Arcee. In the end May 2009, Chromia was the first of the three "Arcee" sisters to be released in the Hasbro toy line.^[7]

Also available in a purple redeco as Elita One in the 2010 Transformers line.

• Revenge of the Fallen Human Alliance Mudflap with Agent Simmons and Chromia (2010)

There is a human alliance toy which include Mudflap and Simmons for which Simmons can ride upon both vehicles.

Hasbro: mixed Chromia and Arcee up, so Chromia ended up being a blue Arcee, while Arcee ended up being a pink Chromia.

• Transformers Sideways Sneak Attack Legends Chromia (not yet released)

A store exclusive gift set featuring Legends Arcee, Chromia and Elita-1 (the latter two being redecos of Arcee) vs. Deluxe Sideways (silver/black redeco with battle damage).^[8]

Transformers: Prime

Chromia is an Autobot from the Aligned continuity family. Chromia is portrayed as the commander of New Kalis, a task to which she is suited by her concern for those under her command.

IDW Publishings

Grimlock and Swoop spoke with Chromia while they visited New Kalis. When Cybertron was struck by planetwide earthquakes, she directed the city's inhabitants to get to cover, and later worked with Grimlock to lead them out from the devastation. However, she was forced to flee along with the others when Grimlock drove them all away from an Energon pool uncovered by the cataclysm. Though she had trouble accepting the fact that New Kalis was lost forever, Chromia was able to lead the survivors to the surface through a tunnel discovered by Swoop.

On the surface, they rendezvoused with Grimlock, who suggested it'd be safest if they stayed there. Chromia, however, insisted that since they didn't know what was out there, they should stick together. In light of an Autobot signal they received from Kaon, Chromia believed they should head for that city, but Grimlock asserted his authority, insisting everyone stay put. When a squad of Forged turned up to fight, Chromia took cover with the other survivors. The survivors, presumably including Chromia, eventually made it to Kaon.

References