Rust Dust

Rust Dust is aCamienAutobotfrom theGeneration 1continuity family.

You don't know what hard times are, daddy.

Rust Dustis unbalanced in multiple senses. She's wobbly enough as a motorcycle that her teammates wonder how she stays on two wheels, and she's got hair-trigger reflexes that send her racing off at the merest possibility of an enemy. Often she's as likely to be racing into danger as out of it, but to Rust Dust's line of thinking a moving target is just harder to hit. And if she leads her friends on a wild turbofox chase... again... well there are worse things. Add in her upbeat, go-get-em attitude, and even an unbalanced little scrapper like her can inspire her larger, stronger teammates.

She can combine with her fellowTorchbearersto formVictorion.

Fiction

2005 IDW continuity

• First Appearance:Transformers: Combiner Hunters #1

When animals attack.

Rust Dust derived her name froman old poemthat was part of theLight of the Forgefire.

Rust Dust accompanied her fellowTorchbearerson a mission toParvus Oppidum,an all but abandoned mining town that had recently been beset by bandits after the town's meager energon supply. Though things were quiet when they first arrived, the marauders soon returned and caught the Torchbearers off guard. Rust Dust's friendFastbreakwas killed in the ensuing battle, a fate she narrowly avoided sharing. Eventually a black hole opened up under the town, prompting Rust Dust and her fellow Torchbearers to get to work trying to protect the townspeople. After the singularity and the marauders disappeared, leaving Parvus in ruins, the devastated Rust Dust held Fastbreak's corpse in her arms.

Some time later, Rust Dust began a friendship with fellow TorchbearerPyra,who had similarly been shaken by the events at Parvus. On one of their meetings, Pyra inquired about the origins of her name. After being named leader of the Torchbearers, Pyra Magna made Rust Dust part of her team.Ghost Stories

Soon afterCaminusentered theCouncil of Worlds,her team was sent toCybertronto search for the remains ofCrystal City.

DanananadaDADA! Dusty POWER!

It was Rust Dust that spotted strangers entering theSea of Rustand alerted Magna. That led to them intervening in a fight betweensome rando called ArceeandCityspeakerWindbladeherself, with Arcee attempting to destroy the fabledEnigma of Combination.A horrified Rust Dust tried to save the Enigma and in the process, she accidentally turned all her team into the new combiner Victorion!

After a brief rampage, the gestalt separated and Rust Dust suggested they hide the Enigma on Caminus, if Arcee was so worriedStarscreamwould use it. Windblade overrode her, saying they needed to ensure Cybertron and Caminus stayed allies.An Uneventful Night

The Torchbearers opted to stay in the Rust Sea for a time, still learning to control their new powers. The inhabitants of the wasteland soon learned to avoid them. On one occasion, the team appeared to scare off a group of zombifiedSweeps.Redemption

They remained in exile untilOptimus Prime—seeking answers about what ittrulymeant to be aPrime—decided to visit the group.AphelionMerging into Victorion, the Torchbearers tested Optimus's physical and spiritual resolve. Optimus's agnosticism about theMatrix of Leadershipprompted Victorion to lay claim to the Matrix and vow to build Optimus into a worthy Prime.Lagrange

She went to Earth with the other Torchbearers, remaining out of sight for some time, though she was a part of the combiner when they saved Optimus from a human-built kilsat.Edge of the EarthAnd again when Victorion went into battle against thehuman-made combiners,at least until the combiner was forcibly separated thanks to trickery fromGalvatronleaving Rust Dust and her teammates floating at the bottom of theIndian Ocean.It's Beginning To And Back AgainKnocked out by the separation, she remained unconscious while the other Autobots figured out how to end Galvatron's control over combiners.As Above...So Below

By the time that the Torchbearers had regained consciousness, the fight had already moved offworld.No Fair FightsRust Dust and the Torchbearers helped round up the stragglers.White LightThough exhausted from the fighting, they were forced to form Victorion again to see off the Earth Defense Command.White Heat

After several uneventful months on Earth, the Torchbearers were later deployed toOregonto defend Arcee andJazzfrom aG.I. Joeattack. As Victorion, they used their gravity powers to harmlessly incapacitate human aircraft in the wake ofSoundwave's EMP attack.Concorde HymnThe Torchbearers remained on guard outsideMetrotitanas the Transformers attempted to diffuse the growingOre-13crisis that threatened to destroy Earth. When theDire WraithsandM.A.S.K.dropped all pretenses and attacked the city for its Ore-13 supplies,The New ColossusVictorion and the other Autobots defended their base from their combined forces and the monstrousBaron Karza.Overwhelmed by a tide of Dire Wraiths, Victorion split into her components to even the playing field.Valley Forge

When that crisis had passed, the Autobots and their new allies - including G.I. Joe and some recently arrived Transformer colonists with religious aspirations - turned their attention back to stabilizing the increasingly volatile Earth. The Torchbearers accompanied Optimus Prime when they traveled to theMatterhornand intercept an alien craft on a collision course with Earth.To Walk Among the ChosenAs Victorion, the Torchbearers stood guard as theJunkionsdisembarked from their craft, and watched as their leadersWreck-GarandRum-Majparleyed with Optimus Prime.A Lonely Pillar on the Plain

Rust Dust and the Torchbearers stood by when Pyra Magna finally came to blows with Optimus Prime over his hypocrisy of leading via religious mandate when he himself did not believe. Nevertheless, they attended the meeting between the peoples of Earth, Cybertron, and Junk arranged by the Prime. Which, of course, immediately descended into open warfare.Dance Among the ShadowsThey engaged the attacking Junkions on the orders of the Prime, forming Victorion to deal with their foes.Future Glories LostIn the aftermath of the battle, the Junkions were givenBikini Atollas a refugee city, building their ownLittle Cybertronon the island, with the somewhat reluctant assistance of the Torchbearers.The Next Day, and the Next

Rust Dust was at Autobot City when Metrotitan's Space Bridge ferried Earth's envoy of ambassadors to Cybertron to be accepted into the Council of Worlds. When contact with Cybertron was cut off, she and the Torchbearers locked down Autobot City in case an attack was directed back through the bridge.Primeless, Part 1

Rust Crutch

The Torchbearers awaited Optimus Prime at Autobot City when he returned from theOre-13mines with a supply of energon for Cybertron.Surfeit of PrimesA situation developed when he delivered the energon to Cybertron, but Pyra Magna chose to keep her forces in reserve rather than rush to the Prime's side.Another MineOf course, they had no say in the matter once Autobot City acted on its own accord and transported to Cybertron through its own space bridge portal. Metrotitan was then slain byNemesis,flagship of the prodigal Prime,Onyx Prime.The Ground

In the wreckage of Metrotitan, the Torchbearers were faced theMaximalsofLiege Maximoand the fanatical combiner,Devastator.They formed Victorion in order to better defend their allies. The power of Devastator seemed to be so great that he overcame Victorion's gravity-manipulation abilities.The HallowingVictorion's fight with Devastator went poorly for some time and he held the upper hand.Endless ForeverEventually, however, it was revealed that the Liege Maximo manipulated the gravity power ofOre-4to counteract Victorion's powers. Once Arcee dispatched him, Devastator fell easily and was pulverized by sustained gravimetric pressure. Rust Dust and the Torchbearers disconnected as Pyra Magna confronted Onyx Prime in his true form asShockwaveof the Decepticons.Unforgivable

Rust Dust and the other Torchbearers narrowly escaped the destruction of their homeworld Caminus by the jaws ofUnicron.Last StandRust Dust and the others were concerned for Pyra Magna as they mourned the death of theMistress of Flame.Stranger EonsAfter Unicron appeared above Cybertron, the Torchbearers combined into Victorion to attack the planet-eater directly at the command ofElita One.However, Victorion was defeated byMonstructor,who killedStormclashand forced them to de-combine.Our FinestHitching a ride onBludgeon'sWorldsweeperto Earth, the Torchbearers arrived in time for the final battle with Unicron and its followers.AssemblyWithSlidetaking Stormclash's place, the Torchbearers were able to form Victorion again and slay Monstructor withSuperion's help. In the aftermath of Unicron's defeat, Rust Dust supported the wounded Pyra Magna as they accepted Slide into the Torchbearers.Ceremony

In the days following Unicron's defeat, Rust Dust helped rebuild and attended Optimus Prime's funeral.Post

2019 IDW continuity

First appearance:Transformers#30

She'll come at you like a spider-monkey.

One of Pyra Magna's faithfulCompanions,Rust Dust adopted her color scheme in protest of Pyra's imprisonment after theWar of the Threefold Spark.She joined back up with her fellow Companions after Pyra Magna was released and enlisted byOptimus Primeto combat the Decepticon menace. The Companions hid under ashimmer fieldas Pyra met withStrikaas part of a parlay and sprung into action when it turned into an assassination attempt on their leader. Facing off with a group of Decepticons that Strika had brought along, Rust Dust took point and pounced on a terrifiedNautilatorin the first moments of the fight. After driving the Decepticons off, Pyra announced that they would be putting their support behind Optimus Prime for the time being.We Are Not Meant To Be Darkness

Let's tango, axeman.

Rust Dust was part of a strike team sent aboardSky Lynxto rescueTermagaxfrom anInsecticon cloneswarm. After clearing the Insecticons out, Rust Dust andGroundbreakeramused themselves by kicking a dead clone into the nearbySea of Rust,where it was devoured byrust worms.The Autobots took up a defensive position in front ofHousewhen the Decepticons launched an attack and Rust Dust took onOffroadin the ensuing melee.Sea of Rust II

Last time she shows up in this continuity.

Rust Dust and her fellow Companions were poised to defendCrystal Citywhen a large Decepticon force led by Strika launched an attack on it.A Dust of CrystalsAfterLodestarandComputronarrived on the battlefield, Optimus Prime saw an opportunity to force a ceasefire with the Decepticons, and Rust Dust accompanied him to confront Strika.The Landscape of FearPyra Magna next had the Companions travel to theSonic Canyonsto confront a returnedExarchon.As they passed over the expanding Sea of Rust on their way there, they noticed the frenzied activity of the rust worms within it, which Rust Dust admitted was compelling to watch. The Companions arrived at Exarchon's hideout to find a group of Decepticons led bySixshotalready engaged in battle with him.War's End Part Two

Games

Transformers: Earth Wars

Rust Dust.... Hmmm..... That name's not tongue twisty enough. How about Rust Crust Must Gust Just Dust?

Rust Dust has a habit of acting first and thinking later, tearing off into danger and rationalizing that a moving target is harder to hit than any target at all. The merest whiff of an enemy heat signature and she's away, more often than not leading the others on a wild goose chase.

She's so imbalanced, her teammates wonder how she manages to stay on two wheels, but often her hair-trigger instincts have proven invaluable.Rust Dust bio

Rust Dust came to Earth alongside the rest of the Torchbearers, save Pyra Magna. Rust Dust doesn't really do much, Campaign wise.

Rust Dust along with the other Torchbearers were in the Polyhex district on a scouting mission looking for the Dinobot Sludge. They couldn't find any trace of the big lug until Pyra Magna noticed a brokencerebro-shell. Polyhex Saga

• Class:Special
• Lowest Star Rating:3 Stars (2 star in Beta)
• Weapons:Rust Dust uses a Stun gun of the same make as Bumblebee. She can also back flip to avoid Cannon or Mortar fire.
• Ability: Artillery Support:Call in Artillery at your current position and get away! Deals massive damage in a large area

Transformers Roleplaying Game

Rust Dust was a bubbly member of the Torchbearers.The Enigma of Combination

Toys

Combiner Wars

There were two bad people... one was John Wayne, and he's dead, brother, and the other's right here.

• Victorion(Collection Pack,2016)

• Known designers:John Warden(Hasbro),Shogo Hasui(TakaraTomy),You(initial concept)

Combiner WarsRust Dust is aredecoof Legends ClassProtectobot Groovefrom the same toy line, and transforms into a motorcycle. She can combine with her teammatesPyra Magna,Skyburst,Stormclash,Dust Up,andJumpstream,and forms the chestplate of Victorion. Like the rest of her Torchbearers, Rust Dust features Cybertronictampographson her vehicle mode, which reads "Far Away"on her right and"Never Roam"on the left.

Theinstructionsfor Victorion, all of the respective fictional appearances, and official artwork of the character (including the piece used on the packaging) depict Rust Dust's chestplate mode as sitting upright (motorcycle windshield at the top, wheel at the bottom), as opposed to Groove's upside down orientation. However, due to the way the Groove andHot Spotmolds are designed to combine, the only two points of friction holding Rust Dust on in the "official" Victorion configuration, are the5 mm postson Rust Dust's arms, leading to the chestplate outright falling off at the drop of a hat. The windshield of the motorcycle also partially obscures Victorion's face in this configuration too. The red paint used on Rust Dust's forearms is also prone to scratching off in places—specifically her knuckles (due to them scraping against the molded greebles on Pyra Magna in torso mode), and the tabs on either forearm (where they plug into her own legs for chestplate mode). The paint scraping off can also lead to less friction on the forearm tabs, making the chestplate mode less likely to hold together.

Rust Dust was only available as part of a Victorion box set, including a poster and a collector card based on the set's packaging art. The set was one of several so-called "Collection Packs" that were "online exclusives" in the United States, available from online retailers such asHasbro Toy Shop,Amazon,andBigBadToyStoreas well as the online stores of "big box" retailers such asToys "R" Us,Walmart,Target,andKmart.In Hasbro's Asian markets such as Singapore and Taiwan, the set was available at general retail. In Australia, it was sold at Toys "R" Us and Big W stores, whereas in Canada, was both sold at Toys "R" Us stores and available via Amazon Canada. In the United Kingdom, it was available via the UK Toys "R" Us website (but never sold in stores), whereas in Spain, it was available via the Spanish subsidiaries ofAmazonand Carrefour, as well as the department store chain El Corte Inglés, supposedly also only available online.

This sculpt was also used to makeAdventureOverrideand wasretooledintoCombiner WarsWreck-Gar.It also served as the model for the non-toyBeast Wars: UprisingcharacterVampireand theSpatiotemporal Challengersincarnation ofScooter.

• More information on Rust Dust at TFU.info

Notes

• Early appearances of Victorion in the comics had an unfortunate tendency to omit Rust Dust.
• Much like Groove, when Rust Dust is drawn as part of Victorion, she's often drawn upside-down—with the front wheel erroneously pointing down instead of correctly up. This is presumably due to the fact that she appears that way in all stock photography.

Foreign names

• Japanese:Rust Dust(ラストダストRasuto Dasuto)
• Mandarin:Xiù Chén( tú trần, "Rust Dust" )