Obsidian (Transformers)

Obsidian is the name given to several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes.

Beast Machines

Obsidian

Vehicon
Sub-group	Basic Vehicle
Function	Aerial Combat
Rank	6
Motto	"Megatron is Cybertron. To defend one is to defend the other." "Walking is for suckers." (Beast Wars Returns)
Alternate Modes	Cybertronian Tiltrotor (Resembling a V-22 Osprey)
Series	Beast Machines
English voice actor	Paul Dobson[1]
Japanese voice actor	Masaya Onosaka

Oddly Obsidian's tech specs have little or nothing to do with the character as seen on the show, instead being described as a simple drone-general attaché.

His biography indicates that he provide air support for Vehicon Tank-Drones, but oddly portrayed him as made to be a fairly mindless air-attack unit by Megatron, which contradicted his show history as a Cybertronian General.

The appearance of Obsidian is based on concept art provided to Hasbro by Draxhall Jump Studios, designed by artist Marvin Mariano.^[2]

Animated series

Obsidian is a legendary Cybertronian General who scored countless victories alongside his consort Strika. According to the Maximals in the episode "Sparkwar" they fought a thousand wars and won them all. The two were captured by Megatron, along with the entire population of Cybertron, who then eventually placed their sparks in Vehicon bodies. Obsidian became a helicopter, leading the aerial forces in place of the fallen Jetstorm.

They first appeared in the episode "Sparkwar Part 1", where they immediately made an impact. Pretending to be dim and fairly weak, a'la Tankor, the two lured the Maximals into a trap, cutting off their every option with countless numbers of new Vehicon Drones. Cornering them underground, the Maximals only escaped due to Botanica's intervention.

Unlike the previous generation of Vehicon generals (Tankor, Jetstorm and Thrust), both Obsidian and Strika weren't given alternate personalities. They remained who they had always been. However, their prime directive was the protection of Cybertron, and they had been programmed to perceive Megatron and Cybertron as one and the same. To defend one was to defend the other. Unlike the previous Generals, Obsidian was willing to take the responsibilities of his own failures, making him perhaps the most honest of the Vehicon Generals. Obsidian and Strika were the first vehicons to address Megatron as "Lord Megatron"

Obsidian proved himself to be a tactical genius on the battlefield, given his past history as a supreme general. Despite his military brilliance, he was at a loss when without a certain directive. When Megatron was seemingly destroyed, he and Strika joined the Maximals, since their options had become limited. This alliance would turn out brief though, for when Megatron returned in the body of a Diagnostic Drone, Obsidian and Strika immediately return to his side.

In the final battle with the Maximals, Obsidian and Strika were tricked into standing on an antigravity unit by Cheetor, who launched the pair into space, where neither were affected by the reformatting of Cybertron.

According to an F.A.Q. on Bob Skir's web site there was a scene with Obsidian and Strika cut from the final episode. "Obsidian and Strika had a MAGNIFICENT scene in which they return to Cybertron and decline an offer to be reformatted themselves (partly because they feel unworthy because of their role helping Megatron, and party because I wanted them to remain "pure" when I brought them back in the next series... which (as of this writing) I haven't been invited onto yet. Sadly, their finale got cut for time."

Fun Publications

Obsidian and Strika appeared together in the story Wreckers: Finale Part II by the Transformers Collectors Club in 2007. During the invasion of Cybertron the Quintessons believed the orbital defenses were deactivated, but thanks to Obsidian and Strika, some of them were brought back online and used against a Quintesson ship.^[3]

Other media

Obsidian appears among the characters in Re-Unification, the 2010 TFCon voice actor play prelude comic.^[4]

Toys

• Beast Machines Basic Obsidian (2000)

Although the Hasbro toy of Obsidian was not colored like the character in the animated series, when released in Japan's Beast Wars Returns toy line it was recolored to match the show.

The Transformers: Universe character of Rotorbolt was a redeco of Obsidian as a Predacon, but although prototypes of this figure was made, it was never released.

Transformers: Robots in Disguise

Obsidian

RiD Obsidian Toy
Decepticon
Sub-group	Basic Vehicles
Function	Helicopter
Alternate Modes	Cybertronian Tiltrotor
Series	Transformers: Robots in Disguise

Due to the RiD universe not being remotely connected to the original series, Beast Wars and Beast Machines universe, and the fact that this Obsidian did not appear in the TV show or in any other fiction, nor did he receive any sort of biography from Hasbro; it can only be presumed that he was a completely different character.

Toys

• Robots in Disguise Obsidian (2002)

A gray/black redeco of the Beast Machines Obsidian figure.

Transformers: Universe

Obsidian

Decepticon
Sub-group	Basic Vehicles
Function	Aerial Combat
Rank	9
Partner	Tankor
Motto	"Control the air and you control the battle. Control the mind, you control the war."
Alternate Modes	Cybertronian Tiltrotor
Series	Transformers: Universe

Once again a Decepticon, he is released with Tankor. However, this was an alternate universe version rather than the actually Obsidian from Beast Machines.

His bio indicated he that similar to the real Obsidian, had previously been a great general, captured and turned into a Vehicon by Megatron. Unlike the Obsidian from Beast Machines however, this Obsidian secretly plotted to overthrow his master. Lacking Strika in this universe and recognizing his own shortcomings, he teamed up with Tankor, who had not regained his Rhinox memories. Together they overthrew Megatron, taking control of Cybertron for themselves. Recognizing his leadership abilities, Unicron plucked him (along with Tankor) from his universe and made him one of his troops.

3H Enterprises

In the comics, he said that he was from the reality where Unicron conquered Cybertron.

Fun Publications

Although 3H Enterprises' loss of the license would forestall the conclusion to the Universe storyline, an explanation of sorts would be found in issue 8 of the Transformers Collectors Club magazine Cybertron/Robots in Disguise. Optimus Prime told the tale of how Unicron's forces were defeated in one last battle by Optimus Primal's forces, as Unicron disappeared due to the black hole opened in Transformers: Energon. Here Nemesis, Strika and Obsidian were both presumably destroyed with Unicron's defeat.

Toys

• Universe Tankor with Obsidian (2003)

A two pack with Tankor and Obsidian contained redecos of the Beast Machines toys.

References

1. ^ Lenburg, Jeff (2009). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Third Edition. Infobase Publishing. p. 442. ISBN 978-0-8160-6599-8. 
2. ^ www.marvinmariano.com
3. ^ Greg Sepelak & S. Trent Troop (2007). Wreckers: Finale Part II. Illustrator Guido Guidi, Colorist Drew Eiden. Fun Publications. 
4. ^ TFCon

• Furman, Simon (2004). Transformers: The Ultimate Guide. DK Publishing Inc.. p. 103. ISBN 1405304618.