Superion
Encyclopedia
Transformers: Generation 1
Superion is the first Autobot special team to be created, and is the Autobots' first combiner, formed from five smaller robots who are able to transform into fighter-jets and planes.Members:
- Silverbolt - Team leader.
- Air RaidAir Raid (Transformers)Air Raid was the name of fictional characters in the Transformers universes. Hasbro has registered the name Air Raid for Trademark in the U.S.-Transformers: Generation 1:Air Raid is the most fearless of the Aerialbots and likes having fun...
- FireflightFireflight (Transformers)Fireflight is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers franchise. They are all Autobots who turn into jets.-Transformers: Generation 1:Fireflight first appeared as a member of the Aerialbots...
- SkydiveSkydive (Transformers)-Transformers: Generation 1:Skydive was part of the Aerialbot team able to form a limb of the combined robot Superion.Skydive would rather read about jet fighters than be one, and is fascinated by the science of aerial warfare. He can, within the limits of his design, duplicate the flying motion of...
- SlingshotSlingshot (Transformers)Slingshot is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers universes. Hasbro has not reused the name Slingshot since 1994 due to its seeming inability to trademark the name. The most recent Slingshot homage uses the names Sky Shadow and Airazor....
(replaced with Airazor for Universe)
A "Scramble City
Transformers: Scramble City
Scramble City is the name of a Transformers OVA created and released in Japan in April 1986. It was created as a promotional video for the new line of 'Scramble City' toys released only in Japan...
" combiner, or scrambler for short) Superion has one leader who is able to form the body and four smaller limbs, which can form either an arm or a leg. While the four members who make up the limbs are interchangeable with each other, in various Transformers fiction, Superion is traditionally portrayed with having Fireflight forming the right arm, Slingshot as the left arm, Skydive is the right leg and Air Raid is the left leg. In the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
and Superion's original and Generation 2
Transformers: Generation 2
Transformers: Generation 2 is the name used to refer to a Transformers toy line, television series and comic book series which ran from 1993-1995...
instructions, the positions of Fireflight and Slingshot as arms and Air Raid and Skydive as legs are swapped, with the latter making up the arms.
Superion has two simple goals that dominate his every action: one, to destroy the Decepticons and two, to protect others. His thoughts are a combination of all five Aerialbots distilled to their respective cores, with anything not relating to his primary function being suppressed. Because of his single-minded attitude, the other Autobots find Superion to be distant and unfeeling. In reality, he acts this way because he cares so much about his mission that he is willing to sacrifice everything else for it.
Superion utilizes combiner technology to merge all five Aerialbots' bodies and minds into a single super-robot. He is able to fly at speeds of 800 miles per hour for a distance of 5,800 miles. Immensely strong, a single blow from his fist can crush a full-size battleship. He carries Silverbolt's electrostatic discharger rifle, which emits blasts of 150,000 volts of electricity. He is resistant to most Earth and Cybertronian artillery.
The seams where the five Aerialbots merge are Superion's primary physical weaknesses, while his stripped-down thought process makes it difficult for him to think creatively or adapt during combat.
Marvel Comics
The Aerialbots were created on Earth by Wheeljack and given life by Optimus Prime using the Creation Matrix. After their initial mission was deemed a failure due to only Silverbolt's personality being stabilized (with Superion nearly killing a human), Optimus Prime had their minds wiped clean and all five Aerialbots given life once again. Unbeknownst to Prime, the InsecticonInsecticons
Insecticons is the name given to a sub-group of fictional characters in the Transformers Universes, referred to as Insectrons in the Japanese version. The name was also used for several fictional characters in the Transformers Universes...
Bombshell piggy-backed aboard Silverbolt, and attempted to inject a cerebro-shell into an open wound Prime incurred earlier. The shell allowed Bombshell to transmit Prime's thoughts—and the Matrix's creation process—to Megatron and Soundwave, allowing them to bring life to the Stunticons. (Transformers #21-22.)
Animated series
They were created on CybertronCybertron
Cybertron is a fictional planet, the homeworld of the Transformers in the various fictional incarnations of the metaseries and toyline by Hasbro. In the Japanese series, the planet is referred to as "Cybertron" pronounced as セイバートロン Seibātoron...
around the same time as the Stunticons as a countermeasure to the new Decepticon car team after the mainly land-based Autobots proved woefully inadequate as a counter. Their first appearance came in the two-parter Key to Vector Sigma, pts: 1 & 2. They were created to combat the Stunticons, after the latter had run rampant over the Autobot cars. To do this, Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime is a fictional character from the Transformers franchise. Prime is the leader of the autobots, a faction of transforming robots from the planet Cybertron. The autobots are constantly waging war against a rival faction of transforming robots called Decepticons...
journeyed to Cybertron, with his troops rebuilding old planes and shuttles into the Aerialbots. Alpha Trion
Alpha Trion
Alpha Trion is a fictional character in the various Transformers universes. Alpha Trion is one of the Thirteen Primes, thus all his portrayals are considered to be the same individual. He is generally depicted as an ancient mechanoid with a link to Optimus Prime...
sacrificed himself, merging with Vector Sigma
Vector Sigma
In the fictional universe of the first Transformers animated series, Vector Sigma is the "mega-computer" that gives sentience to non-sentient robots, and is used by the Quintessons to endow their robotic creations with the true life that eventually leads to their rebellion...
itself to give them life. On Earth, while the Aerialbots quickly proved themselves competent warriors, they also became overconfident and arrogant, with leader Silverbolt failing to keep them in line due to his fear of heights. After a heated discussion over whether they should stay with the Autobots, they battled the Stunticons as they tried to use the key to Vector Sigma that could turn organic matter into metal. The two teams battled as Superion and Menasor
Menasor
Menasor is the name to several fictional characters in the Transformers universes. The original version was the combined version of the Stunticons. Since then, other characters have taken the name Menasor.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
. The Decepticon combiner gained the upper hand, but was eventually defeated when Omega Supreme
Omega Supreme
Omega Supreme is the name of a fictional character from the Transformers franchise. He is always an Autobot and is often depicted as a gigantic transformer with vast strength and/or overwhelming firepower.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
intervened. Silverbolt conquered his fear of heights to keep Megatron from escaping with the Key
The Aerialbots and Stunticons squared-off again, later in the episode Cosmic Rust, where Superion defeated Menasor in a Combiner v.s. Combiner rivalry. Later on, in the episode War Dawn, they were sent back in time 9 million years ago by the Decepticons in an attempt to lose the Aerialbots forever in the dawn of time. Thankfully, Optimus managed to halt their displacement to the Golden age of Cybertron. At first, they question the motives of the early Autobots. But after a series of events, and seeing Megatron's cruelty in the past, they witnessed death of a young Autobot named Orion Pax, who was rebuilt by Alpha Trion as their leader, Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime is a fictional character from the Transformers franchise. Prime is the leader of the autobots, a faction of transforming robots from the planet Cybertron. The autobots are constantly waging war against a rival faction of transforming robots called Decepticons...
. They become convinced, and finally accept the ways of the Autobots. A subsequent appearance saw them battling the Combaticons
Combaticons
The Combaticons are a group of Decepticon military vehicles in the assorted fictional universes of the Transformers.- Transformers: Generation 1 :...
, and later their combined form of Bruticus, in the Middle East.
Although the Aerialbots did not appear in The Transformers: The Movie
The Transformers: The Movie
The Transformers: The Movie is a 1986 animated feature film based on the animated series of the same name. It was released in North America on August 8, 1986 and in the UK on December 5, 1986....
, they continued to put in regular appearances in the third season (unlike many of the season 1-2 cast, who were either killed in the Movie or phased out). In "Five Faces of Darkness", they arrived in a shuttle to save Rodimus Prime-who took the matrixes wisdom after Optimus Prime died from Megatron's challenge- and his group from the destruction of the planet Quintessa
Quintessons
Quintessons are fictional aliens from the Transformers universe. Within the TV series, they are the creators of the Transformers, although in most other fictional universes featuring the Transformers, they have no such status...
. They later went time-travelling once again, when they discovered a Quintesson time machine, and a young Autobot named A-3. Due to time distortions, Superion ended up battling alongside a second Superion, routing the Quintessons. It was then the truth was revealed - A-3 was a young Alpha Trion
Alpha Trion
Alpha Trion is a fictional character in the various Transformers universes. Alpha Trion is one of the Thirteen Primes, thus all his portrayals are considered to be the same individual. He is generally depicted as an ancient mechanoid with a link to Optimus Prime...
, and they had just won the first battle in the Transformer rebellion against their masters.
Trypticon
Trypticon is a fictional character in the Transformers toyline.-Transformers: Generation 1:Trypticon is the Decepticons' principal command base. He has three modes: a city, a mobile battle station, and a Tyrannosaurus rex. In each mode, he has a variety of weapons...
, thwarting a Quintesson attempt to drive the Transformers into a blood rage using a special transmitter, and going on a solo attack against Trypticon. They were among the first infected by the Hate Plague when a trap was sent for them and Ultra Magnus
Ultra Magnus
Ultra 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...
when they attempted to retrieve the body of Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime is a fictional character from the Transformers franchise. Prime is the leader of the autobots, a faction of transforming robots from the planet Cybertron. The autobots are constantly waging war against a rival faction of transforming robots called Decepticons...
. As a maddened Superion, they engaged the Protectobots
Protectobots
The Protectobots are a fictional emergency, search and rescue team of five Autobots in the Transformers toyline. They transform into civilian service and emergency vehicles and combine to form the combiner Defensor...
in a running battle, with the latter desperately trying not to get infected. However, when merged as Defensor and trying to evacuate a bridge of human civilians, Superion managed to infect them. A small group of Autobots attempted to curtail Superion's rampage, including Blurr
Blurr
Blurr is the name given to five different fictional characters in the Transformers universes. He frequently appears as a blue Autobot who transforms into a swift car...
, Bumblebee
Bumblebee
A bumble bee is any member of the bee genus Bombus, in the family Apidae. There are over 250 known species, existing primarily in the Northern Hemisphere although they are common in New Zealand and in the Australian state of Tasmania.Bumble bees are social insects that are characterised by black...
, Kup
Kup
Kup is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers universe. All are older Autobots who are members of the Elite Guard. Wired Magazine once nominated him as one 12 most ridiculous Transformers of all time...
, Wheelie
Wheelie (Transformers)
Wheelie is the name of two different fictional characters in the Transformers series.-Generation 1:The first Wheelie is a young Autobot who turns into a car. He has a distinctive style of speech, in which he rhymes his sentences while speaking in a high pitched voice, making him sound like a child....
, and Steeljaw
Steeljaw
Steeljaw is the name of several characters from the Transformers toy line and television series.-Transformers: Generation 1:He is an Autobot and part of the mini-cassette team. He takes the form of a lion...
, but were quickly defeated by him, needing extensive repairs before any of them were operational again. Luckily, when the resurrected Optimus Prime released the power of the Matrix
Autobot Matrix of Leadership
The Matrix of Leadership or Creation Matrix in the fictional Transformers universes is the Autobot talisman of legend, passed down from leader to leader. It consisted of an oval-shaped container, holding a glowing crystal. To open the Matrix is to release an unpredictable wave of power from the...
, the Aerialbots were cured along with everyone else
The Aerialbots were among those who reappeared in season 4, in the three part episode "The Rebirth". When the Decepticons once again invaded Cybertron, the Aerialbots were among those who tried to stop them, the Aerialbots fired upon the Decepticons upon their arrival on Cybertron, but unfortunately Galvatron ordered his newest "one robot army" SixShot to take them out. He did so, using each of his alternate modes to defeat the entire team with ease.
The Decepticons then later on after the Combaticons had made sure they were defeated, under Galvatron's orders scavenged their parts to construct a super engine to move the planet Cybertron. It is unknown if they survived or not, though one does appear jumping up and down with Bumblebee indicating that they might have survived.
Manga
In the Transformers Manga #5 Galvatron and his Decepticons attacked the Prime Energy Tower. Galvatron ordered the Decepticons to form Menasor, Devastator and Bruticus and attack. Rodimus Prime counted this move by ordering in Superion, Omega Supreme and Defensor. Galvatron then ordered in Predaking, knowing that Sky Lynx was elsewhere and couldn't counter them. Rodimus ordered the Omnibots to attack Predaking's legs. Tripping up the giant he fell into the other Decepticon giants, winning the day for the Autobots.Toys
Besides there being a recolor of Generation One Superion, there is a rare Generation Two Superion produced which turned into a watch.Transformers: Energon
The name Superion was modified to become Superion Maximus (still simply Superion in Japan) to match the other two combiners - Bruticus Maximus and Constructicon MaximusDevastator (Transformers)
Devastator is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. For legal-political reasons, Hasbro now adds a modifier to the character's name on newer toy packages, such as Constructicon Devastator....
. As with the original Superion, these combiners consisted of a team of five with one Deluxe leader and four Basic limbs.
Although Superion Maximus did appear in the Energon anime series, the limbs were seemingly portrayed as just non-sentient drones without any ability to transform, and only served as armor for Storm Jet
Storm Jet
Storm Jet is the name of three fictional characters in the Transformers universes. All three were Autobot jets.-Transformers: Robots in Disguise:...
.
Members:
- Storm JetStorm JetStorm Jet is the name of three fictional characters in the Transformers universes. All three were Autobot jets.-Transformers: Robots in Disguise:...
- Sky Shadow
- TerradiveTerradive-Transformers: Generation 2:The first Transformer with the name Terradive was a Decepticon who was able to transform into a black A-7 Corsair II aircraft. Terradive was part of the Skyscorchers sub-group and his function is that of an Advance Fighter. He was a simple basic toy and had no gimmicks...
- Treadshot
- Windrazor
Transformers: Universe
The Japanese Micromaster combiner known as Sixwing was repainted and released as a set of Autobots who could merge to become Superion. Unlike the Generation One Superion, this Micromaster version is made up of six Autobots.According to the story for Berserker Sixwing, a computer virus briefly turned the Sixwing team into Decepticons.
- Silverbolt - Jet - redeco of Falcon.
- Air RaidAir Raid (Transformers)Air Raid was the name of fictional characters in the Transformers universes. Hasbro has registered the name Air Raid for Trademark in the U.S.-Transformers: Generation 1:Air Raid is the most fearless of the Aerialbots and likes having fun...
- Jet - redeco of Missile Run. - FireflightFireflight (Transformers)Fireflight is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers franchise. They are all Autobots who turn into jets.-Transformers: Generation 1:Fireflight first appeared as a member of the Aerialbots...
- Jet - SkydiveSkydive (Transformers)-Transformers: Generation 1:Skydive was part of the Aerialbot team able to form a limb of the combined robot Superion.Skydive would rather read about jet fighters than be one, and is fascinated by the science of aerial warfare. He can, within the limits of his design, duplicate the flying motion of...
- Jet - Redeco of Supersonic. - Ro-TorRo-TorRo-Tor is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes.-Robots in Disguise:Ro-Tor is the name of a Decepticon who turns into a helicopter. The team's reconnaissance specialist.-Animated series:...
- Helicopter - redeco of Chaingun. - Storm JetStorm JetStorm Jet is the name of three fictional characters in the Transformers universes. All three were Autobot jets.-Transformers: Robots in Disguise:...
- Space shuttle - redeco of Raker.
Although four of the individual team members’ names are from the original Aerialbot team, they may not be the same characters. It is also possible they are these are just US names for the Japanese Sixwing characters.
Energon Aerialbots Storm Jet and Windrazor were repackaged into the Universe line in 2005.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
A redeco of the Energon toy, Superion was released as part of the Transformers: Revenge of the FallenTransformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is a 2009 American science fiction-action film directed by Michael Bay and produced by Steven Spielberg. It is the sequel to the 2007 film Transformers and the second installment in the live-action Transformers series...
toy line.
- Revenge of the Fallen Superion (2009)
- A combiner gift set that includes Silverbolt, Airazor, Air RaidAir Raid (Transformers)Air Raid was the name of fictional characters in the Transformers universes. Hasbro has registered the name Air Raid for Trademark in the U.S.-Transformers: Generation 1:Air Raid is the most fearless of the Aerialbots and likes having fun...
, FireflightFireflight (Transformers)Fireflight is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers franchise. They are all Autobots who turn into jets.-Transformers: Generation 1:Fireflight first appeared as a member of the Aerialbots...
and SkydiveSkydive (Transformers)-Transformers: Generation 1:Skydive was part of the Aerialbot team able to form a limb of the combined robot Superion.Skydive would rather read about jet fighters than be one, and is fascinated by the science of aerial warfare. He can, within the limits of his design, duplicate the flying motion of...
.