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Payload (Transformers)
Encyclopedia
Payload is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes
.
the Space Team were among the Mini-Cons survived crashing on Earth's moon. Under the leadership of Dualor
they built a fortress there and defended it from an attack by Megatron, Starscream, Thrust
and Cyclonus
. Once Megatron overpowered the base the Mini-Cons escaped to Earth.
Payload 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
.
According to the author of Space Teams's bios in the More Than Meets the Eye series Payload is based on the Marvel Comics hero The Thing
, Skyblast on the Human Torch
and Astroscope on Mister Fantastic
.
Like all the members of his Mini-Con wave, the molds of the Autobots and Decepticons seem to have been swapped some time during their design. Payload is descrribed as large and strong, but his rival Ascentor is the larger tank mold. Additionally, the colors and design of Ascentor make a perfect addition to Cybertron Buzzsaw, who is a Decepticon.
Transforming into an armored truck, Payload is the one the Decepticons who they rely on to procure the money they need to best function on Earth and can plow through or destroy any Autobot that get in his way, and fast enough to outrun almost anything on the road.
According to the biography printed in the Reign of Starscream compilation,
the Payload-style drones are called Class Beta Drone Units. They are considered strong but unreliable units.
The other Payload has a Generation 2 homage of Long Haul. His body is similar to Revenge of the Fallen Long Haul and the Constructicon warriors drones from the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen video game.
Payload appeared among the troops of Megatron on Cybertron on the first issue of Transformers: Movie Prequel
. Dreadwing, Swindle and him were the Decepticons that tortured Bumblebee's squad before Megatron comes.
In Transformers: Reign of Starscream #4 Arcee returned to Cybertron from Mars
by hiding in the landing gear of Starscream's ship. Once on the planet she was discovered by a Dreadwing
and Payload drone, who she deactivated.
In "Twilight's Last Greaming" part 3 Ironhide and Ratchet sneak into the Decepticon Allspark Power Distribution Hub in Savannah, Georgia
disguised as Payload style drones. Although they believe the stolen code they used got them inside safely, once there they are ambushed by Bonecrusher, who says that the code didn't work and he let them in so he could fight them.
by Alan Dean Foster
. Lured into a Decepticon trap Dropkick, Macerator, and Payload battle Optimus Prime, Ironhide, Salvage, Ratchet and Beachbreak in the Zambezi River, hoping to trick them over a waterfall. The Autobots figure out what is happening and avoid the trap, but Starscream kills Beachbreak. In this novel Payload is described as an anti-aircraft tank similar to the character of Gunbarrel, and it is not known if he was simply misnamed.
, Payload appears as tackling-class drones for the Autobot & Decepticon armies. Autobot versions have eyes with a mask, & their primary color is silver/white. Decepticon versions have a lens-head & their color is a dark blue.
In the Nintendo DS
games Transformers: Autobots and Transformers: Decepticons Payload appears as a playable character, going by the name "Armored Truck". Payload's body frame appears in vehicles that are buses, armored trucks, civilian vans, and a few helicopters.
Transformers universes
is an entertainment franchise. It began with the Hasbro Transformers toy line, centered on two factions of warring alien robots which are called the Autobots and the Decepticons...
.
Transformers: Armada
Payload is the muscle of the Space Mini-Con Team, but people often forget that he's considerably smarter than most other robots out there. He doesn't really let this get to him, however. In fact, it seems one of the few things that can wear down Payload's temper is his teammate Sky Blast. He considers the youth a close friend, but one whose impulsive, act-before-thinking nature can really grind his gears.Dreamwave Productions
In Transformers: Armada #9-11 by Dreamwave ProductionsDreamwave Productions
Dreamwave Productions was a Canadian art design studio and comic book publisher founded in 1996 and is best known for their multiple Transformers comic book series...
the Space Team were among the Mini-Cons survived crashing on Earth's moon. Under the leadership of Dualor
Dualor
Dualor is the name of two fictional characters from the Transformers universes.-Transformers: Armada:Dualor is a tank with two blasters. The ultimate in destruction Mini-Cons, this team makes chaos wherever it goes. Cutting, drilling, and rolling into action, they're able to take on any Transformer...
they built a fortress there and defended it from an attack by Megatron, Starscream, Thrust
Thrust (Transformers)
Thrust is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. The original character was an evil red Decepticon jet, with most of the following character using the name Thrust being a variation on that concept...
and Cyclonus
Cyclonus
Cyclonus is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:The tech spec from the box art of the Cyclonus toy describes him as a compassionless Decepticon air warrior and saboteur...
. Once Megatron overpowered the base the Mini-Cons escaped to Earth.
Payload 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
Unicron
Unicron is a fictional character from the Transformers universe and toyline. Created by Floro Dery, he was introduced in the 1986 animated film The Transformers: The Movie as the film's main antagonist. Unicron is a prodigiously large robot whose scale reaches planetary proportions, and he is also...
.
According to the author of Space Teams's bios in the More Than Meets the Eye series Payload is based on the Marvel Comics hero The Thing
Thing (comics)
The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
, Skyblast on the Human Torch
Human Torch
The Human Torch is a fictional character and superhero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, he is a member of the superhero team the Fantastic Four, debuting in The Fantastic Four #1...
and Astroscope on Mister Fantastic
Mister Fantastic
Mr. Fantastic is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the Fantastic Four. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 ....
.
Toys
- Armada Payload (2002)
- Came packaged with Astroscope and Skyblast.
- A special Target store exclusive bonus pack of Armada JetfireJetfireJetfire is the name of several fictional characters from the Transformers universes. He is nearly always depicted as an Autobot with jet or space shuttle alternate mode.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
with Commetor came with the Space Team Mini-Cons Payload, Skyblast and Astroscope. - A repackage of the Energon Space team with 3 more Mini-Cons in a discount package.
- Energon Payload redeco (2004)
- A redeco of the space team came packaged with Ultra MagnusUltra MagnusUltra Magnus is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers storylines.-Transformers: Generation 1:The greatest Transformer of them all. A commander could want no finer a soldier than Ultra Magnus...
and Knockout.
- Universe Payload (unreleased)
- Redecos of the Space Team was to be partnered with the unreleased Universe Decepticons Spacewarp.
Transformers: Cybertron
Payload, like his fellow Lunar Assault Team members, spends his time attacking the normally-serene Exploration Mini-Con Team. Though he is physically one of the strongest Mini-Cons, Payload doesn't like to use his strength in combat; he'd rather outwit an opponent. As such, rather than engage his foe in a one-on-one brawl like Kobushi, Payload battles his "rival" Ascentor with brains, setting traps in the hopes of one day ensnaring the brilliant Mini-Con.Like all the members of his Mini-Con wave, the molds of the Autobots and Decepticons seem to have been swapped some time during their design. Payload is descrribed as large and strong, but his rival Ascentor is the larger tank mold. Additionally, the colors and design of Ascentor make a perfect addition to Cybertron Buzzsaw, who is a Decepticon.
Toys
- Cybertron
- A blue redeco of Armada RansackRansackRansack is the name of several fictional characters in the universe of the Transformers series. Ransack was first created in 1985 as one of the Insecticons...
that came packaged with Ascentor. Payload features a painted silver Decepticon logo.
Transformers
Payload is the name of a Decepticon who appeared in the toy line and video game tie-ins for the 2007 live action Transformers movie. He turns into a dark blue Bulldog II armored truck.Transforming into an armored truck, Payload is the one the Decepticons who they rely on to procure the money they need to best function on Earth and can plow through or destroy any Autobot that get in his way, and fast enough to outrun almost anything on the road.
According to the biography printed in the Reign of Starscream compilation,
the Payload-style drones are called Class Beta Drone Units. They are considered strong but unreliable units.
The other Payload has a Generation 2 homage of Long Haul. His body is similar to Revenge of the Fallen Long Haul and the Constructicon warriors drones from the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen video game.
IDW Publishing
Transformers: Movie Prequel
Transformers: Movie Prequel, published by IDW Publishing, is a 2007 comic book limited series that serves as a prequel to the 2007 film Transformers. It is written by Simon Furman and IDW editor-in-chief Chris Ryall, who was allowed to read the film's script, and penciled by artist Don Figueroa...
. Dreadwing, Swindle and him were the Decepticons that tortured Bumblebee's squad before Megatron comes.
In Transformers: Reign of Starscream #4 Arcee returned to Cybertron from Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
by hiding in the landing gear of Starscream's ship. Once on the planet she was discovered by a Dreadwing
Dreadwing
Dreadwing is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:“Dreadwing” is the name of the combined form of the two Decepticon Powermasters, Dreadwind and Darkwing, released separately in 1988.The two Decepticons had very distinct...
and Payload drone, who she deactivated.
Titan Magazines
Note: Events occurring in the alternate universe where Megatron won the battle of Mission City are in italics.In "Twilight's Last Greaming" part 3 Ironhide and Ratchet sneak into the Decepticon Allspark Power Distribution Hub in Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
disguised as Payload style drones. Although they believe the stolen code they used got them inside safely, once there they are ambushed by Bonecrusher, who says that the code didn't work and he let them in so he could fight them.
Books
Payload appears among the Decepticon forces of Starscream in the book Transformers: The Veiled ThreatTransformers: The Veiled Threat
Transformers: The Veiled Threat is a novel set in between the events of the 2007 movie Transformers and its 2009 sequel Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Alan Dean Foster, author of another Transformers novel and the novelizations of both movies, is the author of this novel also.The 304 page...
by Alan Dean Foster
Alan Dean Foster
Alan Dean Foster is an American author of fantasy and science fiction. He currently resides in Prescott, Arizona, with his wife, and is also known for his novelizations of film scripts...
. Lured into a Decepticon trap Dropkick, Macerator, and Payload battle Optimus Prime, Ironhide, Salvage, Ratchet and Beachbreak in the Zambezi River, hoping to trick them over a waterfall. The Autobots figure out what is happening and avoid the trap, but Starscream kills Beachbreak. In this novel Payload is described as an anti-aircraft tank similar to the character of Gunbarrel, and it is not known if he was simply misnamed.
Video games
In Transformers: The GameTransformers: The Game
Transformers: The Game is the name of multiple versions of a video game based on the 2007 live action film Transformers, all of which were released in North America in June 2007. Home console and PC versions were developed by Traveller's Tales for the PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 3 and...
, Payload appears as tackling-class drones for the Autobot & Decepticon armies. Autobot versions have eyes with a mask, & their primary color is silver/white. Decepticon versions have a lens-head & their color is a dark blue.
In the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
games Transformers: Autobots and Transformers: Decepticons Payload appears as a playable character, going by the name "Armored Truck". Payload's body frame appears in vehicles that are buses, armored trucks, civilian vans, and a few helicopters.
Toys
- Transformers Deluxe Payload (2007)
- Payload is a deluxe-sized toy, transforming into a dark blue armored truck, with a logo of 'Armored Services'(with a Decepticon symbol in it, similar to that of Barricade). Payload has an Automorph claw that moves when the brushguard is pressed. Several pieces on Payload tend to pop off easily: his brushguard, midriff-plate/claw-center, and even his upper shoulder/head assembly. His design is closer to that of the movie prequel comic than that of the video game.
- The real Bulldog II armored truck is 792 centimeters long, while this toy is 12.5 centimeters long, giving it a scale of about 1:63. With the toy standing 14.5 centimeters tall as a robot the real world robot would stand about 828 centimeters (30.4 feet) tall.
- Transformers 3D Battle Card Game Payload (2007)
- Payload is among the characters which appeared in the 1st wave of Transformers 3D Battle Card Game by Wizards of the CoastWizards of the CoastWizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
. He is a redeco of movie Autobot Ratchet.
- Transformers Voyager Payload (2010)
- A yellow redeco of the 2009 Revenge of the Fallen Voyager Long Haul figure.
- Transformers Legends Payload (not yet released)
- A yellow redeco of the 2010 Legends Long Haul figure.