Longarm (Transformers)

Longarm is the name to four different fictional characters from the Transformers universes.

Transformers: Armada

Longarm (Hook in Japan) is the Mini-Con partner to Red Alert. He turns into a crane. He was later recolored into a Powerlinx form along with Red Alert. His vehicle mode is not the size of an actual crane, it is too small for a person to ride inside but is able to perform all the functions of an actual crane.

Animated series

Longarm first appeared in episode #3, called "Base". He last appeared in episode #43, called "Puppet".

Dreamwave Productions

Longarm appeared among the Mini-Cons in issue #18 of the Transformers: Armada comic book who aided Over-Run using the Mini-Con Matrix in the defeat of Unicron.

Longarm is a Mini-Con that whom Red Alert resuscitated from near-terminal stasis lock. The new Longarm still retains the same goodnatured personality circuits and compulsions of the original, but his memory banks are now in a blank slate. Possessing a logic-centric mentality, Longarm serves as Red Alert's "second brain." He is able to greatly enhance Red Alert's already impressive cognitive abilities during the Powerlink process, allowing the Autobot to "muiti-task" in the truest sense of the word. While Longarm is able to analyze and diagnose technical problems, Red Alert can simultaneously solve other issues or perform completely separate tasks. ≈

Toys

• Transformers: Armada Longarm (2002)

The Mini-Con Partner to Armada Red Alert.

• Transformers: Armada Powerlinx Longarm (2003)

A redeco of the original Longarm toy.

• Transformers: Built to Rule Longarm (2003)

Built to Rule is a building toy series similar to Lego - This version of Longarm is a small toy designed to look like his Armada form able to separate into individual bricks and reform into his alternate form. He was packaged with Built to Rule Red Alert.

• Transformers: Energon Longarm (2004)

Longarm was a repaint of his Armada toy and came packaged with his new Autobot partner Prowl (who was a repaint of the Armada Red Alert toy), Starscream and Zapmaster; both repaints of their original Armada toys. This package was sold at Sam's Club stores.

Transformers: Cybertron

The name Longarm was reused for a member of the Giant Planet Mini-Con Team allies with the Decepticons. This Longarm also turned into a crane. He has not appeared in any fiction.

The Giant Planet Mini-Con Team are portrayed as three independent Mini-Cons from the planet Gigantion who refuse to work with the larger Transformers of that planet.

Fun Publications

Longarm's biography was published in issue 13 of the Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club magazine. Longarm is the brawn of the group, since he clearly lacks brains of any stripe. He's basically good for little more than smashing stuff.^[1]

Toys

• Cybertron Mini-Con Longarm (2006)

Cybertron Longarm was released near the end of the Transformers: Cybertron line. He was packaged together with his partners Deepdive and Overcast. He was a Hasbro exclusive, not released by Takara.

Later releases of the Classics Ultimate Battle Pack of Optimus Prime and Megatron included two randomly picked member of the Giant Planet Mini-Con team as a bonus.

Longarm was redecoed into Astro-Hook.

Transformers

Longarm is the name of an Autobot tow-truck in the 2007 Transformers movie toy line who just wants to help out. He is proud of being an Autobot, because he just wants to help others, saving lives, and protecting the weak. He just doesn't understand the Decepticons at all.

Although the first release of Longarm as a toy doesn't mention his part in the Transformers film, the second toy, which is more movie-accurate, clearly states that he is the tow truck that saved Bumblebee, brought to life in the final battle for the Allspark.

Conversely the novel The Veiled Threat depicts Longarm as being an experienced Autobot from Cybertron who came to Earth in response to Optimus Prime's signal.

Movie plot

The truck that inspired the design for Longarm

In the 2007 feature film Transformers, Longarm's alternate mode was the tow truck that saved Bumblebee due to losing his legs to Starscream, along with Mikaela. While the tow truck in the movie and Longarm are similar looking, the truck in the film is a GMC, while the Longarm toy is a similarly designed Ford. One side of the truck his phone number 1-800-555-MIKE, while others say 1-800-555-0199. MIKE, however, translates to 6453, not 0199, on a telephone number pad.

IDW Publishing

In Revenge of the Fallen: Alliance #1 Longarm and Salvage are among the vehicles from Mission City taken into custody by Sector 7 agents after the battle for the Allspark.

In The Reign of Starscream issue # 3 a vehicle resembling Longarm appears among the vehicles held by Sector 7.

Longarm and Salvage are rescuing human workers at an oil plant disaster in Dallian, China when the Decepticons Shockwave and Astrotrain crash to Earth.^[2]

Titan Magazines

Note: Events occurring in the alternate universe where Megatron won the battle of Mission City are in italics.

In "Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part 1" Skyblast lead the Autobots Arcee, Armorhide, Elita One, Longarm and Strongarm who in resisting the Decepticons who had conquored Earth in an alternate reality. In part 3 Starscream and Scorponok attack the Autobots Arcee, Armorhide, Elita One, Longarm, Skyblast and Strongarm on the moon. The Autobots flee to Earth, which is exactly what Starscream hoped they'd do. In part 4 Ratchet and Ironhide continued fighting Bonecrusher in Savannah, but didn't stand much of a chance until they were joined by Arcee, Armoride and Longarm, arriving from the moon. In this story Longarm resembles his deluxe class toy in robot mode, but assumes a Cybertronian "protoform entry mode" for his vehicle mode.

Unlike the IDW stories where Longarm is supposed to be the truck used to carry Bumblebee in the finale of the film, this Longarm is depicted as coming from Cybertron.

Video games

In Transformers: The Game, Longarm acts as solid-fighting drones for the Autobot and Decepticon armies (generally Decepticon). Autobot versions are white & blue, Decepticon versions are white & yellow. Both drones can unleash a spinning tow-cable attack which can only be stopped by throwing an object at them - only at appropriate time.

Longarm is a playable character in the PSP version. Instead of an Autobot, Longarm is a Decepticon with the lens-head.

Books

Longarm appears among the Autobot members of N.E.S.T. in the book Transformers: The Veiled Threat by Alan Dean Foster. Longarm trains among the Autobots in Diego Garcia. He later joins Knock Out on a mission to Peru to find Decepticons that have been detected in the deep jungles. On a steep mountain pass, the party is attacked by Decepticons Ruination and Blademaster. Despite inexperienced and risky behavior by Knock Out, both Decepticons are severely damaged and driven off.

Toys

• Transformers Deluxe Longarm (2007)

A Deluxe toy that is able to fire a missile from his weapon. The tow truck form is based on the vehicle Mikaela and Bumblebee used to battle Brawl in the movie; though in the movie, the truck was a GMC. The actual 2008 Ford F150 is 202 centimeters wide, while this toy is 7 centimeters wide, for a scale of about 1/29.^[3]

• Transformers Deluxe Longarm and Bumblebee Screen Battle: Final Stand (2007)

Deluxe Longarm comes packaged in this mini-diorama with a legless version of Robot Replicas Bumblebee. Unlike the regular packaged version, this version of Longarm is decorated with "Mike's Towing" labels as seen on the film instead of "Orson's Towing." It also has a little driver figure of Mikaela inside.^[4][5]

• Revenge of the Fallen Deluxe Longarm (2009)

Part of a four pack partnered with Breakaway. This version of Longarm has a variant of the original toy's deco.

Transformers Animated

According to Shockwave's toy bio, Longarm was the name of a historical Autobot who fought in the Great War. His identity was stolen by Shockwave. Shockwave acquired this alternate identity to infiltrate Cybertronian Intelligence. As Longarm, he given the rank of Prime.

Animated series

Shattered Glass

References