Flareup (Transformers)

Flareup is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. The name Flareup was adopted by Hasbro's legal department when they were unable to okay the use of Firestar.

Transformers: Timelines

Flareup was a student of the Autobot Firestar.^[1]

According to the toy designers they originally planned for this character to be a new version of Generation 1 Firestar, but when that name was unavailable they called her Flareup and made her Firestar's student.

Reception

Flareup was named the 5th top unfortunately named Transformer by Topless Robot.^[2]

Fun Publications

Flareup first appears in the 2005 Botcon exclusive story "Descent into Evil". She is part of Ironhide's squad, sent to investigate Deathsaurus's attempts to clone an army of Insecticons. She and the other members of the squad are captured, but are rescued when backup arrives.

Flareup appears as a resident of Axiom Nexus in the 2008 BotCon voice actor play "Bee in the City", voiced by Anastasia Matejka. In this story, Professor Sumdac attempts to create a teleportation system to get the Autobots to Cybertron, but an interaction with Sari Sumdac's key ends up transporting Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Sari to Transtech Cybertron, where they meet Flareup and are detained by Transtech Shockwave. Bumblebee teams up with Beast Wars Megatron to free his comrades but then has to stop Megatron from taking the key for himself. Afterwards the Autobots and Sari return to their own dimension.

Toys

• Timelines Scout Flareup (2005)

Flareup is a remold of Energon Arcee. She is an exclusive Transformers action figure, from the Hasbro Toy Company, available only at the Transformers Collectors Convention known as Botcon in 2005.^[3][4]

Transformers

Elita-1 is Arcee and Chromia's sister. This character is not related to Elita-1 who appeared in the toy line and comic books for the first film. Although not portrayed in the live-action movie, Elita-One now has a toy in the movie line, although it is a redeco of an Arcee from Transformers: Energon. She is sometimes referred to as "Flareup".

According to writer Roberto Orci, he planned for the three motorcycles to be a single individual named Arcee, but director Michael Bay went with the idea of the Hasbro biographies of the three motorcycles being individuals.

IDW Publishing

Elita-1 is among the Autobot forces who witness the launching of the Decepticon ship Nemesis.^[5]

In Reign of Starscream issue #4 Elita-1, Grindcore, Signal Flare, and Warpath were captured by the Decepticons and forced to build a new Allspark at Simfur. In issue #5 Starscream sacrificed the sparks of Crankcase, Elita-One, Grindcore, Signal Flare, and Warpath to bring his new Allspark Cube online.

The appearance of Elita-1 is modified in the IDW Publishing stories so that her head more resembles movie style's more 'alien' looking characters than the style of the movie toy. According to the biography printed in the collected Reign of Starscream books she is the longest known and most trusted of Optimus Prime's officers.^[6]

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 go 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.^[7]

Titan Magazines

Note: Events that take place in the alternate timeline where Megatron won the battle of Mission City are in italics.

In "Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part 1" Skyblast led the Autobots Arcee, Armorhide, Elita-1, Longarm, and Strongarm in resisting the Decepticons who had conquered Earth. In part 3, Starscream and Scorponok attack the Autobots Arcee, Armorhide, Elita-1, Longarm, Skyblast, and Strongarm on the moon. The Autobots flee to Earth, which is exactly what Starscream hoped they would do. In part 4, Mikaela frees Optimus Prime and freezes Frenzy just as Bumblebee gets some unexpected help fighting Megatron by the arrival of Elita-1, Skyblast, and Strongarm. In this story Elita-1 resembles her toy's body with a Generation 1 Elita-1 head in robot mode, but she assumes a Cybertronian "protoform entry mode" for her vehicle mode.

Movie plot

Elita-1 and her sisters 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, Elita-1 is attacked and gets shot by Decepticon Bonecrusher. Elita-1 is not seen or mentioned for the remainder of the film.

Toys

• Transformers Scout Elita-One (2007)

This toy is a redeco of Energon Arcee, in the colors of Generation 1 Arcee. This toy is a Target store exclusive in the United States. ^[8][9]

• Transformers Deluxe Class Elita-1 (2010)

This toy has been confirmed to be released by Hasbro in 2010 as a Deluxe Class toy, the final of the three motorcycle sisters, and a silver/brown redeco of Chromia, rather than a unique mold. Also, all three motorcycle toys will be able to combine, with instructions to be released online only, confirmed by Hasbro during the 2010 Toyfair. ^[10][11][12]

• Autobot Alliance Deluxe Class Elita-1 (2010)

The Japanese version of the Deluxe figure by Takara Tomy is repainted in a movie-accurate purple finish.^[13]

• Transformers Sideways Sneak Attack Legends Elita-1 (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).^[14]

• Dark of the Moon Human Alliance Autobot Skids with Sgt. Epps and Elita-1 (2011)

An all-new black/green redeco of Skids, packaged with a small Sgt. Epps figure and a small transforming Elita-1 (which is a recolored Arcee) (Note that this was released as part of the Dark of the Moon toy line (as Elita-1 last appeared in Revenge Of The Fallen.))

Transformers: Animated

Flareup is a minor character in the Transformers Animated series. Susan Blu voices her in a southern accent, honoring Anastasia Matejka's rendition of the character. As a play on her name, her lower legs resemble Flares.

Animated Series

Flareup first appeared in a crowd scene at the end of "Decepticon Air". She next appeared in "This is Why I Hate Machines", when Captain Fanzone was Transwarped to Cybertron. Disgusted by the organic creature, she urged Grandus to step on him.

References