Mirage (RID)

This article is about the Robots in Disguise Spychanger marksman. For other Transformers with the name Mirage, see Mirage (disambiguation).

Mirage is an Autobot in the Robots in Disguise continuity family.

Stealthy McNinja.

Mirage is one of the elite Spy Changers, and is their best marksman. As a Spychanger, he has the ability to drive on almost any surface, and can also cloak himself and thereby render himself invisible. Though he's generally a loner who prefers to work alone (which really grinds W.A.R.S.'s gears), he and his team-mate Ironhide go way back.

He should not be confused with Mirage GT.

Japanese name: Counter Arrow

Fiction

Animated continuity

Robots in Disguise

Voice actor: Wally Wingert (US), Ryō Naitō (Japan)

Mirage. With a gun!

Mirage first appeared with his fellow Spy Changers in order to stop one of the Predacons' schemes to steal a plutonium power generator.

Later, the team tried to protect a ruby from Predacon theft, but the mission failed - partly because of Mirage's unwillingness to fire at the Predacons and risk hitting a chemical tank. Mirage would not explain himself, and "left" the Spy Changers because he felt they should trust his motives, but when his friend Ironhide tried to convince him to come to his senses, he became aware that he was carrying a transmitter created by Gas Skunk. Mirage used this to his advantage, and deceptively alienated Ironhide, while at the same time decieving the Predacons that he could be a potential ally. Ultimately, he carried the ruse to its full extent, leading his fellow Spy Changers to the laser weapon the Predacons had created. Using hand signals, he helped them to understand his plan, and they successfully destroyed the weapon with help from T-AI and the Global Space Bridge.

Toys

Robots in Disguise

• Counter Arrow (Spy Changer, 2000)

Japanese ID number: C-010

A redeco of the Generation 2 Go-Bots Double Clutch mold, Counter Arrow transforms into a Lola T94 Indy car. The black portion of his hood has heat-sensitive paint that reveals an Autobot insignia, in a method similar to the original rubsigns.

This mold was also used to make the Generation 2 and Universe versions of Mirage

• Spy Changer Deluxe 6 Set (Multi-pack, 2000)

Japanese ID number: C-011

All six Spy Changers were sold as individuals, and in a six-piece gift set.

• Counter Arrow clear version (Spy Changer, 2000)

An exclusive redeco of Counter Arrow in clear-blue and clear-green plastics, this version was only available at Jusco stores in Japan, as a giveaway with purchase (of what, though, is unknown at this time).

• Mirage & Ironhide (Basic, 2001)

Available only in a two-pack with Ironhide, the Hasbro version of Mirage adds more paint applications, mainly red highlights. The heat-sensitive insignia was replaced with a normal Autobot insignia tampograph.

• Mirage (Spy Changer, 2002)

All six original Spy Changers were redecoed in colorless-clear plastics (keeping their normal paint applications, though), and released on individual cards through Kay-Bee Toys chains.

• Mirage (Tiny Tins, 2002)

The normal Hasbro version of Mirage was released as part of the first assortment of Tiny Tins Transformers, coming with a carrying tin.

• Super Counter Arrow (Spy Changer, 2003)

Long after the Robots in Disguise line ended in Japan, Takara put out individually-boxed redecoes of the Spy Changers. Counter Arrow was given a red and black deco.

In each case of twelve Super Spy changers, two were all-clear-plastic versions (but keeping their paint applications). All six Spy Changers had a clear variant.

• Mirage (Spy Changer, 2003)

A second round of Kay-Bee-exclusive Spy Changers was released on individual cards. This time around, he was done in clear-green and clear-blue, a seeming reversal of the Jusco exlusive deco.

This exact toy was later re-released as Universe Mirage.

External links

• Mirage at TFU.info