Reflector (G1)

Reflector is a Decepticon in Generation 1 continuity.

Reflector likes to watch. He lives to observe anything and everything, from scenery, to wildlife, to architecture. But above all else, Reflector likes to watch his commrades, learn their dark secrets, and profit from them. Reflector is also very impressed with his own abilities both in the fields of observation and blackmail.

Reflector is unique in that he is composed of three seperate robots -- Spectro, Spyglass and Viewfinder that combine into the single camera alt-mode that is Reflector.

Animated continuity
Voice actor: Chris Latta (US), ? (Japan)

Reflector was with Megatron on the Nemesis and among his main troops on Earth early on in the Cartoon. All three Reflector robots talked and acted in unison as a single mind in three bodies. This was Reflector.

(The individual names Spectro, Spyglass, and Viewfinder are never used in the cartoon. In his cartoon design all three robots are based on the center (Viewfinder) section of the toy, though they're given a humanized face and only one of the three Reflectors would have the actual camera lens in his chest.)

Reflector and Thundercracker did some scouting shortly after arriving on Earth. Reflector is seen with lessening frequency as the first season goes on (The series story bible discourages writers from using him, as apparently plans to include the toy in the regular toy line were for some reason scrapped after the series was developed.)

While on a scouting mission he and Astrotrain took photos of the then-in-construction Autobot City allowing the Decepticons to utilize the stolen specs in order to build thier own titanic city, Trypticon.

Reflector is last seen in Transformers the Movie, glimpsed briefly among the Decepticons attacking Autobot city.

(Early on in the Cartoon the animators filled out the Decepticons ranks on Earth by adding numerous unnamed robots based on the main characters, extra Reflector units were frequently among these. The practice lessened and finally stopped as more actual Decepticon characters were introduced.)

Dreamwave Comics continuity
Dreamwave continuity is the only place in official fiction (so far) where the three Reflector components are portrayed as separate characters rather than the single composite being descriped by their tech spec and shown in the Cartoon. Here they were not part of Megatron's crew, but work for Shockwave on Cybertron, monitoring the planet and its inhabitants for him.

The DW TF:MTMTE profile book lists Spectro as the dim one concerned only about himself, Spyglass as the work obsessed cronie to Veiwfinder, and Viewfinder as a loathsome blackmailer.

Generation 1

 * Reflector (Mail-away, 1986/1987; wide release in Japan, 1985)
 * Japanese ID number: 21
 * Reflector was available only as a mail away promotion in 1986-1987 (Ironically after his character had long since disapeared from the cartoon). It is composed of three distinct robots that combine to form a camera. It includes a telephoto lens and oldstyle flashcube accessories as well as various guns. His role early in the cartoon makes it seem likely his toy was originally planned for inclusion in the original 1984 line. Why Hasbro decided not to release it so late in the game is unknown, as is what reversed the decision later to make it a viable mail-away. However, he was given a full release in Japan.


 * Reflector Decoy
 * A small plastic decoy of Reflector was part of the Decoy promotion and given away with many smaller TFs. It was based on the Cartoon of the central (lensed) Reflector unit.