Master Sword


 * The Master Sword is an Autobot weapon from the Headmasters portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.



The Master Sword, "blade of blades, wielded only by the righteous and just," is the single most powerful weapon created by the super-science of the planet Master, and the ultimate weapon of Autobot Headmaster leader Fortress Maximus.

In addition to the massive blade, the term "Master Sword" also refers to the small dagger-like device housed in the control console of Battleship Maximus. When this is drawn from the console by Fortress, the battleship transforms to robot mode, to which Fortress connects in head mode, forming Fortress Maxmus. To unsheath the sword, Fortress's physical and mental energies must be in perfect synchronization; the activation of the Master Sword and his transformation into Fortress Maximus drains them severely, requiring an extended period of recharging before it can be accomplished again.

The Headmasters animated series


Fortress first unsheathed the Master Sword when the Decepticons unleashed a monstrous carnivorous plant on San Francisco. Unable to draw the sword at first, Fortress was galavanized by cries for help from his Headmaster troops, and became Fortress Maximus for the first time to whack the plant's weed with the Master Sword. The Master Sword proceeded to be a weapon that turned the tide of many a battle, and ultimately forced the Decepticons from Earth when it perforated the weak spot of Scorponok.

Seeking away to counter the power of the Master Sword, Scorponok headed for planet Master. There, he attempted to learn the secrets and weakneses of the Master Sword by having one of the scientists responsible for creating it, Jack, captured and tortured. . This approach failed, but while burrowing underground, he located the ore necessary to create the incredible durable G-Metal, and proceeded to capture the Autobot Wheelie, ransoming him for a disc containing all the data on the Master Sword. Combining these, he successfully created the Zarak Shield, which proved able to deflect the Master Sword when they first clashed in battle.

Returning to Earth, Scorponok initiated a plan to destroy the planet, culminating in a massive battle between the Autobot and Decepticon armies at the North Pole. Powered up by the combining energies of the Autobots, relayed to him through the Headmasters' Head Formation, Fortress Maximus used the Master Sword to destroy the Zarak Shield, and Scorponok's Transtector, saving the planet.

Toys



 * Fortress Maximus (Headmaster Base, 1987)
 * Japanese ID number: C-114
 * Available only with the Japanese release of the Fortress Maximus toy, both forms of the Master Sword are included - the small version, which can be wiedled by his Headmaster robot, and the large version, which fits in the hand of Maximus himself. It is currently unknown if the swords were originally planned for the Hasbro version but dropped for price or safety concerns, or if they were a Takara-initiated addition to their release of the toy.


 * The Master Sword was recolored to make the sword included with Grand Maximus, and the Matrix Blade.

Trivia

 * In Issue #6 of Dreamwave's ongoing Generation 1 comic book, Autobase is designed to look like an inverted Master Sword, with it's hilt acting as a landing pad for aircraft.