Windcharger

Windcharger (Charger in Japan, Rapido in Canada, Lampo in Italy, Camaro in South America) was one of the original toys in the Transformers line when Hasbro started producing them in 1984.

Transformers: Generation 1

Transformers character
name =Windcharger
japanname =Charger


caption =
affiliation =Autobot
subgroup =Mini-Bots
rank =
function =Warrior
partner =
motto ="Quick action equals quick victory."
alternatemodes =Cybertronian Car
1972 Pontiac Trans Am
2001 Honda S2000
series =

voiceby =John Stephenson (English)
Keiichi Nanba (Japanese)In robot mode, Windcharger's arms act as the positive and negative poles of a magnet. He can cast powerful magnetic fields at distances up to 700 feet. He can levitate a 10-ton block of steel at that distance. He can attract objects that are affected by magnetism toward him or repel them. At closer distances he can rip them apart.

According to original tech spec notes written by Bob Budiansky found at Iacon One in 2006 the original name for Windcharger was Sprint. [http://www.seibertron.com/news/index.php?f_cat=7&f_keyword=trailbreaker]

Animated series

Windcharger was among the original Autobot crew of the Ark when it crashed on Earth 4 million years ago. Despite his role as the fastest Autobot over short distances as well as one of their then-few warriors (Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, and Cliffjumper being the others), he saw few noteworthy appearances in the series.

In the episode "A Prime Problem", Optimus Prime was captured and cloned by the Decepticons. Both Primes returned to the Ark (the second secretly being controlled by Megatron), causing confusion among the Autobot ranks. Only after Windcharger and their human ally Spike Witwicky sneaked into the Decepticon base did the truth about the clone reveal itself.

In the episode "Prime Target", the big game hunter Lord Cholmondeley captured a secret Soviet jet, in addition to an American military vehicle, leading to each side to blame the other, creating a threat of war. Cholmondeley then set his sights on the ultimate trophy, the head of Optimus Prime. In order to lure Optimus in Cholmondeley captured the Autobots Tracks, Bumblebee, Jazz, Beachcomber, Grapple, Blaster and Inferno. Windcharger and Huffer were able to avoid being trapped. When Cosmos learned of the location Cholmondeley was keeping the captured Autobots Optimus Prime accepted Cholmondeley's challenge to meet him alone. Although interrupted by the Decepticons Astrotrain and Blitzwing's attempt to ally the Decepticons with Cholmondeley, Optimus defeated the big game hunter and freed the Autobots. The Soviet plane was returned by the Autobots, with Cholmondeley tied to its nose antenna like a hood ornament as punishment for his actions.

In the episode "Masquerade", Windcharger was among the team of five Autobots who disguised themselves as the Stunticons. Penetrating the Decepticons' camp, and learning of their plans, the Autobots eventually ran into trouble when the real Stunticons arrived, proving their identities by arriving as Menasor. With a combination of Windcharger's magnetic powers and Mirage's illusion-creating ability, the Autobots were able to appear as Menasor too, but the deception was soon revealed, though they were still able to thwart the Decepticons' plans.

In "", Windcharger's corpse is dragged to cover by Arcee next to Wheeljack (who is also deceased) during the Battle of Autobot City.

Marvel Comics

Windcharger appeared sparingly in the U.S. Marvel Comic, but his magnetic powers were a recurrent theme in the early U.K.-only stories. When the Ark's computer, A.U.N.T.I.E., went out of control threatening all Transformers on Earth, Windcharger and Ravage combined their special abilities to disable A.U.N.T.I.E.

Ratchet later deployed Windcharger to stop a rampaging Guardian Unit patrolling the Ark, but on this occasion Windcharger was not able to destablise Guardian's central data store.

Windcharger was then appointed by Prowl to lead the team bringing in Sludge during the "Dinobot Hunt"; unfortunately he unwittingly led Gears and Cliffjumper into an ambush set up by Soundwave.

Windcharger last appeared in the U.S. Marvel comics issue #41.

Books

Windcharger was featured in the 1985 audio adventure Laserbeak's Fury.

Windcharger appeared in the 1986 story and coloring book "The Lost Treasure of Cybertron" by Marvel Books.

Dreamwave Productions

When civil war broke out on the planet Cybertron between the Autobots and Decepticons, Windcharger joined the Autobot cause.

Windcharger was among the Autobots who followed Optimus Prime on his mission on board the Ark and crash landed on Earth.

In 1984, when the Ark's computer re-activated, it reformatted Windcharger as in the form of an Earth car. Eventually the combined forces of the Autobots on Earth, and their human allies were able to capture the Decepticons. A ship called the Ark II was built to take the Cybertronians back to Cybertron, along with some human companions, but the ship exploded shortly after takeoff. The human allies were killed, but the Cybertronians were lost in the ocean, again in statis lock.

When Ultra Magnus came to Earth claiming that the Earth-based Autobots were Cybertronian criminals Optimus Prime surrendered and with the majority of Autobots returned to Cybertron. Jazz was left in charge of the Ark, with Brawn, Ratchet, Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Wheeljack and Windcharger assigned to him.

Returning to Earth with the Combaticons, Starscream reformatted them into Earth-style vehicles and attacked the Autobots remaining on Earth. Forming Bruticus, the Combaticons defeated Jazz, Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Wheeljack and Windcharger. Only Ratchet and Brawn escaped capture, but as they made their way back to the Ark, they discovered its defenses on automatic, and had to fight their way inside. Bruticus followed them and Ratchet had to destroy the Ark in failed attempt to destroy Bruticus. Starscream eventually captured Ratchet and Brawn, right as an Autobot shuttle and Sunstorm arrived on Earth (Transformers: Generation One III #1).

Jazz, Warpath, Bumper, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker rejoined Windcharger and Wheeljack, who were repaired by the Earth Defense Command. They all rejoined Ratchet on board the Autobot ship Orion (Transformers: Generation One III #9).

Toys

*Generation 1 Windcharger (1984):Originally part of the Japanese Microman toyline, where it was released under the subline of MicroChange in Japan in 1983, this toy was used in the first series of Transformers toys released by Hasbro in 1984. [http://www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Windcharger/windcharger.htm] :Mexican toy maker IGA made a Windcharger toy, and reused the mold without modification for their release of Tailgate (Windcharger in white/dark blue). For some reason, they also released a Windcharger toy named Tailgate in yellow/dark blue.:Hasbro used the Windcharger mold as a base for the 1986 Mini-Bot Tailgate, which had a remodelled torso, head and hood (the 1983 Trans Am's familiar hood scoop was made symmetrical and an indentation was added for Tailgate's rubsign).

*Generation 1 Camaro (1985):When Brazilian toy maker Estrela received the license to make Transformers in 1985, they only made six of the smaller minibot molds, including Windcharger. Camaro, as he was known here, was available in original red/gray colors as well as white/gray. Later, in 1987, when Estrela tried to relaunch the line, the same molds were used but with very different colors: One version in dark blue/yellow and purple/pink. Manufacturer Antex in Argentina used the same molds to make their version of Camaro, but in very different colors: Yellow/black and blue/black. Several pieces from toymaker Lynsa in Peru have been found, but no clear evidence exist of which colors were available (gray/blue and red/gray confirmed). [http://www.tfu.info/1985/Autobot/Camaro/camaro.htm]

*Generation 1 Windcharger Keychain (2001):Fun-4-All Corp. issued a keychain version of Windcharger around 2001, which was also made available in Japan by Takara. Hasbro recolored this into Rook as one of the BotCon UK Exclusive toys for 2002, and Takara recolored it black as a prize toy for local shops.:Although Windcharger did not appear in the Universe storyline, the keychain of Windcharger was recolored in blue and gray as the Transformers: Universe character of Rook, and was sold as a convention exclusive. Rook appeared in the Transformers: Universe comic book series.

*Alternators Windcharger (2005):When the Binaltech series released the Autobot Overdrive, he was imported in as Windcharger in the U.S. due to trademark issues with the term Overdrive. He transforms into a Honda S2000. [http://www.bwtf.com/alternators/windcharger/] The name Overdrive had previously been used for a special mail-order Transformer in the Omnibot line. This toy was red and, with wings available for an alternate battle-car form, was one of the few early Autobots that could fly. [http://www.tfu.info/2005/Autobot/AltWindcharger/windcharger.htm]

References