Windcharger (G1)


 * Windcharger is an Autobot in the Generation 1 continuity family.



Of all the Ark ' s crew that crash-landed on Earth, Windcharger is unquestionably the fastest on the ground, at least for short distances. Of all Autobots living or deactivated, he is among the quickest; he can go from zero to 60 MPH virtually instantly, limited only by the traction between his tires and their driving surface. Frequently, after tearing away with a neck-snapping jerk, he will just as rapidly squeal to a halt to investigate something that caught his eye, for Windcharger is impulsive as well as impatient, both in mind and in body.

Naturally, such quick starts require a huge burst of energy from Windcharger's power systems. He can also use this energy in another way. In robot mode, he can energize his arms and make them the poles of a precisely controllable electromagnet, powerful enough to levitate ten tons of steel 700 feet away. With care, he can draw objects gently toward him or hurl them violently away. Also, as the long-suffering laws of physics dictate, this field is extremely strong near Windcharger; at close range, he can tear magnetic objects to shreds.

Unfortunately for Windcharger, his power supply, biased as it is toward a brief, heavy overload, is prone to failure if the overload is too severe or too long-lasting. Even worse, his impulsive nature makes him hardly willing to exercise the mental control he needs to avoid overusing his power. As a result, Windcharger often finds himself stumbling home, reeking of ozone and burned insulation, and needing medical attention and a nice, tall, chilled glass of dielectric oil.


 * Preliminary name: Sprint
 * South American name: Camaro
 * Japanese name: Charger
 * Portuguese name (Brazil comics): Giro
 * Italian name: Lampo
 * French-Canadian name: Rapido
 * Hungarian name: Széllovas ("Wind-rider")
 * Portuguese name (Portugal): Ventania / Vendaval

Marvel Comics continuity


Windcharger was among the elite few selected by Optimus Prime to join him in crashing the Ark into the Earth.

During a Decepticon attack on the Ark, Optimus Prime attempted to activate the Ark''’s computer, known as Auntie, to bring the defense systems back online. Unfortunately, Auntie had been damaged in the crash and become unstable. Unable to remember who was friend or foe, she used a magnetic field to subdue all the combatants aside from Windcharger and Ravage, whose magnetic powers enabled them to counter Auntie’s magnetic force. With Ravage's help, Windcharger was able to deactivate Auntie's Guardian battle droid. Once Ravage shut down Auntie, Windcharger used his powers to hurl Megatron from the Autobot base.''

Guardian was reactivated to guard the Ark'', full of deactivated Autobots in need of repair. When the few active Autobots returned, they made Windcharger's reactivation a priority so that he could use his magnetic powers to thwart Guardian. Ultimately, however, Windcharger did not get the chance.''

''When the Autobots were dispatched to locate the missing Dinobots, all suffering from madness due to circuit damage, Windcharger was assigned to lead "A-Team", which included Cliffjumper and Gears. The three searched for Sludge in a northern California swamp, but were captured in a Decepticon ambush led by Soundwave. They were later rescued thanks to Bumblebee.''

Cartoon continuity

 * Voice actor: John Stephenson (US), Keiichi Nanba (Japan)

Windcharger was part of the initial crew of the Ark, on a mission to seek out new energy sources to fuel their struggle with the Decepticons. After awakening on Earth over four million years later, Windcharger participated in the unsuccessful Autobot counter-attack on the Decepticon siege of Sherman Dam, which was being run at dangerous capacities to fill the Decepticons' energon cubes.

Of all the other Autobots, he seemed to be closest to Brawn, judging from their excellent teamwork and friendly banter while journeying with Skyfire to investigate a Decepticon super-weapon in Peru. When Windcharger was injured during the battle later in that mission, Brawn was quick to swear vengeance for the small 'bot.

Though rarely given the chance to show off his impressive power over magnetism, Windcharger did manage to make use of it twice during Megatron's attempt to bring Cybertron into Earth's orbit: first, to locate the Decepticon base for the rest of the rescue team when they were operating underground, and then again to help pull Bumblebee out of a really deep hole.

Much like his past, Windcharger's fate is something of an enigma; he was last seen among the corpses of the fallen at Autobot City, but the exact circumstances of his death (and even the identity of his killer) may never be known.

Dinobots Strike Back
When Bombshell uses a Cerebro-shell to control the Dinobots and send them on a violent rampage, it is up to Windcharger to use his magnetic powers to remove the shells from a distance. But how far away should he stand? If he stands too close, he may rip the Dinobots to shreds! If he stands too far away, his powers may have no effect and everyone will die. Choose, little boy, choose.

Dreamwave comics continuity
Windcharger was among the crew of the Ark when it crashed on Earth, and awoke in 1984 to battle the Decepticons. When the Autobots defeated the Decepticons and planned to return to Cybertron aboard the Ark II, Windcharger was one of many Transformers recovered by Lazarus after the starship exploded over the Arctic. In 2002, the Decepticons broke free of Lazarus' control before the Autobots, and tore through their captive enemies. Optimus Prime and a free group of Autobots did some spot-welding to repair as many comrades as they could in a hurry, but Windcharger was too badly damaged and remained off-line until after the resulting battle in San Francisco was over.

When Shockwave arrived from Cybertron, proclaiming a new era of peace, Optimus Prime and a number of other Autobots were forced to surrender to his fantastically violent security force. Windcharger was left behind on Earth as part of a small unit led by Jazz. When a group of Decepticons returned to Earth under Starscream's command, Windcharger was deactivated battling the brutal Bruticus, and left to rust at the bottom of a lake. He was eventually brought back on line with the help of Earth Defense Command.

IDW comics continuity
After Bumper and Fastback were killed in the line of duty, Windcharger attended their funeral along with the other Autobots working in Kaon Security Services with Sentinel Prime.

Binaltech continuity (unused)
Honda S-2000 was planned to be the new body of Windcharger, but Unicron took it away.

Or not.

Generation 1

 * Windcharger (Mini Vehicle, 1984/2003)
 * Japanese ID number: 12


 * Released in the first year of Transformers in the same color as its Microchange version, Windcharger transforms into a Pontiac Firebird Trans Am sports car. The Microchange toyline was meant to depict robots that turn into toy cars, which attests to the somewhat cartoonish proportions of Windcharger's Trans Am mode.


 * In 2003, toy company Fun4All made four different keychains, based on four of the original Generation 1 Mini Vehicle molds, Windcharger among them. This version is almost identical to the original, only it has a ring on the front bumper to attach the chain portion (and no face paint).  In Japan, all four keychains were released in blind-packed boxes and were also made as all-black "chase" versions.


 * This mold was also used to make Camaro, and was retooled to make Tailgate. The keychain version of the toy was redecoed into the BotCon Europe exclusive Rook.

Alternators

 * Windcharger (Alternator, 2004)
 * Alternator ID number: 10
 * Accessories: Engine-shield




 * Originally designed to be an updated version of the Omnibot Overdrive, it ended up having its name changed to Windcharger by Hasbro after they were unable to obtain the trademark for Overdrive. (The toy was released as Overdrive as part of the Japanese Binaltech line, however.)  He transforms into a 1:24-scale licensed Honda S2000 sports car with a removable "ragtop" roof.


 * Aside from the lack of die-cast metal, the major difference between Windcharger and Overdrive is that Windcharger lacks the long drive-shaft/barrel for his engine/rifle accessory, which was even called a "shield" on the packaging. This was at the request of Honda's USA branch, who didn't like the idea of "their" toy toting a gun around. Since Honda's Japanese department had no such objections, however, Binaltech Overdrive did include an unchanged barrel.  Other minor differences include slightly different visors, the paint applications on the front grille, and Overdrive being right-hand drive for Japan, while Windcharger is left-hand drive for the US.


 * This mold was retooled into Decepticharge, which was planned to be released in Japan as Blackarachnia but ultimately scrapped.

Trivia



 * Poor ol' Windcharger is the only Autobot who doesn't get a name-check or a chance to use his special powers at any point during the show's three-part pilot, "More Than Meets the Eye". In fact, he doesn't even get to speak until "Divide and Conquer". All he gets to do is get beat up by Reflector.


 * Windcharger makes a post-mortem appearance in the third season episode Call of the Primitives as the energy creature Tornedron attacks Cybertron. Whether this appearance was accidental or if he "got better" (like Wheeljack) is unknown.


 * The retool of Alternators Grimlock was originally planned to be Windcharger (presumably in red), but ultimately ended up as Wheeljack instead, with a new head sculpt. Meanwhile, the head sculpt originally intended for Ford-Windcharger ended up being used for the retool of Windcharger (the Honda S2000 mold) instead, now named "Decepticharge".