Springer (G1)

This article is about the Autobot. For the (human) artist, see Frank Springer.

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Springer is an Autobot from the Generation 1 continuity family.

POW! Right in the kneecap!

Springer is the archetypical action hero: great in a fight, unselfconsciously brave, confident, and always ready with a dead-pan sarcastic quip to lighten the moment. Someone you can depend on to ride in, save the day and be smug about it.

Springer prefers fighting solo ("Ha!") and lending a hand to friends where he can. Though his easy self-confidence is one of his most notable features, actually being responsible for others weighs heavily upon his otherwise jocular personality. Nonetheless, Springer ascended to lead the Wreckers in many continuities. He has twice been named as Rodimus Prime's successor to take the Matrix of Leadership and lead the Autobots, though neither one actually came to pass.

Springer combines the thrusting power of his legs with his retro thrusters to move rapidly through the battlefield, leaping tall structures in a single bound. Although he is quite speedy, he is not faster than a speeding bullet.

"I've got better things to do tonight than die."

―Springer in the defense of Autobot City

French-Canadian name: Ricochet

Italian name: Bora

Japanese name: Sprang or Sprung (スプラング, su-pu-ra-n-gu)

Hungarian name: Szökkenő (exact translation)

Fiction

Marvel Comics continuity

(Events from UK-only stories are in italics.)

Springer was first a member of, and following the death of Impactor, leader of the Wreckers. They dealt with Operation: Volcano without Magnus's help, fought armies of robot zombies, chased Galvatron all around Earth, and eventually got their tailpipes kicked in by said Galvatron. The survivors of all that eventually ended up members of the Survivors with Springer again as the leader.

Generation 2

Hey, Marvel US, it's me!

When the Cybertronian Empire ambushed the Autobots on the planet Ethos, Springer was in charge of a squad consisting of former Wreckers buddies Inferno and Broadside, Inferno's buddy Smokescreen, and Ironhide. Although Springer warned his squad to stay close together, Smokescreen broke formation, resulting in his death and the injuring of Ironhide. Smokescreen's death caused Inferno to lose his temper, who subsequently also died despite Springer's warnings. Escalation!

Springer later helped lay Sky Sniper mines on Earth, in preparation for a final stand against the coming of the Swarm.

Classics

Note: The Classics story takes place in a post-Marvel Generation 1 comics universe where the UK Marvel Comics and the Generation 2 mini-series did not happen, thus negating all of Springer's previous appearances in comic continuity. For all effects and purposes he gets a totally fresh start.

Springer's the one who doesn't know how binoculars work. Well, one of them, anyway.

Springer seems to be much more of a loner, never having been part of the Wreckers, and having mainly worked alone against the Decepticons until after Bludgeon's defeat on Klo. Fearing the end of the conflict that was so important to him, he was eager to sign on with Grimlock's crew.

Springer is head of security for Grimlock's Decepticon hunters on the Graviton. Games of Deception

Animated continuity

Voice actor: Neil Ross (US), Kenyu Horiuchi (Japan)

In the Special Edition Wreck-Gar shoots first.

Little is known about Springer's life prior to the Battle of Autobot City in 2005. He fought bravely in the conflict, helping transform the city into its heavily-armed, armored fortress configuration, and later using an oversized piece of artillery to bombard Devastator. Afterwards, when Unicron made his existence known to the Autobots by destroying two of Cybertron's moons, Springer was among those who left Earth aboard a shuttle to stop the Chaos-Bringer somehow. The ship Springer was aboard crashlanded on the planet Junk, where a battle erupted between the Autobots and the native Junkions, during which Springer dueled with the Junkion chieftain, Wreck-Gar. Later still, he and the other Autobots wound up inside Unicron himself, where Springer and the others desperately fought off Unicron's internal defenses. Luckily, Hot Rod opened the Matrix of Leadership just in time, destroying Unicron and becoming Rodimus Prime. The Transformers: The Movie

A year later, Springer attended the first Galactic Olympics alongside his fellow Autobots. Unfortunately, the festivities were interrupted by an alien mercenary who turned the Olympic torch into a giant flash/smoke grenade, and then a batallion of Sharkticons attacked. Springer was able to douse the torch from the air, but by then, the attackers had already fled, having captured Ultra Magnus, Kup and Spike Witwicky. Springer immediately volunteered to track the escaped alien saboteur, and was joined by Arcee. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1 They followed their quarry to his strange base ship, an asteroid-like spacecraft referred to as a "Rockaroid". The mercenary fled after misleading his pursuers into believing that the Decepticons were behind the attack, and Springer was fortunately able to pilot his ship (barely). Springer flew the Rockaroid to the distant planet Chaar, where he arrived just in time to save Rodimus Prime and Grimlock from being beaten to scrap by a mob of Decepticons. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3

Later, a badly-damaged Rodimus prepared to pass the Matrix on to Springer in anticipation of his imminent demise. Fortunately, the Autobot leader did not die, but rather experienced the Cybertronian equivalent of a near-death experience, wherein his "life force" left his body to embark on a very trippy (and poorly animated) trip into the Matrix itself. Immediately afterwards, Springer participated in a daring rescue mission to save Ultra Magnus and the others, before winding up on Goo#8379B, where he was disassembled by the planet's mobile garbage disposal unit. Fortunately, he was rebuilt and restored to life by the Junkions. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4

Dreamwave comics continuity

After Optimus Prime disappeared along with Megatron in a test of the space bridge, Springer broke off from the Autobot army and formed the Wreckers. They usually targered Ratbat's Ultracons, continually halting their efforts to secure the Tagan Heights. Eventually, Ratbat secured the aide of the Constructicons, who had been declared non-aligned by the Crisis Intervention Accords, and unleashed Devastator on the Wreckers, but was soon countered by Defensor. Springer chastised the Protectobots for allowing themselves to battle Devastator in the Tagan Heighs, and risk causing an accident which could potentially move Cybertron from its orbit. However, he changed his mind once Devastator started bending his helicopter blades. Fortunately, the Protectobots managed to defeat Devastator, saving Springer. The War Within: The Dark Ages

IDW Comics continuity

Springer is the leader of the Wreckers. Despite admitting that they usually fight for planets that have become lost causes, he seems keen to stand up for such causes against overwhelming odds. This belief even extends to his fellow Autobots, as seen when he leads a mission to rescue Kup, even though the old warrior, driven half-mad by the crystals covering the surface of the planet he and his team crash-landed on, is killing his rescuers under the delusion that they are "zombots".

Universe: The Wreckers

In this continuity, Springer is apparently at least a member of the Wreckers, as he is seen bearing their distinctive insignia in his brief appearance. Not long after the signing of the Pax Cybertronia, Springer attempted (fruitlessly) to cheer up Arcee, who had become severely depressed following the death of her surrogate son and Headmaster companion Daniel Witwicky. Afterwards, he and Hot Rod, now called simply "Rodimus", both checked out and later underwent the Maximal Upgrade.

Toys

Generation 1

• Springer (1986/1991)

Japanese ID number: C-84

Springer was one of three Autobot Triple Changers. He transforms from a robot to a futuristic car to a helicopter that doesn't look terribly different from the car.

Classics

• Springer (Deluxe, 2007)

Sold together in a bag with Huffer and their instructions, keys and bio cards, Springer is a Classics-themed BotCon 2007 attendee exclusive. A paint-heavy redeco of the Cybertron Defense Hot Shot toy using green and grey as the base colors, Springer transforms into a modified M1117 Guardian Armored Security Vehicle. When Springer's Cyber Planet Key is inserted into the back of the turret, the two gun barrels open up into dual (non-firing) missile launchers. Compartments on his shoulders and his thighs can also open up to reveal additional missile launchers. He also comes with a dagger that stows between his legs in vehicle mode; when he's in robot mode, the dagger can be hand-held, pegged into the front of his fist, or stored in a sheath on his leg.

External links

• Springer at TFU.info

• Springer's Universe profile at NTFA.net

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