Sparkplug (Armada)

The name or term Sparkplug refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Sparkplug (disambiguation).

Sparkplug is a Mini-Con from the Armada section of the Unicron Trilogy continuity family.

HERE I COME TO SAVE THE DAAAAY!

Sparkplug is a good-natured, energetic young Mini-Con who through the fates of war has become partnered with Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots. Through this and his heroic actions, he's become something of a leader to his fellow Mini-Cons. He is also one of the few Mini-Cons to advocate siding with the Autobots. While most Mini-Cons view the differences between the Autobots and the Decepticons with apathy at best, Sparkplug is firmly aware of what those differences mean to Mini-Cons. He's seen the way Megatron treats Leader-1 compared to the way Optimus Prime treats him. Given the choice, Sparkplug gladly prefers the Autobots.

Japanese name: Prime

Fiction

Animated continuity

Soon after arriving on Earth, both the Autobots and Decepticons detect a Mini-Con signal located in the Grand Canyon. The Autobots are at a considerable disadvantage during the inevitable confrontation due to the Decepticon strength in numbers and the fact they must protect their human passengers. But with the help of the kids, Optimus Prime manages to find the Mini-Con panel, whose occupant turns out to be Sparkplug, Optimus Prime's old Mini-Con ally and friend. Together, they Powerlinx, activating Optimus's powerful Maximum Blast which sends the Decepticons into retreat. Comrade

Dreamwave comics continuity

Having miraculously avoided capture by Cyclonus and Devestator, Sparkplug is instrumental in helping the Air Defense Mini-Con Team free his Mini-Con brethren from their initial imprisonment by the Decepticons (by getting strapped to a rocket pack by Runway and drawing fire from the laser-based security system). After the escape ship breaks up and crashes, he is with High Wire, Grindor, and Sureshock when Rad accadently reactivates the Mini-Cons. Later, he convinces the Space Mini-Con Team to help rescue Rad, who was himself strapped in a space mine in a mine field surrounding the Mini-Con moon base. In the artic soon after, when one of the escape pods from the moon base had been tracked there, he powerlinxed with Optimus Prime, without holding back power, in order to stop Cyclonus (driven mad by the Destruction Mini-Con Team, who were overloading him with their power). Optimus then confronted Sparkplug, asking why he held power back even though the two trusted each other. Sparkplug explained the lore about their power and that it could save or destroy the universe, only to discover Optimus had mysteriously vanished. Sparkplug accompanied the dimension-traveler Over-Run and Commetor in Over-Run's travel pod to find Optimus (who had been sent to a Cybertron about to be eaten by Unicron), and was uprgaded along with Optimus by the Mini-Con Matrix. He was last seen standing with Optimus after the Chaos Bringer had been dealt a crippling blow by the Mini-Con Matrix.

Transformers Playstation 2 Game

He is Optimus Prime's Mini-Con partner. You can run him over!

Toys

Armada

• Optimus Prime with Sparkplug (Super, 2002/2003)

Japanese ID Number: MC-01

Sparkplug transforms into a Lamborghini Diablo sports car. His robot mode bears a passing resemblance to the Generation 1 Autobot Bumblebee's cartoon model. He was only available with his larger partner Optimus Prime. The Takara release made a minor change to Sparkplug's deco, giving him medium-gray windows rather than the dark purple of the Hasbro version.

This mold was used to make Atlas and Drop-Test.

• Prime Super Mode (Mini-Con, 2003)

The August 2003 issue of TV-kun magazine in Japan came with a special promotional "powered up" redeco of the Sparkplug toy in green. It also came with a little cardboard roadway and punch-out "targets" of various Decepticons for him to knock over.

According to the brief Transformers section of the magazine, Sparkplug takes on this coloration when the other Mini-Cons give him their strength. When Powerlinxed to Super Optimus Prime in this mode, he causes Prime's cannon to fire a powerful energy blast that takes the shape of Sparkplug's robot mode.

• Powerlinx Optimus Prime with Corona Sparkplug (Super, 2003)

For the "Powerlinx" redeco of Optimus Prime, the original Sparkplug was retooled into a Cybertronic sports car with roof-lights and given a gold-chrome finish. (This finish seems to be a lot more durable than the chrome found on the Transmetal toys, being very resistant to flaking.) It is the only part of the set that was retooled, possibly because the yellow parts of Sparkplug are on their own mold tree (i.e., there are no other yellow-plastic parts to Super Optimus Prime), meaning an easy change to make.

This mold was used to make Chrome, Synapse and Road Rebel.

• Battle for the Matrix (Multi-pack, 2003)

Released on "Black Friday" (the day after Thanksgiving), this K-Mart store exclusive bundled together Super Optimus Prime, Sparkplug, Jetfire, Comettor, the Adventure Mini-Con Team and (oddly enough) Longarm. This release of Sparkplug is identical to the original; out of the entire set, only Optimus received a deco change.

Energon

• Optimus Prime and Overload with Corona Sparkplug and Rollout (Multi-pack, 2004)

Part of a very large CostCo exclusive set, this release of Corona Sparkplug is near-identical to the original release, despite the extensive color changes made to Optimus.

Trivia

• Sparkplug's robot mode design appears to be a homage to G1 Bumblebee's cartoon model, with a similar head, "pipe" biceps, hood-feet and roof-chest. Well, and being yellow. His own cartoon model kind of downplays the similarity of the noggin. The Dreamwave comic changed his head design practically every issue, with some being more Bumblebee-esque than others.
• Due to bad American dubbing of Armada, Sparkplug has been called Leader-1 several times through the course of the series. In fact, the first episode he appeared in, EVERYONE was calling him Leader-1. Talk about an identity crisis.

External Links

• Sparkplug at TFU.info.

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