Rainmaker
From Transformers Wiki
- The Rainmakers are aDecepticonsubgroupfrom theGeneration 1 continuity family.
The DecepticonRainmakersare a unique trio ofSeekerswho specialize in chemical and environmental warfare. A ruthlessly efficient team of warriors, the Rainmakers derive their name from their ability to turn the skies themselves against their victims; few ground-bound Autobots can survive torrents ofacid rainand electromagnetic lightning strikes, and any that do are invariably run down and executed. As a trio, the Rainmakers can level emplacements, melt fortifications, and reduce enemy formations to mounds of corroded scrap and shorted circuits—it's fortunate for Optimus Prime and his followers that there are only three of them!
The group consists of:
| “ | Destroy all intruders with rain!Acidrain! | ” |
—Megatrontells the Rainmakers to do what they do best, "Divide and Conquer" | ||
Contents |
Fiction
Generation 1 cartoon continuity
The Transformerscartoon
When a group ofAutobotsandChip Chasejourneyed toCybertronto fetch acosmitronfor a woundedOptimus Prime,Megatron sent the trio to make things difficult for our heroes with a dose ofacid rain.
Guess what? They failed.Divide and Conquer
Generations Selects Special Comic
The Rainmakers were present inNeo Scramble Citywhen Megatron started a revolution for theSelectors,and was subsequently opposed by the Autobots.Volcanicus comic 1When the Dinobots arrived, the Rainmakers foughtSwoop,who blew their Acid Rain back into their own faces. This forced their systems to falter and made them fall to the ground.Volcanicus comic 2
Ask Vector Prime
Vector Primenoted that the Rainmakers were among the deadliest subordinates ofShockwaveon Cybertron andEarthin manyuniversal streams,includingPrimax 509.28 Epsilon.Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/13
2019 IDW continuity
The Rainmakers were a military unit during theWar of the Threefold Spark.To the dismay ofElita-1,their reunion in theAscenticon Guardevoked the Ascenticons being on wartime footing.All Fall DownThe Rainmakers later took part in the attack on the Senate after Megatron rebranded his movement as the "Decepticons"; the three attacked from the air, incapacitatedSubsea,and burned their way through the building's skylight before using their various powers to prevent the Senators inside from escaping.We Have Deceived You
After seizing full control of the governing body, Megatron introduced the Rainmakers to his fellow Senators beforeClenchreported thatSentinel Primehad escaped, the Rainmakers being deployed to down and recapture him. Catching up to the Prime, Ion Storm managed to down whereupon Acid Storm fired a barrage that left him damaged enough to fall victim to being sliced in two by Nova Storm. Touching down, the trio regraded the Prime's dying cries for aid before retreating whenChromiaopened fire on them.PrimeThough their murder prompted a mixed reception in the Decepticon ranks, the Rainmakers joined their fellows at the gladiatorial arena, being present whenTermagaxreturned to denounce the Decepticons, bearing witness to Megatron contemptuously opening fire on his mentor.Awakenings
When the Decepticons attacked Termagax'sHousefor theEnigma of Combination,Sixshotdispatched the Rainmakers as the first wave. Anticipating this, the Autobots set up forces to meet them,ArceeandSureshotshooting down Acid and Ion Storm.Windchargerattempted to ground Nova Storm with his magnetism but her hull proved immune to his powers so he instead used them on her insides, grounding her.Sea of Rust II
WhenExarchonreturned, the repaired Rainmakers, andSkywarpaccompanied Megatron in his meeting with the Threefold Spark. When they arrived, Megatron blew Exarchon back into the corrosive arms ofSunstorm,melting his body instantly. At Megatron's command, Nova Storm shoved Sunstorm back into his containment tube.War's End Part ThreeThe Rainmakers flew with Megatron to intercept Optimus Prime before the Autobots reachedDarkmount.End of TimeAfter the arrival ofComputronand the removal of Skywarp'simploderallowed the Autobots to reach the city, the Decepticon army invaded the city. During the battle, the Rainmakers were put underStarscream's command, joining the other Seekers in fightingSky Lynxbut failed to stop the Autobots from escaping Cybertron.Fate of Cybertron
War for Cybertron Trilogycartoon
The Rainmakers were among the Seekers who showed up for Starscream's assault on theArk.Siege episode 6
My Little Pony/Transformers
Misfireand the Rainmakers attackedWindbladeandRainbow Dashduring a race inEquestria,but were outmaneuvered and defeated by the two heroes.The Flyin' Fox Trot
Games
Transformers Roleplaying Game
The Rainmakers were an elite sub-division of Seekers who specialized in environmental warfare.Decepticon Directive
Toys
War for Cybertron: Siege
(Erroneous middle vehicle mode)
- Seeker Acid Storm/Seeker Ion Storm/Seeker Nova Storm(Multi-pack,2019)
- Released as a three-pack, the Rainmakers are a trio of redecoes of theSiegeVoyager ClassStarscream moldfrom the same line, transforming from a heavily Generation 1-inspired robot to a Cybertronian 'tetrajet' based on theSeekers' appearance in "More than Meets the Eye, Part 1"and back; although the jet mode has the robot legs sticking out from the undercarriage. Each includes two" HPI Null-Ray Laser Launchers, "which can mount on their upper arms or under the wings in jet mode. All three feature battle damage (with identical application patterns) and use the neutral frowning head sculpt used by Starscream.
- Glaringly, Hasbro erroneously recycled the alt-mode stock photo ofThundercrackerinstead of distributing one ofIon Storm,whichspread outto various drawn media.
- This set was made available at general retail in US Target stores (where it would become a recurring shelfwarmer) without prior announcement from Hasbro, and atEntertainment Earthin 2021. It was also released in Canada at general retail in Toys "R" Us stores.
- Interestingly, not only was this set not released in other Hasbro markets, but TakaraTomy scheduled it for release in Japan nearly two full years later. Further, the stock photography used versions of the toys with slightly different paint applications.
| Siegemold:Starscream | ||
|---|---|---|
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Version 1:
Version 2:
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Merchandise
The Loyal Subjects
- Rainmakers(2013)
- Accessories:Pegged wings, blasters
- The Loyal SubjectsRainmakers are a set of three 3-inch non-transforming vinyl figures designed byLes Schetkoe.The set includesAcid Stormand the then-yet-to-be-named Ion Storm and Nova Storm, and comes in a retro box with a limited run of 500 pieces.
Notes
- The term "rainmakers" (or perhaps "rain makers" ) was originally used byBluestreakas a colloquial description of their actions. However, repeatedfan usageturned this into a widely accepted name for the group, which was eventuallymade officialas such by Hasbro's 2008 toy bio for Acid Storm.
- Despite the many different designations thought up by fans, the yellow and the blue Rainmakers went officially unnamed for over 30 years until a 2015 entry of the Facebook edition ofAsk Vector Prime(contributed byBrandy DixonandBetsy Blackie) named the yellow oneNova Stormand the blue oneIon Storm.[1]
- A common piece offanonidentified the all-yellow Rainmaker as the partially yellowSunstorm.However, even taking into consideration the haphazard coloring typically given to generic Seekers, chances were in favour of their not being the same guy. After being asked the question during the August 2010 Q&A, Hasbro confirmed that the yellow Rainmaker was not Sunstorm, but did not give him a name at that time.[2]
- Further confusion arose duringBotCon 2013,when figures of Sunstorm and his newly named companions from "More than Meets the Eye, Part 1",BitstreamandHotlink,were released in an exclusive three pack titled "Rainmakers". However,Fun Publicationsemployees subsequently confirmed that the pack's title was in error, and that there was no intention to link the "welcoming committee" to the trio from "Divide and Conquer".
- The acid rain only affected the Autobots. Chip Chase was utterly unharmed. Make ofthatwhat you will.
Foreign names
- Japanese:Rainmakers(レインメーカーズReinmēkāzu)
References
- ↑Post by BDixonarts on TFW2005, 15 July 2015
- ↑August 2010 Q&A on ASMzine:"When the right opportunities arise, the other Seekers seen in the original television series such as Acid Storm have been named and given official backgrounds. Unfortunately, not every character that has appeared on screen has made the transition into other forms of media or even product. Because of this fact, there has been no official backgrounds created for these characters."
