Cliffjumper

"Closing yourself off from feeling, won't help anyone"

- Cliffjumper to Arcee in Out of the Past.

Cliffjumper was one of the initial members of Team Prime fighting the Decepticons on Earth. He was originally a partner of Jazz and also the second partner of Arcee. Unfortunately (and shockingly), Cliffjumper was killed by Starscream in his debut episode. Cliff's body was used as a test subject for Dark Energon and turned into a Terrorcon, only to be killed once again. His death would be one of Arcee's nightmares.

Journey to the Core
Cliffjumper and Ultra Magnus' Wreckers escorted Optimus Prime, Bumblebee/Ironhide and Jetfire/Warpath to the Well of AllSparks when they made their journey to purge Cybertron's core of Dark Energon.

Saving Arcee
During the Great War, Cliffjumper and Bumblebee broke into Airachnid's lair to stop her and rescue Arcee and her partner, Tailgate. However, they were only able to save Arcee because Airachnid had already killed Tailgate.

Sea of Rust
After the repelling the Decepticon attack on the Ark, Optimus Prime sent a search team composed of Jazz, Sideswipe and Cliffjumper to look for the Lightning Strike Coalition who went missing in the Sea of Rust. Jazz and Cliffjumper were forced to split up and take separate routes, but thankfully Cliff had the experimental cloaking technology and used it to sneak through the various Decepticon patrols and defenses.

Jazz and Cliffjumper eventually meet up and found a crevasse in which the Lightning Strike Coalition force went missing. Cliffjumper initially wanted to go, but Jazz went instead, much to his annoyance. However Cliff was much more happier up top as Jazz found the deactivated-but-not-dead body of Sludge, and his attackers, the Insecticons who attacked him in swarms. Jazz was able to escape and the two made a bolt for it. However they then came across a lake of pure Energon and a tower projecting immense power. After sneaking through more enemy patrols, they discovered Shockwave talking to Starscream about the tower. However, as impatient as Cliffjumper was, he tried to jump Shockwave, only to be caught and forced to engage him. But a swarm of Insecticons soon attacked as Shockwave retreated. Cliffjumper then found himself trapped in the control room of the tower as Jazz was forced to fight the Insecticons. However Cliffjumper was able to sabotage the tower and free himself. As the tower went critical, the two Autobots were able to escape thanks to Sideswipe and reported their Energon findings to Optimus Prime who would later send an expedition to gather the Energon they badly needed to fuel the Ark.

Final Exodus
After Metroplex sacrificed his life to power the Ark, Cliffjumper was seen ordering all Autobots onto the Ark.

Space Bridge Operation
It seems that Cliffjumper never boarded the Ark on its launch during the Great Exodus, as he stayed behind to investigate the reports of Decepticon operation on a deserted Cybertron, only ended up being captured by Starscream's forces along with Arcee. As he came out to Arcee and the Decepticons, he asked her if she had missed him. After being interrogated harshly, he faked a shutdown and ended up being locked in Arcee's cell. After Starscreams many failed interrogation tactics, Cliffjumper and Arcee were taken to Shockwave were he extracted a secret Autobot code from Arcee, a message to Optimus Prime; asking for all Autobots who could hear it to join his team on Earth.

As Cliffjumper was about to be executed by Shockwave, he goaded Starscream into handling the dirty work instead. However, due to Starscreams incompetence, Arcee was able to stop him and they made their way to Shockwave's new space bridge. During their trick on the Vehicons, Cliffjumper pretended to have been wanting to join the Vehicons after being abandoned by his leader. He told the Vehicons to imagine the look on Optimus' face when the Decepticons attacked him, with himself included. However, as he talked to the Vehicons, Shockwave appeared behind him. Shockwave struck him boldly as the Vehicons prepared to open fire on him and Arcee.

Cliffjumper discovered that Arcee was still embittered by Tailgate's death and helped her move on. Once they arrived at the space bridge, they procceded to sabotage it. Once that was done and Shockwave was supposedly destroyed, they made their escape through the unstable bridge, only to have Shockwave follow them. Thankfully Arcee was able to shoot Shockwave's single optic, buying them enough time to escape and make it to Earth as the Space bridge exploded. The two then found Optimus Prime's team and became new members.

On Earth
Following their escape from Shockwave through the GroundBridge, Cliffjumper and Arcee successfully made it to Earth. As Cliffjumper emerged from the ground, he was given a hand by Arcee, whom declared him her partner. As the two journeyed, Cliffjumper recounted his and Jazz's venture in the Sea of Rust, complaining he had no one to talk to.

Death
Three years after the latest Decepticon activity, Cliffjumper was patrolling around Jasper. While on his patrol, he talked to Arcee over a transmission and told her of his discovery of an Energon mine. As she asked if he needed backup, Cliffjumper assured her that he wouldn't and sarcastically asked her if he ever had before. He was later ambushed by Starscream and his Vehicon troops. Though he was able to stop most of them, being outnumbered played a key factor in his defeat as he was trounced by the Vehicons and taken back to the Decepticon base.

He asked Starscream where Megatron was, only to be struck violently in the chest after doing so. As Starscream told him of his commanding of the Decepticons, Cliffjumper's energon poured on the ground before the Autobot himself fell headfirst onto the floor, mortally wounded, dying soon after of his wounds.

Resurrection
Though brief, Cliffjumper was brought back to life by the effects of Megatron's newly-acquired Dark Energon. However, he was brought back as a zombie-like Cybertronian called a Terrorcon. He then began to destroy several Decepticon miners before trying to destroy Megatron, but was cut in two by the Decepticon leader. The Autobots detected his life signal but discovered his new form and realized that it wasn't Cliff anymore. They were forced to abandon him when Starscream blew the mines, which destroyed what was left of Cliffjumper.

Legacy
Cliffjumper's death would have many effects on the Autobots, mostly Arcee as they would mention Cliffjumper (despite Ratchet mentioning Cliffjumper's demise when he was on Synthetic Energon) in some cases. Starscream use to mention killing Cliffjumper and bragging about it a lot. Starscream revealed to Airachnid that he killed the Autobot, much to her own surprise. Later, the Decepticon let it slip to Arcee that he was his killer. Arcee even tried to avenge her fallen partner by nearly terminating Starscream though stopped because she noticed that Bumblebee was watching. During Bulkhead and Ratchet's assistance of Starscream, Arcee reminded the two that she had already lost two partners and wasn't exactly willing to cooperate with their killers. In Grill, Agent Fowler told Bryce that Cliffjumper's death was an unexpected and sadden loss of a member of the Autobots. When Bulkhead was trapped on the Nemesis, he encountered a clone version of Starscream that soon mentioned Cliffjumper (like Starscream would do in battle). This enraged Bulkhead to brutally attack, then kill the clone in his attempt to avenge his comrades, including Cliffjumper. Cliffjumper was mentioned by Optimus in his speech in Predacons Rising.

Personality and Traits
Like most Autobots, Cliffjumper was a loyal and determind soldier. However unlike most, Cliffjumper was rather cocky and often leaped into situations before looking. He was selfless and had great practical wisdom as evidenced by his advice to Arcee. He also seemed to think he could handle battle situations on his own, which would ultimately lead to his death at the hands of Starscream. However Cliffjumper was still a fun loving, jolly, and playful Autobot. He was also quite the chatterbox and would often talk about his experiences on Cybertron. He was also very companionable. The kind of bot that everybody likes.

As a Terrorcon, Cliffjumper was aggressive, violent and mindlessly destructive. Megatron coldly claimed, "That is no longer an Autobot. Just a mindless beast, its only instinct to destroy anything in its path."

Robot mode
In robot mode Cliffjumper is red, has two white horns on his head, and is a medium-sized autobot. He has blue eyes and the middle of his body has a black belt through it containing his headlights.

Vehicle mode
Cliffjumper transforms into a heavily modified red 1970 Dodge Challenger. It has two horns on the front of the hood and zoomie style side exhaust on both sides. It is also to be noted he slightly resembles the Dodge Challenger from the movie "Drive" (1997) however there is no known relation.

Powers and Abilities
Cliffjumper is one of the toughest Autobots around, being able to dispatch multiple Vehicons with his fists, and has proven to be a formidable opponent in battle where he faced Shockwave. He is armed with Six ion cannon blasters in his hands.

Arcee
"Let's find Optimus, partner"

- Arcee to Cliffjumper as she extends her hand to declare him as her partner in Out of the Past. Cliffjumper rescued Arcee from being killed by Airachnid. He and Bumblebee saved Arcee just in time. Cliffjumper met Arcee again when he was taken on board the Nemesis. Starscream used Cliffjumper to make Arcee give out the secret Autobot codes. She didn't and they were taken to the chamber room. Cliffjumper was thrown inside and Arcee went by him to see if he was alright. Cliffjumper couldn't believe that she cared. Arcee told him that she cared if he was alive. Cliffjumper and Arcee talked about how they got captured for a while. They were taken to Cybertron where they were placed in Shockwave's chamber room. Shockwave took a cord and plugged it into Arcee's head to get the codes. Starscream and Shockwave observed the codes, while Arcee blinked at Cliffjumper to assure him that she is still alive. Shockwave was close to killing Cliffjumper if Starscream had not interrupted. Starscream was going to use his claws to kill Cliffjumper, but Arcee quickly dispatched Starscream and helped Cliffjumper. Cliffjumper tagged along with Arcee to take down Shockwave's space bridge. Arcee recommended that Cliffjumper distracts the guards while she overrides the Energon containment protocols on the space bridge. Shockwave returns and dispatches Arcee from doing so. Cliffjumper managed to take down some vehicons and fought Shockwave. Arcee shot and killed a few vehicons too and saved Cliffjumper from being killed by Shockwave. Cliffjumper extends his right hand to hold Arcee's right hand as they agree to go to Earth together and escaped through the space bridge, while Shockwave follows them. Arcee shot at Shockwave's eye and he was blinded. Cliffjumper and Arcee escaped to Earth, where Arcee told Cliff that they search for Optimus. Arcee extended her hand and welcomed Cliffjumper as her partner. Sadly this didn't last long as the Decepticons returned and Starscream killed Cliffjumper. Arcee was sad and enraged when she found out about Cliffjumper's death.

Cliffjumper and Arcee were close and good friends. When Cliffjumper was shockingly killed, Arcee felt and still feels sad over losing another partner. Cliffjumper was mentioned by Optimus Prime in Predacons Rising where he gave a speech at the ceremony of promoting Bumblebee. Arcee closes her eyes and looked down for a moment when she heard Optimus say Cliffjumper's sacrifice.

Starscream
Starscream is Cliffjumper's killer. They had first met on Cybertron after the Great Exodus. After escaping and travelling to Earth, Starscream had a hatred for the Autobot. 3 years later Cliffjumper was captured, and Starscream then killed him. Starscream then presented Cliffjumper's lifeless husk to Megatron, as a "Welcome back present". Starscream would often mention terminating Cliffjumper, even to Arcee in Partners. However, his phrase was rather old as Miko Nakadai mentions terminating Hardshell in Chain of Command.

TV Series:
Season 1:
 * Darkness Rising, Part 1 (First appearance)
 * Darkness Rising, Part 2 (As Terrorcon)
 * Darkness Rising, Part 5  (Mentioned)
 * Predatory  (Flashback cameo)
 * Partners (Flashback)
 * Stronger, Faster ( Mentioned)

Season 2:
 * Operation: Bumblebee, Part 2 (Indirect mention)
 * Crossfire (Indirect mention)
 * Armada (Mentioned)
 * Triangulation (Mentioned)
 * Hurt (Indirect mention)
 * Out of the Past (Flashback)
 * Alpha/Omega (Indirect mention)
 * Patch (Flashback)

Season 3: Beast Hunters:
 * Scattered (Flashback)
 * Chain of Command (Mentioned)

TV Movie

 * Predacons Rising (Mentioned)

Trivia

 * Despite being killed off in the very first episode and only making the occasional flashback appearance, most of the marketing for Transformers: Prime featured Cliffjumper with the main team. (One even showed him standing in front of Bulkhead.) This was done to make his death more of a surprise and show that anything was possible in Transformers: Prime. As expected, his death came as quite a shock to everyone watching the first episode. Prime's sister show, G.I.JOE: Renegades, did the same thing with the character Ripcord, but he would eventually return alive but had been experimented on by the antagonists in a similar manner to Cliffjumper.
 * Originally, Smokescreen was scheduled for his death. However, he was supposed to die in the first season finale, as opposed to the premiere.
 * Tailgate shares the same body type as Cliffjumper in the toys.
 * This is the first Cliffjumper to appear in the same cartoon as Bumblebee and not be a repainted version of Bumblebee.
 * Cliffjumper is one of two Autobots to appear onscreen, but not survive the episode they debut in. The other is Tailgate.


 * Cliffjumper has been mentioned in more episodes than he's appeared in, and mostly by Starscream.


 * Cliffjumper is the only Autobot to be recast by another voice actor.
 * Cliffjumper resembles his Generation 1 counterpart.

Gallery
Main Article: Cliffjumper Gallery