Needlenose (G1)
From Transformers Wiki
| This article is about the evil Decepticon. For his heroic mirrorverse counterpart, seeNeedlenose (SG). |
- Needlenose is aDecepticonTargetmasterfrom theGeneration 1continuity family.
Needlenoseis a fly airplane-bot who used to design themost righteous fashion microchipsin all Cybertron, until a bunch of bogus dorks said they were totally lastyear.Whatever!This supreme dissage led to supreme pissage, and the cheesed-off designer joined the uber-bad Decepticons for revenge.
A willing if clueless soldier, Needlenose always keeps it fresh and fly. When he found out aboutNebulans,he was all over that, and snagged himself two:Sunbeam,a gnarly surfer dude, andZigzag,a cool old geezer whose black armor goes with absolutelyeverything. These two dudes can even combine into a single weapon, which is not at all weird. Telling Needlenose that this weapon is smarter than him is totally not cool. He'd, like, deck you in the locknuts for that.
He's bad-aft, is Needlenose. Not. Straight up, he's a big tin dweeb who thinks he's the bomb. He even plays video games. LAME.
Contents |
Fiction
Marvel Comics continuity
MarvelThe Transformerscomics
Needlenose was sponsored bySpinisteras a potential recruit for the newMayhem Attack Squad,being gathered bySnarlerto hunt down the traitors from theTime Wars,CarnivacandCatilla.Unfortunately, Needlenose was less than prepared for the stress of combat. During a training exercise in a simulation ofSlaughter City,he abandoned the fight, an act punishable by death under Decepticon military code. In order to save him from this fate, Spinister deliberately allowed himself to be overcome by an Autobotsolid light simulation,hoping the sight of a fellow Decepticon in trouble would be enough to snap Needlenose back into action. It was, and Needlenose "saved" Spinister from his attacker. When Snarler asked if the new Mayhems were ready, Spinister refrained from mentioning Needlenose's problems, and pushed the team forward to their active assignment.The Hunting Party
On Earth, Needlenose and the Mayhems caught Carnivac alone with their roboticHellhound,Way of the Warriorand began hunting him down through the American desert. To better corner their prey, the group split up. This only served to embolden Carnivac, as he tried to pick off his pursuers one-by-one, starting with Needlenose. Before the Pretender got to do any damage, Octopunch threatened a nearby group of humans, forcing Carnivac to break off his attack and exit his shell.Survival RunCarnivac's fellow deserter Catilla came to his rescue, only to be skewered and killed by the MayhemBludgeon.The otherSurvivorsarrived and chased off the Mayhems, and Carnivac swore revenge for the death of his friend.A Savage Place!
When Lord Thunderwing learned of a series of Autobot teams being launched into one small cluster of the universe, Thunderwing brought Needlenose,Windsweeper,Spinister,andRuckusto investigate. Their pursuit brought them toPz-Zazz,where Needlenose's team became known as the "Robot Mob." After quickly subduing and capturingNightbeat,Siren,andHosehead,Bird of Prey!they then turned their attentions towards an Autobot search team on the planetCheyne.En route to Cheyne, after Thunderwing learned of the Autobots'quest for the lost Creation Matrix.Upon arriving at Cheyne, Needlenose accompanied the others to the planet's surface, where they discovered the Autobot team there had fallen victim to a family ofpsychic vampires,and thus useless to the Decepticons' mission.Kings of the Wild Frontier.
Their next stop wasPequod,where Thunderwing sent Needlenose and Spinister to attack the Autobots there while Thunderwing could mind-link to theKludthat had traces of the Matrix inside. As they were recalled when Thunderwing found what he needed to know, Needlenose and Spinister began quietly questioning the sanity of their commanding officer, and what he was willing to sacrifice to acquire the Matrix (i.e., them).Deadly Obsession
Thunderwing's team next went to the moonVsQs,where they found another Autobot team looking for the Matrix. Unfortunately, acreaturehad absorbed part of the Creation Matrix's energies and attacked them, starting with Windsweeper. Needlenose wanted to gun down the creature as it tore Windsweeper apart, but Thunderwing forbade him—the Matrix energies had to be preserved. The creature fled when the Matrix sensed Thunderwing's affinity for the Matrix. Realizing how little their leader cared for their well-being, Needlenose, Spinister, and Windsweeper opted to stay behind and allow Thunderwing to take care of his quest himself.Dark CreationBut Needlenose's worst fears were realized after Thunderwing was possessed by the Matrix and went on a rampage through the Autobots'Ark—their former commander was a threat to Autobot and most importantly themselves. Thunderwing quickly proved this by firing upon Spinister when the latter tried to make him see that he was losing control of his own mind. Before things could go further, Thunderwing was cast out into space by the trio of Autobots captives, who had secretly escaped. Needlenose and the other Decepticons surrendered themselves into Autobot custody afterwards.All Fall Down
Trigger-Happy!
Needlenose,Spinister,andWindsweeperaccompaniedCrankcaseandRuckusin delivering battle plans to Megatron, the former three acting as the group's rear guard. The Autobots learned of the delivery and planned to ambush them, but their mission was botched byBackstreet,who gave away his faction's presence prematurely. Needlenose and the other Decepticons were provoked into starting a firefight that endangered the inhabitants of nearbyRivers' Town.Panicked over his mistake, Backstreet wound up going on the run from his fellow Autobots. Learning of the situation,Megatronhad his troops track down the fugitive in the hopes of recruiting him to their faction. They found him squatting in an abandoned amusement park. Needlenose and the rest of the Decepticon rank-and-file were told to wait at a distance while Megatron personally saw to Backstreet's defection. While his leader was delivering his recruitment pitch, Needlenose was greatly amused over the idea that Backstreet might think the offer was genuine; in reality, Megatron planned to rid himself of Backstreet once he had outlived his usefulness. This didn't pan out;Optimus Primeinterrupted Megatron's spiel and convinced Backstreet to return to the Autobots.Trigger-Happy!
Earthforce
Following Catilla's death, the Mayhem Attack Squad set up base on a deserted island, preparing themselves for the inevitable retaliation for the assassination. Unfortunately, the waiting was seriously stressing Needlenose's circuits. He staged a false Carnivac alert in order to time his fellow Decepticons' response times, and they were none too pleased with his antics. After Snarler and Spinister chided his lack of discipline, Needlenose returned to his quarters only to find Carnivac lying in wait, having slipped through the Mayhems' defenses during the ruckus. Needlenose cried out for help, but his fellow warriors ignored his death-screams, believing it to be merely another "test".Cry Wolf!
Transformers Comic-Magazin
Needlenose was present whenMegatronmade peaceful gestures to humanity inNew York City;and the Decepticons gave a "statue" ofSnaptrapas a gift to the city. Unsurprisingly, once Humanity was off-guard, the Decepticons struck, and the Autobots barely stopped them.The Troy PrincipleThose events were recorded on a videotape that was later found and watched by Autobots on Cybertron after anuclear disasterinKalis.In Memory of Earth
In1973,Powermaster Optimus Prime - A Robot, a HeroNeedlenose,Darkwing,andDreadwindwere hiding in an airbase in Nevada, before revealing theirliquid crystalDecepticon insignia and flying off. He then used the distraction of a hijacked tanker to attack oil fields and refineries.A Big Day for Powermaster Optimus PrimeThose events would later be observed via log recording by Autobots in the year2008.Powermaster Optimus Prime - A Robot, a Hero
The characteristics of Needlenose and the other "Small Targetmaster Decepticons" were reviewed byOptimus PrimeandBumblebeein a simulation watched byGoldbug.Memories of Bumblebee
Classics
Needlenose joinedRuckuswith his revised Mayhem Attack Squad in order to seek revenge on Nightbeat and Siren because they, like, totally threw him out into space once. They used an A.I. ship namedAmoryto lure their Autobot victims into an ambush. Unfortunately, Amory was only helping them because Ruckus was holding her pilot hostage and Ruckus, being an idiot, brought the hostage to the ambush for show-and-tell. One quick slash ofSlag's sword and the hostage (and Ruckus's arm) were no longer in his possession. Now facing a group of Autobots AND a teed-off warship, Needlenose and the other Mayhems decided to beat a hasty retreat.Cheap Shots
Regeneration One
Twenty-one years after the defeat atKlo,Needlenose was one of the "Neo-Decepticons" who rallied to Soundwave's banner atFort Scyk.CounterpointSoundwave was off-planet when the resurrectedScorponokreturned to Cybertron with aGene Keycapable of turning Autobots into Decepticons. Arriving at Fort Syck, the former Headmaster ordered the assembled troops to follow him and Needlenose readily agreed...after witnessing what happened toMisfirefor questioning him.Natural Selection, Part Three
Needlenose was subsequently tasked with tracking down the missingDinobotsSludge,Snarl,andSwoop.Natural Selection, Part FourHe evidently failed to find them as he was next seen with Spinister alongside Scorponok at theSonic Canyons,preparing to make his Gene Key's effects permanent, whenGrimlockand the Dinobots attacked. When Grimlock's molePerceptorneutralised the Gene Key's effects on the Autobots, turning the odds against Scorponok, Needlenose and Spinister chose the better part of valour, transformed to their aerial modes and fled.Natural Selection, Part Five
Later, Needlenose and Spinister convinced a few agitated Cybertronians to lob a grenade atHot Rodas he was giving a speech at theEugenesis Plaza.Destiny, Part OneNow once more part of the Neo-Decepticons under Soundwave's command, Needlenose destroyed a communications facility as part of the plan to blind Cybertron's Autobots to the arrival ofBludgeon's forces.Destiny, Part TwoWhen those forces arrived, they sent out an army ofBlitz Enginesto soften up the opposition while Soundwave dispatchedMonstructorengage the Autobots' heavy hitterOmega Supreme.Though Bludgeon chose to remain on theWarworld,a group of his warriors descended to the planet's surface and engaged the Autobots directly alongside Needlenose and the other Neo-Decepticons, with Needlenose baggingTailgate.The tide of battle soon turned against them, however, when theDinobotsandDemonsdestroyed the Blitz Engines, Omega Supreme tore Monstructor apart,Rodimus Primethrew Bludgeon through theWarworld's windscreen andBlastertook down Soundwave in single combat,Ultra Magnuswas able to rally the Autobot forces with a rousing speech and they easily defeated the remaining Decepticons.Destiny, Part Five
2005 IDW continuity
- First appearance:Spotlight: Blaster
Prior to the war, Needlenose was in business with his overbearing brotherTrackssellingChic Chips,which Needlenose had designed. However Needlenose began to dislike the fact that the chips he designed for everyone were being marketed and priced by Tracks for only the higher classes, and felt that his brother was hijacking his dream and ignoring him. After meetingHorri-Bulland becoming interested in the Decepticons' anti-class rhetoric, Needlenose, after an argument, dissolved the partnership and left, giving Tracks a warning about being on the wrong side of history.The Transgressors
Needlenose subsequently fell in with the Decepticons and became a gun-runner for the cause along with his new partner Horri-BullDance Among the Shadows,whom he developed a secretinfatuationwith.The TransgressorsFollowingJetfire's altercation with the law, they provided the conflicted Decepticon with a gun for self-defense reasons, unaware that Jetfire was secretly working withOrion Paxto bring the arms dealers to justice.Dance Among the ShadowsThe two later met with Jetfire again; when Jetfire wondered ifSoundwavewas aware of their shady dealings, Needlenose revealed that Soundwave had authorized the arms-dealing in the first place, which shocked the idealistic Jetfire.Future Glories LostWhen Orion arrived to arrest them, Needlenose and Horri-Bull fled while Pax gunned down the third member of their group. Frustrated at the loss of their weapons, Needlenose berated Soundwave for letting their hard work go to waste, but Soundwave lied to them by telling them that their supply of weapons had been detonated by the Autobots rather than a pragmatic Starscream.Feel Safe Without Regrets
A few days later, the two Decepticons joinedDeluge,who lured Jetfire into an ambush to get revenge. The three Decepticons quickly started beating the "traitor" to death, but were scared off whenBumblebeearrived.The Next Day, and the Next
Hundreds of years ago, when a Decepticonsleeper agentsilenced"The Voice"just as the Autobot troops were waiting for a broadcast, Needlenose and a squadron of Decepticons underRazorclaw's command moved in for the kill.Spotlight: Blaster
Much later, Needlenose answeredStarscream's rallying cry as the latter assumed the Decepticon leadership. However soon over one hundred Decepticons were filling up the moon base and everything there began to degrade. Razorclaw made the base into a deadly place where the strong fed on the weak. Needlenose eventually gave into this way of thinking and showed it when he helped to brutally murder and then cannibalize Dreadwind after the soldier stole some energon.All His EnginesFortunately,Megatronsoon took back leadership and announced to the gathered Decepticons that they'd take up arms once again... though Needlenose meekly pointed out that he might have trouble taking up anything, having fallen into such disrepair that he'd lost his hands.Spotlight: Megatron
When the Decepticons were captured afterGalvatron's defeat (being weak after forming theDeceptigod), Needlenose was amongst the prisoners locked up and applied with aninhibitor/deterrence chip.Later, agreeing toProwl's terms, he went on to 'discipline' the riotingNAILs.The Death of Optimus Prime
Later, he andHorri-Bullwere made "enforcers of the peace" and beat upTappet,a NAIL who was drawing graffiti on a wall. They were caught in the act by Prowl and taken toRatbat,who berated them for their willingness to serve the Autobots. Needlenose was curious to know whether Ratbat had a plan, which he did and told them to stay out of trouble until the next night. However, that night, Horri-Bull and Needlenose were caught bullyinganother NAIL.After being spotted and threatened byBumblebee,Needlenose tried to calm down Horri-Bull, but the latter kept defying Bumblebee, resulting in the detonation of his I/D chip. Needlenose stared in shock at his deceased friend.The Autonomy LessonTo avenge Horri-Bull, Needlenose picked Zetca as the NAIL to take the fall for Ratbat andSkywarp's planned assassination ofBumblebee.The World & Everything in ItNeedlenose was later part of an angry Decepticon crowd who demanded answers from the Autobots for Ratbat's death.Stick Together
Needlenose later helpedSwindlewatch overDirge,who had witnessed Prowl murdering theConstructiconsand was afraid he'd be hunted down. While Swindle was bringing new arrivalSky-Byteup to speed with recent events, their hiding spot was discovered by the Autobots. Needlenose fought back with a flamethrower, injuringStreetwise,as Swindle and Dirge made a quick getaway. Unfortunately, Needlenose and Sky-Byte were arrested and about to be lynched in public whenIronhideintervened and let them go, trying to make a better future between Autobot and Decepticon.A Better Tomorrow
When Megatron reappeared from Cybertron's wilderness, Needlenose and the other Decepticons were horrified to see that the Autobots immediately attacked him. Acting as spokesman for the leaderless Decepticons, he interrupted the Autobots' assault and argued that Megatron was a hero for his actions during the battle with Galvatron, convincing Bumblebee to imprison him instead of kill him. Bumblebee then had him go look for survivors at the newly destroyed Decepticon pen, but by the time Starscream found him and the other Decepticons, they had instead formed an angry mob prepared to riot against the Autobot government in the name of Megatron.City on FireAs part of this mob, Needlenose led an attack on the Autobot prison, freeing Megatron and following him to theBlack Room.The VergeUnder Megatron's command, the Decepticons fell back into their old army role and moved to conquer Cybertron once again.Before the DawnDuring the battle for Iacon, Needlenose stood byTurmoil's side and got himself bitten and flame-breathed when theDinobotsjoined the fight.Plan for Everything
Finding Swindle to behelpinginjured Autobots, Needlenose was unimpressed and prepared to kill both the traitor and his friends, only to be confronted by a group of NAILs led by his old victim, Zetca. Fortunately for him the neutrals were merciful despite their grudges and let Needlenose escape with his life.Heavy Is the HeadAfter Megatron lost the battle, the Decepticons were banished from Iacon into the wilderness, whereSoundwave,Astrotrain,andBlitzwingbegan fighting over leadership. Needlenose broke them up to speak on behalf of all the grunts who were sick of the fighting: all they wanted was peace, but trusting their leaders in Iacon had only led to more war. Telling them he missed Horri-Bull and his peaceful life before the war, Needlenose declared that the Decepticons were done being soldiers.Shockpoint
In spite of Needlenose's little speech, Soundwave was able to rally him and the other Decepticons into battle for the sake of saving Cybertron fromShockwave's machinations.SoundwavesThey marched on Shockwave'sNecrotitan,only to end up in battle with the Autobots who were already there.Black MetalThe battle came to an end when the Titan emitted a deadly energy wave, injuring Autobot and Decepticon alike and convincing the two sides to team up against Shockwave.Winners & LosersNeedlenose joined the others in attacking Shockwave'sCrystal Citybase, but the battle was lost when the rogue Decepticon summoned the Necrotitan to his side.Finest Hour
Needlenose ended up falling in with Soundwave again after all,Full Fathom Fivethis time under a plan to set up a free and conflict-free Decepticon commune rather than fight.The TransgressorsLed by both Soundwave and Galvatron, the band of Decepticons went to Earth and formed an alliance with theEarth Defense Commandso that the humans could help them build their commune. Needlenose was among those Decepticons who ambushed a small group of Autobots that had also come to Earth and been lured toThundercracker's shack. As the Autobots fled towardsPoverty Flat,Needlenose gave chase with his comrades and tried firing onSideswipe,but the Autobot was quick to dodge.Detonation BoulevardWhenDevastatorjoined the battle, Needlenose opened fire on him alongside Blitzwing andBuzzsaw,but it had little effect on the behemoth.The Mind BombNot long after, Needlenose joined his fellow Decepticons in engaging the Autobots when they attacked the EDC'sBikini Atollbase.I Dream of Wires
Needlenose took a shuttle back to Cybertron withBrawlto make contact with the disgruntled Decepticons and teamed up withDreadwing.The trio whipped up anger in the ghetto and tried to intimidateCamienPrime evangelists into fleeing. Needlenose believed the Autobots were deliberately forming diplomatic relations with peopled who "served the Primes" in order to tighten their grip on the body politic and that Starscream's was a "puppet regime", and he beratedSparkstalkerfor putting up with this just because Camiens had done the bare minimum of treating Decepticons like people. What goes around comes around though, as in a bar meeting, Needlenose struggled to convince Dreadwing of Soundwave's agenda and his chat only enraged Brawl into an off-message roar that the Decepticons should justtakewhat they want. And Brawl spilled his drink! What'd make this worse?
Then Tracks showed up for a chat, after having never visited him in giant-gun jail. Tracks' very presence angered the bar and it only deteriorated as the brothers talked, both wanting no war but both blaming the other's faction for it, unable or unwilling to get common ground. After Tracks said they'd had their chance for a proper deal under Bumblebee and blew it, Needlenose snarled back at his brother that he'd never have worked with the robot who'd killedthe onlyperson he'd ever loved. Tracksdecked himfor that; Needlenose spat out that his brother had never cared and only taken; and the Decepticon bar almost exploded into open violence when aBadgelesscame in to arrest Needlenose. Luckily,Arceearrived to defuse things (by brutalising the Badgeless first) and Needlenose told his brother to tell Prime that the Decepticons didn't want to fight but would if they 'had' to.
After, Needlenose looked wistfully at a pile of old Chic Chips before crushing them and going on stage to lead a Decepticon rally.The TransgressorsAfter the rally, Needlenose and his allies approached Starscream about getting unfettered access to the spacebridge for their people.AphelionThat night, Needlenose led the Decepticons through Iacon Spaceport 1. However Tracks embarrassed Needlenose again by showing up, how rude. Despite offering to let Tracks see the peace they were going to bring for themselves, Tracks instead opted to try and call Optimus. After Brawl shot him, Needlenose kicked his brother aside before leading his fellow Decepticons through the space bridge to theArk-7,where they confronted the Autobots trapped insideGarrison Blackrock's force field. He gave orders for them tokillopposition, telling a shockedSwifta few more bodies wouldn't make a difference this close to peace.Lagrange
Needlenose led the Decepticons through the Space Bridge, and they captured the Autobot ship. Needlenose was prepared to bring his people toSanctuary Stationnear Jupiter, announcing they'd achieved their raid was cleanly as was possible (while ignoring Sideswipe's execution) but Brawl revealed they had secret orders from Galvatron to begin conquest of Earth instead. TheArk-7crashed down in Shanghai, China. Although this went against his plans with Soundwave, Needlenose reluctantly went along with Brawl's direction. When Brawl cheerfully said he was glad Needlenose hadn't gone soft and it was time to kill some humans, Needlenose looked away in shame but did not oppose the massacre.Perihelion
The resulting battle was a debacle and the Decepticons willingly fled ontoa shuttleSoundwave had sent, though Needlenose put up a token whinge aboutan Autobotbeing there.Once Upon a Time on EarthDuring the retreat, he tried to shrug off the whole affair was just being an honest mistake from picking Galvatron, much to Swift's dismay. The two ended up talking about Optimus, where Needlenose 'explained' that Optimus had started overthrowing the hierarchy like they had but then prevented the Decepticons going much further, fighting to keep them under a Primacy. And Optimus wasn't even a true Prime since he didn't even do miracles and junk!New Worlds OrderFeeling regretful over the Decepticons' violent treatment of Tracks, Needlenose made amends by agreeing to organize a meeting between Optimus Prime and Soundwave.The Medium and the MessageNeedlenose was part of the combined forces of Prime and Soundwave that went to attack theNemesisin theIndian Ocean,with Arcee intending to use him as a guide because of his knowledge of the Decepticon ship's layout.It's Beginning To And Back AgainNeedlenose did indeed lead Arcee and several others, including Tracks, through theNemesis,arguing with his brother all the way to the control room. Needlenose thought they had little to fear upon finding Garrison Blackrock, but he was soon proven wrong asMarissa Fairebornfired at him; Tracks pushed Needlenose out of the way, with Needlenose also yelling for his brother to watch out.As Above...So BelowIn the aftermath of the battle, Needlenose helped round up the wounded combatants; when the EDC showed up and started blitzing their position, Needlenose loaded his unconscious brother onto Sky Lynx as the team prepared to evacuate.White LightWhite Heat
Returning to Sanctuary Station, Needlenose was later interviewed during theIron Ring's assault on Cybertron and shared his concerns for his brother's safety, wishing that he could be there.Primeless, Part 2Needlenose was present in archived footage used for Thundercracker'sStarscream: The Movie,but got to actually make his mark as a movie star inRumbleandFrenzy's own directorial debut,Dark Invasion,where he engaged in an epic, thought-provoking duel withSlugslinger.Starscream: The Movie
Deciding to visit Tracks on Cybertron for a week not long afterwards, Needlenose was subsequently present whenOnyx Primemade his return. The two brothers, Dreadwing, and Swift then met with Soundwave to discuss the Prime's return, and when Soundwave tried to argue that Optimus wasn't corrupt like the Primes of the past, Needlenose brought up how he had turned a blind eye to the I/D chips and the actions of groups like the Dinobots and theWreckersduring the war, as well as how he had only turned againstZeta Primeat the last possible minute. The group then went with Soundwave when he invited them to join him on a trip to theSpireand see the captiveLiege Maximo,Needlenose expressing his doubts all the way; while peering into the thoughts of those around him during this visit, Soundwave found that Needlenose wished he acted more like a Decepticon. Needlenose was subsequently in the Spire when it was rocked by a mysterious explosion, although he made it out with minimal damage.Another Mine.
In the aftermath of the blast, Needlenose became outraged by Onyx's claim that Soundwave was responsible, and even defended Optimus against the ancient Prime's slandering by pointing out how he had joined the Decepticons in fighting against Zeta and had given them a second chance after Galvatron's failed conquests. However, nothing could prepare Needlenose for what Onyx revealed next: security footage of Soundwave activating Horri-Bull's I/D chip to make sure the Autobots wouldn't discover that the Decepticons had taken control of the chips. Horrified that the 'bot he looked up to had murdered the 'bot he loved, Needlenose becameenragedand attacked Soundwave, causing a massive riot to begin throughout Iacon. Needlenose was soon knocked away by Soundwave, who realized the Constructicons were up to something.The GroundNeedlenose was soon distracted by his attempts at revenge byOnyx's craft,which had just blown a hole throughMetrotitan.The First Who Was Named
Needlenose followed Soundwave when the latter went into hiding as a mob of disenfranchised Decepticons tried to track him down. Soundwave threatened Needlenose at gunpoint after he was told he was no longer worthy to be their leader, but Needlenose didn't flinch. The tense confrontation between the two was interrupted when the aimless Starscream appeared among the Decepticons, who quickly rallied around him and asked theSeekerto lead them once again. Taken aback at the prospect of Starscream retaking command, Soundwave targeted him from the shadows.Endless ForeverNeedlenose stopped Soundwave from firing, angrily pointing out that Soundwave was really no better than Starscream for trying to use lies and murder to get his way. Having given Soundwave pause, Needlenose departed the scene with the newly arrived Tracks, who had been looking for him in the chaos of the day. Needlenose declared that he only wanted to be around people who truly cared about him from now on and the brothers walked off together.UnforgivableDespite this, Needlenose still found himself hanging out with Starscream's group of Decepticons after they set up shop in Metrotitan's corpse.Unstopped and Unstoppable
WhenUnicronappeared above Cybertron, Needlenose and his fellow Decepticons hurried toMetroplexfor a mass evacuation of the planet. Needlenose thought he could approach the on-duty Tracks to get the full measure of the situation, but before he could, all Decepticons in the area received a mental message from Soundwave. Soundwave informed everyone that they wouldn't make it off the planet in time, and that Starscream was planning to leave without them. This sparked a riot at the spaceport and Needlenose elbowed Tracks out of his way to try and board Metroplex. Before they could reach safety, everyone was suddenly terrified into inaction, looking up to watch Unicron sink its massive hands into Cybertron's surface.Our Finest
As the monster began tearing the planet apart, Needlenose and many others were rescued byBlurr,who shoved them into a ribbon of magical energy created by theTalismanthat teleported them directly to Earth.Road's EndNeedlenose took stock of his new surroundings alongside a strayturbofoxthat had also been rescued.A Sunrise DarkNeedlenose and thetwoTankorssoon located Starscream and accosted him for attempting to abandon them to die on Cybertron, but were forced to drop their grievances because of the more pressing concern that Unicron was now approaching Earth. Needlenose subsequently boarded Metroplex and joined an attack force that directly opposed Unicron in Earth's orbit.AssemblyHe fought alongside Tracks and his fellow Decepticons, and ultimately Unicron was vanquished.Ceremony
In the post-Unicron world, Tracks and Needlenose sought the blessing of the new Mistress of Flame-Pyra Magna,to restart their Chic Chips business. Needlenose doubted she would even understand the purpose of Chic Chips, and Pyra was indeed perplexed as to what use they had to either Cybertronian or human. Nevertheless, Pyra gave her blessing, telling the brothers that their Chic Chips might make a difference in the life of SOMEONE out there, before "gently" ordering them to leave. Needlenose and Tracks were later seen in attendance at Optimus Prime's funeral.Post
TransTech
InAxiom Nexus,Ruckus, Needlenose, andCrankcaseassaulted what they thought was anenergonrefinery, but it turned out to be a waste fuel storage depot. Eyuw.Around Cybertron #1
Another Needlenose was a fashionista in Axiom Nexus. With the help of his assistantsSunbeamandZigzag,Needlenose was making waves in the fashion world, even outside of the Offworld Zone. He was interviewed byAndromeda.Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News, 2015/05/19
Of Masters and Mayhem
Needlenose and the rest of theMayhem Attack Squadwere selected byShockwaveto form the ultimate combiner,Thunder Mayhem.Their power amplified and the combiner's personality solidified by theMatrix of Malice,the Mayhem Attack Squad's destructive ability proved uncontrollable. The Squad captured Optimus Prime and restrained him within their ship, forcing him to watch as Thunder Mayhem went on an apocalyptic rampage across Cybertron, nearly driving the Cybertronian race to extinction.Deadly AimLively PursuitPandora's Gift
Years later, Needlenose and the others were drawn to a cavern on Earth by a Decepticon signal, finding upon their arrival that the extra-dimensionalRamjetwas the one broadcasting it. Upon seeing him, Needlenose was unimpressed by Ramjet's color scheme, commenting that it was rather meretricious. Bludgeon spoke with their new acquaintance, who in short order showed that he had power that rivaled the Squad's. Agreeing to work together, the Decepticons began to plot the destruction of the universe.History
The Mayhem Attack Squad turned Thunder Mayhem loose on the city ofMerida.DivinationThey were confronted byMetalhawk's team of AutobotPretendersand the exiled Optimus Prime himself.Pandora's GiftThunder Mayhem had little trouble keeping them at bay, but when theWreckersarrived and unveiled their new combined formWreckage,the Mayhems had a true fight on their hands. The superpowered humanElizabethfired an energy blast that damaged Thunder Mayhem's chest, allowing Wreckage to expose the Matrix of Malice. Together, all parties focused their fire and destroyed the Matrix, causing the Squad to de-combine and ending Thunder Mayhem for good. In the aftermath, the Wreckers took the Mayhem Attack Squad into custody when they left the planet.Finale
Legacy VS500 Collection Special Comic
Needlenose was a spectator for the second week of theSpeedia 500onVelocitron.Velocitron Speedia 500 Part 3
Commercial appearances
Needlenose used his TargetmastersSunbeamandZigzagto chase down a group of Autobot-allied Nebulans. The Nebulans' Autobot allies then showed up, and used their own partners' gun modes to retaliate! Needlenose andSpinistertransformed to robot mode to continue the fight on foot.Double Targetmasters commercial
Toys
The Transformers
- Needlenose(Targetmaster,1988)
- Accessories:Sunbeam/light burst discharger& Zigzag/twinelectrostatic overloader rifleTargetmaster partners/guns
- Known designers:Takashi Kunihiro(TakaraTomy),Masakatsu Saito(concept artist)
- Released in the fifth year of theoriginalTransformerstoyline,TargetmasterNeedlenose transforms into theF-16XL variant of the F-16 Fighting Falcon.Inrobot mode,Needlenose's articulation is located entirely in his shoulders, which can move up and down as well as swing out to the sides.
- He comes with two Targetmaster partners,ZigzagandSunbeam.Their gun modes can be mounted on5mm hardpointsunder his wingtips in jet mode.
- Like all of the smaller Targetmasters, Needlenose was never released inTakara'sTransformersline.
Combiner Wars
- Needlenose(TFSS 4.0, 2016)
- Accessories:long-range rifle, "Sunbeam" and "Zputty" Targetmaster partners, "4C Cryo Coolant Concussion Cannon" /Combiner extremity
- The first figure to ship in theFigure Subscription Service 4.0,Combiner WarsNeedlenose is aredecoof Deluxe ClassFirefly,transforming into a modifiedHarrier Jump Jet.He can also form either an arm or a leg for any standard-issueCombiner Wars-style gestalt (or into one ofLegendsGodbomber'slegs), though his nominal placement is as the left arm toThunder Mayhem.
- He includes his Targetmaster partnersSunbeamand "Zputty"(renamed from Zigzag, likely due totrademarkissues), who are redecoes ofCaliburstandHolepunchrespectively.
| Combiner Warsmold:Firefly | ||
|---|---|---|
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Legacy
- Needlenose(Deluxe Class,2023)
- TakaraTomy ID number:TL-23
- TakaraTomy release date:March 25,2023
- Accessories:Vertical stabilizer
- Known designers:Mark Maher(Hasbro),Ittoku Kuwazu(TakaraTomy)[1]
- Part of the first wave ofLegacy: EvolutionDeluxe Class figures, Needlenose is based directly on his original toy, which gives him a rather simple transformation into his fighter jet mode. He comes with both his Targetmasters, "Decepticon Sunbeam"and"Decepticon Zigzag",whom he can wield individually or as a combined weapon (marketed as anEvo-Fusiongimmick); their combined form can also be inserted into the jet's exhaust to appear as a larger external thruster, or mounted on top of the jet mode if the vertical stabilizer is removed. They can also be stored individually on the tips of his jet mode wings. He also has some ports at the bottom of his jet mode/his robot mode chest, which can peg onto the top of thePrime Universe Skyquake/Prime Universe Dreadwingtoy.
- Zigzag is completely painted over, and his peg fits rather snugly into Sunbeam's port, so care must be taken to avoid stress marks and paint chipping.
- The official Hasbro promotional images had the color of Needlenose's helmet incorrectly the same shade of gray as his torso, but the renders on the back of the packaging had the correct darker shade of the gray of the eventual release.
- This figure was revealed duringHasbro Pulse Con 2022.It was scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2023 but arrived at Philippine retail in late November 2022.
- This mold was also used to makeWindsweeper,and his Targetmasters repainted intoCleansweepandOzone.
Merchandise
Transformers Trading Card Game
- Raider Needlenose, Air Force-Soldier(2019)
- Wave 3: War for Cybertron: Siege I
- Rarity:RT
- Card Number:T32/T48
- Stars:8
- Raider Needlenose, Air Force-Soldier is one of forty-eight double-sided character cards available in Wave 3 of theTransformers Trading Card Game,War for Cybertron: Siege I.
- The card features line-art drawn byDan Khanna.
Notes
- Needlenose's Earthalternate modein IDW'sRobots in Disguisecomic is obviously aF-35 Lightning II.
- Needlenose was a possible candidate for theSiegetoyline as a part of afan pollalong withTracks,but ultimately lost the vote. He was later acandidateagain for theEarthrisetoyline and again lost, this time toRunamuck.
- For theTransformers Trading Card Game,Dan Khannagave Needlenose an original body as a redeco ofSiegeVoyager ClassStarscream.
Foreign names
- Japanese:Needlenose(ニードルノーズNīdorunōzu)
- Hungarian:Tűorr(Needlenose)
References
- ↑Transformers PanelatHasbro Pulse Con 2022Day 1 on theHasbro PulseYouTube channel.
