Vortex (Transformers)

Vortex is the name of a fictional character in the Transformers universes.

Transformers: Generation 1

Transformers character
name =Vortex
japanname =


caption =
affiliation =Decepticon
subgroup =Combaticons
rank =
function =Interrogation
partner =
motto ="I'm Vortex, fly me -- if you dare!"
alternatemodes =Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk
series =

engvoice =Johnny Haymer
japanvoice =Vortex is the most out-and-out sadistic of the Combaticons, and functions as their interrogator. A favourite tactic of his is to trap Autobots in the huge wind funnels he creates in helicopter mode until they tell him what he wants to know. He forms the left arm of Bruticus. Combines with fellow Combaticons to form Bruticus. He uses a semi-automatic glue gun

Animated series

Vortex debuted in the second season episode, "Starscream's Brigade". In the episode, Starscream is banished from Decepticon Headquarters after his latest attempt on Megatron's life. He is sent to the island of Guadalcanal where he discovers old World War II vehicles. Starscream decides to use these to build his own army. He raids a Decepticon detention center on Cybertron and steals the personality components of several renegade Decepticons. Vortex is placed in an old WWII fighter plane and the body is reformatted into a helicopter. In this episode, Vortex creates a whirlwind, which allows him to capture Autobots Jazz and Cliffjumper.

After Bruticus is defeated by Menasor, Megatron banished Starscream and the Combaticons from Earth and sent them to a distant asteroid. Starscream abandons the Combaticons on the asteroid and flies off into space. The Combaticons attempt to exact revenge on Megatron by using the space bridge to alter Earth's orbit, sending it towards the Sun. The plot fails and Megatron captures and reprograms the Combaticons to obey him.

Vortex was later involved in a Decepticon plot to capture the Middle East oil fields. The Aerialbots arrive on the scene and the Decepticons use their new jet drones to attack them. Vortex is assigned three of these jets. However, these drones proved to be no match for the Aerialbots and are destroyed. The Combaticons then engaged them as Bruticus, but lost to Superion.

Later in the third season episode, "The Ultimate Weapon" the Autobots attempt to steal Trypticon's transformation cog. They send Spike Witwicky and Daniel Witwicky into Trypticon disguised as mechanics. Rodimus Prime and Ultra Magnus try to sneak past Vortex, who was guarding. A suspicious Vortex picks up Rodimus and shakes him, causing Daniel to fall out and into a ravine. Ultra Magnus, however, manages to save him.

Vortex made various other appearances as a member of the Combaticons, throughout the remainder of the series, as well as in the Japanese series

Marvel Comics

Vortex debuted in issue #24, "Afterdeath". In this issue, Megatron and the Combaticons are battling Optimus Prime and Protectobots near a computer lab. A human named, Ethan Zachary convinces the robots to settle their dispute in a video game. They agreed on the condition that whichever side lost, their leader was destroyed in the real world. The object of the game was to destroy the leader of the group. The Combaticons and Protectobots were sent to different levels of the game. In each scenario, the Combaticons would lose and the Protectobots would win. This allowed them to merge into Defensor and destroy the virtual Megatron. However, Megatron uses a cheat code (which was discovered by Vortex) to reenter the game. Optimus defeats Megatron again, but this time he allows innocent lives to perish. Feeling guilty, Optimus forfeits the game and orders himself destroyed.

Vortex remained a simple foot soldier the remainder of the comics, with no major plot or character development. He was eventually killed by Jhiaxus' forces in the "" comic.

Dreamwave Productions

Dreamwave Productions' 21st century re-imagining of the Generation 1 universe took its inspiration for the Combaticons from the original animated series, casting them as Decepticon prisoners who were reduced to protoform stasis because they were too dangerous to be released.

Onslaught, Brawl, Blast Off and Vortex originally appeared as part of Shockwave's attack on Iacon in the first War Within series. At the same time Swindle was with Starscream, Motormaster, Runabout and Runamuck after Starscream head sent Megatron and Optimus Prime down further into the depths of Cybertron.

Later, when Optimus Prime led a rebellion against Shockwave's domination of Cybertron in 2003, Starscream took the opportunity to form a power base, taking the protoform Combaticons to Earth and outfitting them with new alternate modes taken from an abandoned military base, then leading them in an attack on the Ark in order to acquire parts to make the Decepticon space cruiser, the Nemesis, spaceworthy. Confronted in battle by Brawn, Bruticus was caught in an explosion as Ratchet self-destructed the Ark, but he survived the conflagration, only to be knocked out by artillery fire from an incoming Autobot shuttle. After a battle with the evil clone, Sunstorm, Brawn opted to work out some of his stress on Bruticus's unconscious body, punching the gestalt about the head until his comrades yelled at him to stop. Bruticus would return, battling Sky Lynx for Starscream's amusement - until the Predacons appeared in their combined form of Predaking. The two gestalts battled as Starscream fled and Bruticus lost. The ultimate fate of the Combaticons in the Dreamwave universe was not revealed, due to the company's closure.

Toys

*Generation 1 Vortex (1986):The Vortex figure was recolored and redistributed in the G2 toyline.:The Vortex figure was recolored and redistributed in the Robots In Disguise toyline and was renamed Ro-Tor.

*Transformers 3D Battle-Card Game Vortex (2007):Produced by Wizards of the Coast, wave 2 of their Transformers 3D Battle-Card Game included a Vortex card, who was a redeco of Blackout from wave 1.

Transformers: Energon

Vortex was the Japanese name for Energon Stormcloud, who transformed into an attack helicopter.

2007 Transformers movie

Early leaked scripts of the 2007 "Transformers movie" had a Decepticon helicopter named "Vortex". This would have been the most logical name for a helicopter decepticon since Vortex was the G1 helicopter. At some point they changed the name to Blackout, possibly due to Hasbro's lack of a trademark on the name Vortex.

References