Ultra Magnus (G1)


 * Ultra Magnus is an Autobot in the Generation 1 continuity family.



Ultra Magnus feels he is a soldier and nothing more. He very much prefers taking orders to giving them, and even avoids opportunities for higher responsibility. But when he is forced into those opportunities, he betrays his real talent for the job. He's strong, resolute, dependable, selfless, and courageous. Sadly, Ultra Magnus is the only Autobot who doesn't realize this.

Believing he is nothing but a soldier, Ultra Magnus is perfectly willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good if need be. He knows he's more powerful than the average Autobot, and will throw himself at larger threats accordingly. There is a special enmity between him and Galvatron for this reason, for Galvatron may be the most deadly foe of all. (Also, Galvatron, given his mental state, probably doesn't approve of people he's had blown up getting back up afterward. This can be seen as a sore point for Magnus, too.)

He is possibly Optimus Prime's brother.


 * Italian name: Convoy
 * French-Canadian name: Ultramag

Animated continuity
Voice actors: Robert Stack → Jack Angel (US); Show Hayami (Japan)

By 2005, Ultra Magnus was the full-fledged City Commander for Autobot City. Autobot City was under his authority when Megatron and the Decepticons waged their full-scale attack. Ultra Magnus ordered Springer and Arcee to transform it to battle-mode, but it only held the Decepticons off for so long. In the fight, Optimus Prime was mortally wounded and passed the Matrix of Leadership on to Ultra Magnus, making Magnus the new Supreme Commander of the Autobots.

Autobot City was quickly attacked a second time by Galvatron, the upgraded version of Megatron. Ultra Magnus lured him away on his shuttle, but was eventually shot-down onto the Planet of Junk. Galvatron tracked him there and Ultra Magnus managed to draw him away from the other Autobots to face the enemy alone. Magnus attempted to open the Matrix, but the Matrix would not open, and Ultra Magnus was blown to pieces. Galvatron took the Matrix, intending to use it to destroy Unicron.

After the Autobots befriended the Junkions, they used their expertise to rebuild Ultra Magnus. Magnus joined the other Autobots in the battle with Unicron on Cybertron and helped drive the last of the Decepticons from their home planet.

In 2006 (or 2010, if you're Japanese), Ultra Magnus ceased his role as a City Commander and became head-adviser to Rodimus Prime, the new Supreme Commander of the Autobots and chosen one of the Matrix. At various times he was sucked into a black hole, turned into a synthetic human and had a birthday party.

When the Hate Plague possessed all of Earth and Cybertron, Ultra Magnus singled Rodimus Prime out of all the other Autobots and focused all his rage on him, vowing to track him wherever he went. Ultra Magnus was eventually cured of the Hate Plague when Optimus Prime came back from the dead (again).

Some time later, Ultra Magnus helped defend Autobot City from a massive Decepticon assault, which was actually a diversion for the theft of the key to the Plasma Energy Chamber. Subsequent to the battle and discovery of the theft, Magnus accompanied Optimus Prime on a shuttle to Cybertron. After Prime got the answers he needed from Vector Sigma, he decided to go to Nebulos and left Ultra Magnus in charge of Cybertron.

Ultra Magnus' tenure didn't go very well, as the selfsame massive Decepticon assault force was attacking the planet. Nonetheless, he and the Protectobots struck at Galvatron, and may well have done him in if Scorponok's reinforcements hadn't arrived. Magnus then ignominiously had his power pack torn out and slowly began to die from lack of energon. Still, he was able to relay Galvatron's crazed scheme to Optimus Prime and the Autobot Headmasters before blacking out.

When Ultra Magnus next awoke, the Golden Age of Cybertron had come anew, and the Decepticons were seemingly defeated once and for all.

Scramble City OVA
Voice actor: Banjō Ginga (Japan)

(Note: Scramble City takes place before the events of Transformers the Movie.)

Ultra Magnus first came to Earth around the year 1986 to head-up the Scramble City (AKA Autobot City) project. Under his supervision, Metroplex was built. Unfortunately, Metroplex was discovered by the spy Ratbat under Ultra Magnus' watch, who leaked the location back to Megatron.

The Headmasters
Voice actor: Yoshitada Ōtsuka (Japan)

Ultra Magnus continued his work as Commander of Autobot City on Earth and was instrumental in several victories over the Decepticons. Because of this, Sixshot singled him out for assasination. Ultra Magnus and Sixshot engaged in a one-on-one duel outside Autobot City, and Ultra Magnus was completely wrecked by Sixshot's six transformations. He was finally done in by Sixshot's mysterious 7th transformation, "Wingwolf". After his death, Ultra Magnus was placed in a coffin and buried on Earth, the planet he loved so dearly.

Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformer
(The "Fight! Super Robot Life Transformer" manga takes place before the events of Transformers the Movie and around the events of Scramble City)

Ultra Magnus first appeared to deliver Optimus Prime his trailer, containing a special cannon upgrade, the "Scramble Power Buster". They engage the Decepticons in battle and Ultra Magnus and Optimus Prime team-up to defeat the villains with their "Convoy Magnus Double Cross Kick".

Ultra Magnus also came up with the idea for the global underground transportation system, the Autobot Road.

(The manga specifically notes that Optimus Prime looks upon Ultra Magnus as his "Kid Brother". Although the manga is a suppliment to the TV series, this family-dynamic between the two characters was never used in the cartoon.)

Kiss Players continuity
When Rodimus Prime's defeat of Galvatron in 2005 led to the catastrophic destruction of Tokyo, the new Autobot leader was consumed by guilt. He passed on the Matrix to Ultra Magnus in order to revert to Hot Rod and return to Earth.

Ladybird books continuity
Ultra Magnus came from Cybertron to take over leadership of the Autobots after Optimus Prime disappeared. He is opposed by Galvatron as Decpticon leader and this is presented as a prolonged status quo rather than the rather brief version of this scenario presented in the animated continuity. Furthermore Spike Witwicky appears to still be a teenager at this point, making a setting date of 2005 unlikely. Ultra Magnus functioning as Prime's successor for some time rather than being immediately replaced by Rodimus Prime is presented in this and other micro-continuities based on the action figure line rather than the film.

Marvel Comics UK continuity

 * (Note: Ultra Magnus appeared only in the Marvel UK books.)

The remaining Autobot elders spent years designing Ultra Magnus, a leader to lift the resistance out of a deep darkness. He was finally given life in or shortly before 1986 for Operation Volcano. His role was to act as the crucial back-up needed for the Wreckers to successfully destroy their Decepticon targets and then escape in one piece. A serious complication arose when the Matrix Flame, the sacred and eternal blaze linked directly to the Creation Matrix itself, suddenly extinguished. Fearing that something catastrophic had occurred on Earth to the Matrix and its bearer, Optimus Prime, Emirate Xaaron made the decision to send Ultra Magnus to that planet to investigate, even though Operation Volcano was unstoppably set to begin in ten cycles. Magnus travelled to Earth by way of Space Bridge, and found the Ark's crew engaged in a deadly conflict with three new, yet unspeakably powerful, Decepticon warriors just as their leaders Optimus Prime, Prowl, and Ratchet vanished before their optic sensors. Initially concerned only with his investigation of Prime's sudden disappearance, Ultra Magnus ignored the plight of his fellow Autobots until he learned the two situations were linked; Galvatron and his lieutenants were time-travelers from 2006, having employed a mass-substitution mechanism that sent the three Autobots into limbo in order to accommodate their presence at this point in the timeline. This connection was revealed to him by three Autobots from 2006, who had traveled back in time themselves in order to stop Galvatron. They had a plan; they had the means; all they needed was for Ultra Magnus to keep him busy for, oh...an hour or two.

Easier said than done.

Magnus's battle with Galvatron carried them out of the isolated wilderness and onto a human freeway system. It ended when Ultra Magnus threw a tanker truck full of fuel into the path of Galvatron's particle cannon. Galvatron walked away from the blast -- Magnus didn't. Still, the future Autobots succeeded in tricking Galvatron into returning to the future with his plan incomplete, and the timeline more-or-less preserved. Unfortunately, Magnus was out of time: Operation Volcano proceeded without him, with disastrous results. Only one Decepticon was taken out, and the Wreckers' leader Impactor was killed protecting Xaaron.

Ultra Magnus would not meet his counterpart, Optimus Prime, until Prime was inadvertently transported back to Cybertron in battle with Megatron. Hooking up with Lord Straxus at Polyhex, Megatron quickly disseminated false information about a new Decepticon madeover to look exactly like Optimus Prime, planning to infiltrate the Autobot forces. Having temporarily assumed control of the Wreckers until their new leader, Springer, was ready for command, Ultra Magnus led them in hunting down the "imposter". This Prime's behavior led Magnus to be suspicious of his information and, after summoning Emirate Xaaron, confirmed his suspicions and welcomed the true Optimus Prime back to Cybertron. Prime wasted no time leading Magnus and the others on a series of successful raids and strike missions against Decepticon-controlled territory. When Optimus decided to return home to Earth, however, Ultra Magnus was caught up in the space bridge's energy discharge as well, arriving on Earth but some considerable distance away from where Prime materialized. Having been frustrated ever since Impactor's death, Magnus welcomed the "vacation" this trip to Earth would provide him, as he took his time trying to track down the Ark's location.

For months, Ultra Magnus enjoyed a peaceful life in the American forests and wilderness, alone with his thoughts. A sudden seismic disturbance brought him back to reality, though, and into contact with three human females whose vehicle had been overturned by the tremor. One in particular, Cindy, took quite a liking to Magnus. As they travelled together to explore a nearby volcano and its connection to the tremors, Magnus was forced back into combat thanks to the arrival of his old sparring partner, the future Decepticon known as Galvatron. Galvatron had constructed a magma siphon atop the volcano's peak, and planned to convert the raw power of a volcanic eruption into enough energy to transform him into a god. Ultra Magnus teamed up with several Autobots from the future, who were trying to bring Galvatron back with them to face justice. Once again, Magnus was used as a "distraction" (read: living punching bag) while the future Autobots set up their plan to override Galvatron's time-jump mechanism and send them all back where they came from. Despite Ultra Magnus successfully getting the slag beat out of him, the override proved unsuccessful, sending only the Autobots back to 2007 and leaving Magnus virtually alone to deal with the fighting-mad Galvatron. Barely managing to rally his courage, Ultra Magnus threw himself into combat with Galvatron one more time, keeping him busy until the volcano exploded, destroying the power siphon and encasing both warriors in molten lava.

Several months later, Ultra Magnus was dug out of the volcano by the Sparkler Mini-Bots. They had been sent to Earth by Springer to monitor the volcano in case Galvatron ever got free. When Galvatron DID free himself several days earlier, though, they found themselves hopelessly outmatched, and hoped Magnus would have better luck. Sadly, the severe beatings Galvatron had routinely handed out to Ultra Magnus, combined with the final excrutiating submergence in molten lava, had nearly unhinged the Autobot's mind, leaving him with a pathological fear of his tormentor. Confronted with Galvatron, Magnus would probably have gone fetal if that pose had any meaning for his people. As the Sparklers heroically tried to stand up to Galvatron anyway, Ultra Magnus saw his rescuers in grave danger and finally managed to push his fear aside and reclaim enough confidence to batter the Decepticon into a temporary retreat.

Having renewed his fighting spirit, Ultra Magnus arranged to return to Cybertron with his companions in order to report on Galvatron's activities and hopefully gather the Wreckers for a counter-offensive. Instead, they found the Autobot base in Kalis full of battle signs, and the entire surrounding city-state a virtual "ghost-town". After confronting a legion of robot zombies, the Autobots eventually learned that a crazed scientist named Flame was trying to re-engineer the entire planet as a giant spacecraft, setting off an unstable fusion reactor beneath the planet's surface as a power source. With the help of the Wreckers and the Decepticons Flywheels and Trypticon, Ultra Magnus and his team managed to put an end to Flame's maniacal scheme.

Ultra Magnus and the Wreckers then began preparations to return to Earth and confront the threat of Galvatron, finally, once and for all, and then...*poof*. The Wreckers went to Earth alone, and Ultra Magnus was never seen nor heard from again.

PD Type mini-comics
At one point, the Blackball was left in the safekeeping of Ultra Magnus. Galvatron, catching Magnus by surprise, managed to blow him up with a powerful energy blast from his fusion cannon. Recovering the Blackball, Galvatron began to gloat about his victory. That's when Magnus' body hurled his head at Galvatron like a bowling ball, causing the Emperor of Destruction to fall over like a set of pins and drop the Blackball. That's using your head, Magnus! *sigh*

IDW comics continuity
Ultra Magnus' concept has been tweaked somewhat to fit within Simon Furman's Cold War-influenced G1 reboot continuity; although still a soldier, Magnus' role is similar to that of an Interpol officer. Specifically, he is an agent of the Tyrest Accord. Although never detailed, this Accord seems to be part of a greater Code of Interplanetary Conflict, some form of treaty between Autobots, Decepticons and other alien races. As an enforcer of the Accord, Magnus hunts down any Transformers, Autobots or Decepticons alike, who illegally sell or distribute Cybertronian technology, handing them over to their superiors for prosecution.

One such violation saw Magnus pursue Swindle to the planet Zull. After arresting the Combaticon, Magnus reluctantly released Swindle in exchange for the current whereabouts of an even greater offender: Scorponok. Magnus has a personal grudge against Scorponok, who is the Autobot's polar opposite; while Magnus sets great stock in rules, Scorponik flouts them. Magnus follows Swindle's lead to the planet Nebulos, but although he disrupts Scorponok's operations, the Decepticon is able to escape.

Later on, Magnus arrests Swindle for yet anohter violation, and once again, Swindle offers a deal, leaving Magnus to wonder whether he'll start breaking the rules just to finally catch Scorponok...

Generation 1

 * Ultra Magnus (1986, 2000, 2002)
 * Japanese ID number: C-69




 * Ultra Magnus is a redeco of the Diaclone Powered Convoy toy, which itself was a redecoed Battle Convoy (pre-TF Optimus Prime) with a new trailer that combined with the cab robot to form a super robot. Whereas the original Japanese use was an upgrade to Convoy, Hasbro released him as a separate character and both the comic and the cartoon ignored the cab robot in favor of the super robot.


 * Ultra Magnus transforms into a white Freightliner COE with a blue and red car-carrier trailer. He comes with a rifle that has two pegs that will fit into either the fist of the cab robot or fist of the super robot, and he also comes with two missile launchers that can plug into either the front of the trailer or the shoulders of the super robot.  Additional accessories include the cab robot's fists, the super robot's fists, the super robot head, the super robot chestplate, and two crotchplates/trailer hitches.


 * The original American toy was released in at least two versions -- one with rubber tires and paint on both heads, and a second with plastic tires and no paint on either head.


 * Ultra Magnus was first reissued in Japan in 2000 with little to no changes. Two years later, Ultra Magnus was reissued as a Toys "R" Us exlusive in the United States in the first wave of the Commemorative Series; the American reissue's missiles were elongated to pass modern safety laws.  Both reissues had rubber tires and the facial paint.


 * Ultra Magnus Movie Preview version (2001)
 * In the early stages of the development of the 1986 animated movie, several promotional clips for the movie were produced, including one depicting Ultra Magnus in the original Diaclone Powered Convoy color scheme. The Movie Preview toy was released in 2001 based on that brief (and premature) appearance, featuring a blue colored cab.


 * Ultra Magnus Matrix Glow version (2001)
 * With a yellow cab and a clear yellow trailer, Matrix Glow Ultra Magnus or Shining Magnus is intended to recall the moment in the animated movie, just before Optimus Prime dies, when the Matrix is passed to Ultra Magnus and he is bathed in its Matrixey yellow light. It was also released in 2001.


 * This version is sometimes referred to by fans as "Urine Magnus", or slightly less-polite variations of the same.

Generation 2

 * Laser Ultra Magnus (2006)
 * Japanese ID number:  TRF-13-S




 * An e-Hobby exclusive, Generation 2 Laser Ultra Magnus is a redeco of Laser Optimus Prime, transforming into a mid-1990s Western Star 4964EX extended-hood truck pulling a blue and white tanker trailer. He was packaged in the reissue Laser Optimus Prime's box, along with Prime's instructions, bio card and sticker sheet. Yes, the stickers that have "Optimus Prime" written on them.


 * In robot mode the bottom of the truck became his familiar windowed chest based upon the original Optimus Prime toy (and the original Ultra Magnus's cab). His main gimmick was light up LED headlights, and a lightpipe in the bottom of his right fist, illuminated by an LED in his right forearm, that would illuminate his clear sword or his double-barreled rifle if they were used in that hand. All three LEDs were activated simultaneously by pressing the sunroof-like depression on the roof of the truck.


 * The trailer unfolds to form a battle station bristling with many firing weapons. Primarily, it can fire an air-powered missile launcher, a ripple rocket launcher with 5 missiles that can be launched individually (this turret can also be mounted in Laser Magnus' hand) and a 'disc launcher', that fired several white plastic discs. This disc launcher is the only weapon that can be used in vehicle mode.


 * This release uses the toolings that were modified for the Robots in Disguise Scourge toy, and thus has smooth discs and a less pointy sword.

Masterpiece

 * Ultra Magnus (2004)
 * Japanese ID number: MP-2




 * Masterpiece Ultra Magnus is a white redeco of Masterpiece Convoy (Optimus Prime) with all the same accessories, though some have been redecoed. Additionally, his box can be refolded into his classic trailer configuration, but doesn't hold up since it's, well, cardboard. He retains the Matrix, which he can indeed open. Damnit, open.


 * As a Takara product, Masterpiece Ultra Magnus was never released in the US, but was eventually released by Hasbro Australia in 2005 for their market as a Target-exclusive, retaining his Japanese packaging, with simple stickers stating a recommended age of 8+, as well as presenting Hasbro Australia's details and explaining what the product was.

Classics

 * Ultra Magnus vs Skywarp: Battle For Autobot City (Multi-pack, 2007)


 * A redeco of the Voyager class Optimus Prime, this release is part of the Target exclusive Battle for Autobot City set with Skywarp. The final production toy has several major paint paint application differences compared to the toy depicted on the packaging, including the loss of all light blue paint (including his faceplate and crest, both replaced with silver, darker blue on his thighs. Also his red eyes are replaced with the light piping color (blue). Additionally, it seems the smokestacks/double-barreled gun was originally going to be cast or painted white instead of the final's black.


 * Like Optimus Prime, the toy's gimmicks are in his weapons - his smokestacks fold together to become a double-barreled gun, and his aero fairing splits and unfolds to become a large shotgun-like blaster. The two weapons also combine into a double-barreled shoulder cannon.

Titanium Series

 * Ultra Magnus (6-inch Cybertron Heroes, 2007)


 * Titanium Cybertron Heroes Ultra Magnus is an all-new sculpt constructed mostly of die-cast metal. For the first time, Ultra Magnus's cab and trailer are one piece, rather than a partsformer like the Generation 1 toy version. He transforms very similarly to the original toy, but the aformentioned truck cab now folds down into his back rather than detaching and reconnecting, with his head fliping out of the back of the cab.


 * Ultra Magnus is armed with a white laser rifle and two shoulder-mounted non-firing rocket launchers. Unfortunately due to the robot mode-oriented design of this figure, as well as size limitations, the rear ramp is now part of his legs as detail and cannot fold down, nor is there access for vehicles to be transported, in any case.


 * Ultra Magnus (6-inch Cybertron Heroes, 2007)


 * A redeco of the 6-inch War Within Optimus Prime. In white!

Revoltech
Ultra Magnus is, unsurprisingly, a redeco of a simultaneously-released Optimus Prime/Convoy figure. A non-transforming but highly articulate action figure, Revoltech Ultra Magnus uses the Revoltech "revolver joints" for maximum poseability. His sculpting is explicitly in the style of Pat "serfdom" Lee's interpretation of Prime.
 * Ultra Magnus (2007)

Magnus comes with a Matrix and photon rifle accessories, as well as a few alternate hands. A unique extra "hand" is a single moulded piece of Ultra Magnus and Optimus Prime's hands clasped together diagonally, so that when attached to both the Prime and Magnus' respective wrists one can create a scene of the two Autobot leaders shakin' like homeys. Additionally, although Magnus comes preassembled with the standard black revolver joints that Prime has, his packaging includes a sheet of replacement white joints one can use to customise Magnus with less obrtusive matching white joints (although not enough joints of the right style are included to swap out all black joints to optimal effect).

Merchandise

 * Ultra Magnus (Super Collection Figure, 2002)


 * Ultra Magnus (Heroes of Cybertron, 2003)


 * Ultra Magnus (Super Collection figure, 2003)


 * "Movie preview" redeco of the Ultra Magnus PVC, based on the original toy's Diaclone colour scheme as seen in early trailers for the 1986 movie.


 * Ultra Magnus (Hard Hero bust, 2004)




 * The cold-cast porcelain bust of Ultra Magnus was the 13th in Hard Hero's series of Transformers busts. It was designed from line art by Dan Khanna.


 * Ultra Magnus and Megatron (Robot Heroes PVC, 2007)


 * This is a small, non-transforming SD figurine with limited articulation from the "Robot Heroes" line, in a two pack with G1 Megatron. He may be the sassiest bitch on Cybertron.

Trivia



 * In early trailers for Transformers the Movie, Ultra Magnus can be seen in alternate animated sequences in his toy's original Diaclone color scheme.