Fireflight (Transformers)

Fireflight is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers franchise. They are all Autobots who turn into jets.

Transformers: Generation 1

Fireflight

Autobot
Information
Sub-group	Aerialbots, Legends, Scouts
Function	Reconnaissance
Rank	6
Partner	Air Raid, Firebot, Silverbolt, Skydive, Slingshot, Thunderwing
Motto	"When I'm flying, no enemy is safe - nor friend."
Alternate modes	F-4 Phantom II, Antonov An-225, A-10 Thunderbolt II
Series	Transformers: Generation 1 Transformers: Generation 2 Transformers: Universe Transformers: Classics
English voice actor	Jeff MacKay

Fireflight first appeared as a member of the Aerialbots. A reckless flyer, pays no attention to the safety of others as he can get easily distracted by the vistas he sees below while in flight.^[1]

Animated series

The Aerialbots were created on Cybertron around the same time as the Stunticons as a countermeasure to the new Decepticon car team. They are the Autobots' first combiner team, and when merged to form Superion, also considered their strongest combiner. Unlike the Decepticons' combiner team the Constructicons, their configuration is five transformers instead of six.

Their first appearance comes in the two-parter "Key to Vector Sigma, pts. 1 & 2". They were created to combat the Stunticons. During the fight, the Autobots were badly overpowered by the Stunticons when the newly formed Aerialbots arrived and battled them. The Stunticons were no match for the Aerialbots and their aeroplane alternate-modes, but once they merged and formed the Decepticon Menasor, things got out of hand. However, the Aerialbots had their own combination, soon they too formed their own combiner, Superion, to combat Menasor. The two battled, but Menasor began to take the upper hand. Menasor was about to land a fatal blow to the Autobot when Omega Supreme arrived, and helped Superion to defeat him, forcing the Stunticons and the Decepticons to retreat.

The Aerialbots and Stunticons squared-off again, later in the episode Cosmic Rust, where Superion defeated Menasor in a Combiner vs. Combiner rivalry.

Later on, in the episode "War Dawn", they were sent back in time 9 million years ago by the Decepticons in an attempt to lose the Aerialbots forever in the dawn of time. At first, they question the motives of the Autobots. But after a series of events, and seeing Megatron's cruelty in the past, they witnessed death of a young Autobot named Orion Pax, who was rebuilt by Alpha Trion as their leader, Optimus Prime. They become convinced, and finally accept the ways of the Autobots.

In the episode "The Rebirth Part 1", the Aerialbots are put into stasis lock by the Decepticon Sixshot. As the Decepticons arrive and invade Cybertron, they encounter the Aerialbots, who are patrolling the planet. Galvatron orders Sixshot to deal with them, and he easily takes down each of the five Autobots using a different alternate mode. Using the Aerialbots' parts and components, the Decepticons were then able to construct a super engine to move the planet Cybertron.

Books

The Aerialbots appeared in the 1986 story book Galvatron's Air Attack by Ladybird Books.^[2]

Comics

3H Enterprises

Universe Fireflight's first appearance in any fiction was in Transformers: Universe #2 by 3H Enterprises. He was among the Transformers captured by Unicron and freed in a massive prison break by Optimus Primal and his allies.

Dreamwave Productions

Unlike previous interpretations of the Generation 1 Fireflight, Dreamwave comics had all the Aerialbots being made on Cybertron before the Autobots came to Earth. They were one of several teams that used the combiner technology first used to create Devastator to make their own combined form.

The Aerialbots came to be among the Autobots on Earth in the 1980s and gained the forms of Earth-style jets.

Upon the awakening of Optimus Prime in Dreamwave's first Generation 1 mini-series, the Aerialbots were among the Autobots summoned by Optimus to rescue the remaining Autobots, who had been turned into mind-controlled weapons of mass destruction by a human arms dealer. During a subsequent battle with the Decepticons in San Francisco, the Aerialbots, merged into Superion, sacrificed themselves to stop an incoming nuclear missile, launched by rogue elements in the US military to eradicate both factions of Cybertronians in one fell swoop.

Later, it was revealed that parts of Superion, including his head, were recovered by the faction of the U.S. government that also recovered Scourge. Hinting that they were possibly trying to rebuild him.

Fun Publications

In the comic story found in issue #8 of the Transformers Collectors Club magazine Cybertron/Robots in Disguise Optimus Prime told the story of the last battle he was in, set in the Transformers: Universe storyline. Alongside 10th Anniversary Optimus Primal they attacked the last of Unicron's forces when Unicron suddenly disappeared, and they barely escaped. Among the Autobot forces was Universe Fireflight.^[3]

Although Classic Fireflight has yet to be depicted in fiction, he did have a toy made for the line, which was the basis for his form when he appeared in the Classicverse Lithograph sold of BotCon 2007.

Marvel Comics

Fireflight and the other Aerialbots were created on Earth by Wheeljack and given life by Optimus Prime using the Matrix.

Beachcomber, Blaster, Cosmos, Perceptor, Powerglide, Seaspray and Warpath were part of an Autobot team on Cybertron in the Earth year 1986. They battled the Decepticons led by Straxus over the Space Bridge and the Autobots were stranded on Earth (Transformers #18).

They were then captured by Circuit Breaker and her Rapid Anti-Robot Attack Team, She then took them to her laboratory and dismantled them for study. (Transformers #21-22).

Circuit Breaker leads a giant Autobot she created from parts of other Autobots against the Decepticon Battlechargers in Marvel's Transformers comics.Circuit Breaker then captured Autobots Air Raid, Fireflight, Silverbolt, Skids, Skydive and Slingshot. Using the parts from all the captured Autobots she created a giant Autobot with herself in control, striking a deal with them that if they would cooperate she would let them go. Circuit Breaker then used them to attack the Decepticon Battlechargers Runabout and Runamuck who were attacking the Statue of Liberty. After defeating the Decepticons with Circuit Breaker the Autobots were released (Transformers #23).

When Starscream returns to Earth after absorbing the powers of the Underbase, the Aerialbots were amongst those in New York first to attack... and also amongst the first to fall in battle.

Toys

• Generation 1 Fireflight (1986)

This toy could become any limb of any Scramble City style combiner, as well as combining with Metroplex as a weapon.

A real F- Phantom is 1940 centimeters long, while the Fireflight toy is 13 centimeters long, making the toy about 1:149 scale. With the toy standing 8.5 centimeters tall, the real life Fireflight would stand 1267 centimeters (41.6 feet) tall.

• Generation 2 Fireflight

Fireflight was redecoed and released in Generation 2.^[4]

• Universe Fireflight with Firebot and Thunderwing

A redeco of Beast Machines Spystreak was released as an Autobot in the Transformers: Universe line, repainted as Generation 1 Fireflight. He was packaged with two Mini-Cons, Firebot and Thunderwing.

• Classic Legends Fireflight

The Micro series of Transformers contains a redeco of Cybertron Legends Jetfire painted red and named Fireflight. According to Hasbro sources at BotCon 2006 this toy was originally intended to be called Powerglide, but they couldn't get a trademark on that name. The toy more closely resembles Generation 1' Powerglide then Fireflight.^[5]

• Universe Generation 1 Series Scout Fireflight (2009)

Leaked pictures have made it to the internet of a redeco of the Energon Air Team done in the colors of the Generation 1 Aerialbots, however their existence has not yet been confirmed by Hasbro.^[6] An actual A-10 has a wingspan of 1753 centimeters while this toy has a wingspan of 13 centimeters, making this toy 1/135 scale. With the toy standing 12 centimeters tall in robot mode it would mean he stands 1620 centimeters (53 feet 2 inches) tall.

Transformers: Energon

Although released as Windrazor in Transformers: Energon, this homage to Fireflight retained its original name in Japan.

Transformers: Universe

A second toy was released in the Transformers: Universe toy line named Fireflight. This was a Micromaster combiner named Fireflight, a repaint of the Japanese exclusive Sixwing member Flanker.

Flanker's biography says "The kind who's out to please everyone, flanker specializes overall in attacking the weak from behind the protection of the strong. Always alternating in siding with either Chaingun or supersonic, he actually views them both as beneath him. Secretly aiming to take the leader's position for himself."

According to the story for Berserker Sixwing, a computer virus briefly turned the Sixwing team into Decepticons.

Dreamwave Productions

Flanker and Falcon (as Decepticons) appeared and was eaten by the Deluxe Insecticons in Micromaster #2.

Toys

• Generation 1 Flanker
• Generation 1 Flanker reissue

A reissue of Flanker as a Decepticon.

• Generation 1 Berserker Flanker

A redeco of Falcon in white as a Decepticon.

• Universe Micromaster Fireflight (2007)

Fireflight is a repaint of the Sixwing component, Flanker originally released during 1992 in Japan. He comes with the right foot of Superion.^[7]

Micromaster Fireflight was released in Cybertron packaging in European countries, as they didn't have the Transformers: Universe line.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

The Aerialbots combine into Superion. The package describes him as an easily distracted daydreamer, but he has yet to appear in any fiction or get a more extensive biography.

Toys

• Revenge of the Fallen Scout Fireflight (2009)

A redeco of the toy first seen as Energon Windrazor and Treadshot. First sold as a Universe toy in other countries, but sold as a Revenge of the Fallen Target store exclusive in the United States.^[8] An actual A-10 has a wingspan of 1753 centimeters while this toy has a wingspan of 13 centimeters, making this toy 1/135 scale. With the toy standing 12 centimeters tall in robot mode it would mean he stands 1620 centimeters (53 feet 2 inches) tall.

References

• Furman, Simon (2004). Transformers: The Ultimate Guide. DK Publishing Inc. p. 55. ISBN 1-4053-0461-8.