Ultra Pretender

Ultra Pretenders are Transformers from theGeneration 1continuity family.

Guys who can essentially be in three places at the same time? Nope, no stories about them.More Bumblebee!

TheUltra Pretenderstake thePretenderconcept even further than theirMega Pretendercompatriots. Not only do their Pretender shells hide their inner robot form, not only do the shells transform, but the shells can also conceal themselves within a vehicular outer shell. Outer shell, inner shell, and inner robot can charge into battle alongside one another, creating a literal army of one.

The Ultra Pretenders are:

• The DecepticonRoadblock
• The AutobotSkyhammer
• The AutobotGround Shaker

Fiction

2005 IDW continuity

Roadblock was seen aboardBanzai-Tron's flagship, manning some controls.Spotlight: Arcee

Commercial appearances

The Ultra Pretenders shared acommercialspot with theMega Pretenders.The animation features Skyhammer strafing Roadblock's vehicle shell. Roadblock's two inner forms then emerge from the shell, transforming alongside each other and firing at the departing Autobot.

Toys

The Transformers

• Ultra Pretenders(1989)
  • Roadblock
  • Skyhammer

• Known designers:Masakatsu Saito(concept artist)

It's kind of like a robot turducken. (Roadblock pictured)

The two Ultra Pretender toys were sold boxed. They are essentially three toys in one; each has a large, non-transformable vehicular outer shell, a medium-sized transforming inner shell, and a small transformable inner robot.

Both toys have a similarplay pattern.The large shell can encase both smaller shell and inner robot, and can be "piloted" by the inner robot as well, standing behind a set of pop-up guns. All the weapons of the robot and inner shell can attach to the outer shell.

The small shell can enclose the inner robot while in its humanoid form. Removing the robot allows the inner shell to transform to a vehicular form, with an open-air cockpit allowing the robot to ride as a pilot. The inner shells sport two hand-held guns which can also mount on the shell's vehicle mode or attach to the outer shell.

The inner robots are tiny, simple, and thin-limbed, a result of having to fit inside a shell that fits inside another shell. Both sport a hand-held weapon which can mount on top of their vehicle mode or attach to the vehicular shell.

Both toys are extremely susceptible toGold Plastic Syndrome,with the bottom of Skyhammer's outer shell and Roadblock's inner robot almost entirely made out of the stuff.

No version of these molds were released in Japan.