Energon cube
From Transformers Wiki
The energon cube is the safest form of Energon, used for transportation and storage.
Contents |
Fiction
Generation 1 continuity
The Transformers cartoon
Energon cubes were created via an empty cube-shaped, framework generated by Decepticons, most notably Soundwave, More than Meets the Eye, Part 1 Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1 Energon cubes seemed to be Decepticon technology going as far back as Cybertron's Golden Age, War Dawn as when the Autobots awoke in 1984, they seemed unaware of them, most notably Hound. More than Meets the Eye, Part 1
As early as 1985, as the Decepticon Empire began to expand its influence, energon cubes became a viable trading commodity in the Milky Way, with even alien lifeforms valuing their power. The Gambler That same year, Elita One's team stole a batch of energon cubes from Shockwave's base. The Search for Alpha Trion
By the year 2005 the Autobots had begun to use energon cubes for power as well. The Transformers: The Movie
Exactly how an energon cube operates is unclear, especially as their framework appears to be some sort of self-sustaining force field with no internal mechanisms. Most frequently, the empty cube is simply attached to or placed near the energy source from which it is to drain power, and the energy in question is automatically converted into liquid energon that fills the cube. Energon cubes have proven able to transform a vast array of resources into energon, including electricity, magma, oil and steam. Energon seems to have a much higher energy potential than carbon-based fuel sources: 1000 barrels of oil are needed to fill a single energon cube, Thief in the Night and the electrical energy within the synapses of the human brain are insufficient to generate even a few drops. The Ultimate Doom, Part 3
The liquid energon within energon cubes is a glowing pink color, although the cubes could also be compressed for easy storage and transport, causing them to take on an iridescent rainbow effect.
Marvel The Transformers comics
Shockwave built an energy siphon that was capable of converting both oil and the sonic energy from a Brick Springstern concert into large purple energon cubes. Unfortunately when these cubes were exposed to x-ray energy from Shockwave's weaponry, they detonated in a blinding flash of light. Rock and Roll-Out!
Wheeljack invented the Geothermal Generator which converted the Earth's underground heat into energon cubes. Used Autobots
Concentrated energon cubes are a highly valuable form of universally accepted currency among alien cultures. These tiny green non-glowing cubes measure approximately 6 inches (15.2 cm) on a side and are easily transportable, as well as being less combustible than normal energon cubes. Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner?
2005 IDW continuity
After Misfire had been captured by the Galactic Council on Constancy, Fulcrum launched a daring jailbreak but found his brilliant plan sidetracked by his friend grabbing some energon cubes to sate his appetite. Arm the Lonely
Henkei! Henkei! Comic Bun Bun pack-in manga
2019 IDW continuity
A safe form that was ready for consumption, energon cubes were the preferred way of transporting energon. Wannabee, Part 1 Constructicons Rising, Part 2
After Devastator had devastated Mayalx, the Insecticons devoured the scrap metal left behind and metabolized a large bounty of energon cubes for the Rise. Constructicons Rising, Part 4
Transformers vs. The Terminator
After taking over a Cyberdyne Systems facility, the Decepticons used the compound's energy production capabilities to make a bounty of energon cubes, though Refraktor wasn't pleased with the pitiful amount of cubes that the Decepticons were able to fill. Enemy of My Enemy Part Three
Transformers/Back to the Future
After Rumble had claimed the DeLorean time machine, he travelled back to 1974 and enslaved Biff Tannen, forcing the human to spend the next ten years making energon cubes, giving the Decepticons an advantage when he awoke them from the Ark. After executing the Autobots, the Decepticons quickly conquered Earth, forcing the humans to produce energon cubes. Transformers/Back to the Future #2 After Hill Valley fell behind on their quota, Megatron sent Starscream to see what was up. Transformers/Back to the Future #1
When Gigawatt and Marty McFly time travelled back to undo Rumble's scheme, they convinced Biff to turn on the Decepticon, Biff burying him under a dump truck's worth of energon cubes. Transformers/Back to the Future #4
Beast Wars cartoon
The naturally-occurring energon on prehistoric Earth appeared only in an unstable, highly-explosive raw crystalline form. However, after the Planet Buster baked Earth's surface, the crystals were all either incinerated or somehow "converted" into more stable cubes. These cubes no longer emitted the dangerous radiation which prompted the Beast Warriors to adopt their beast modes in the first place. They were significantly smaller than the cubes used by Transformers from before the Great Upgrade and colored blue.
Blackarachnia threatened to detonate an energon cube near her head if Tarantulas would not remove the mind-link he had with her. The explosion would have killed them both via the link, so Tarantulas did remove it. Tangled Web
Animated cartoon
Energon cubes are of a pink/purple colouration.
During the Great War, the Decepticons hoarded them in mass quantities on their battleships, among the Twilight which had crashed on Archa Seven. Despite the crash, the stockpile of cubes was unharmed but became unstable as the centuries rolled on. The natives made usage of the cubes however, their eggs feeding off the warmth provided by them. Roughly a thousand stellar cycles before the 22nd century, three Autobot rookies, Optimus, Sentinel, and Elita-1 travelled to the planet to try and salvage the cubes but ran afoul of the spiders, Optimus being forced to detonate the energon so he could escape, an escape that seemingly claimed Elita's life. Along Came a Spider
Space bridge maintenance ships were equipped with 'demolition-grade' energon, which were palm-sized cubes that readily exploited energon's explosive properties. When used properly, they are very useful in clearing away rubble from space bridges. But using them incorrectly could lead to a messy accident—say, like the destruction of a small spaceship. Endgame, Part I
Even standard cubes could become unstable if cut, which combined with an elevator could make for a handy bomb in tight quarters. It is suggested that one not stare down the shaft while attempting this. Decepticon Air
Aligned continuity family
Prime cartoon
Starscream and Soundwave inserted Energon, kept inside a metal cube, into Skyquake's stasis pod to revive him. Masters & Students
Later, when Megatron and his troops harvested Dark Energon from a volcano, they cut some of it into cubes. One Shall Rise, Part 1
Some months after he'd abandoned the Decepticons, Starscream snuck on board the Nemesis in an attempt to steal a number of energon cubes. Though he collected them in short order, he ducked into the archive room to avoid security coming face-to-face with Optimus Prime. Orion Pax, Part 1 The Seeker quickly realized that the Prime had amnesia but was confronted by the Vehicons before he could take advantage of this, forcing him to fly away without his stolen cubes. Orion Pax, Part 2
While patrolling, Bulkhead discovered a stash of cubes ready for transport at the bottom of a mineshaft. When the Nemesis arrived overhead, however, its engine vibrations caused the Wrecker to fall down the shaft, being transported with the cubes into the energon storage vault. As he climbed through the ship's maintenance tubes, he found his way to the ship's power core, wherein robotic arms loaded energon cubes into the core, and slammed into it, causing the warship to crash. Armada
To quickly repair the vessel, Megatron inserted a Dark Energon cube into its power core, quickly repairing all the damage. Unfortunately though, the Dark Energon had performed too well and brought Trypticon back online until Jack Darby succeeded in extracting the Dark Energon cube from the core. Flying Mind
Knock Out delivered cubes of Synthetic Energon to Shockwave's offsite labratory when he was ordered to turn over his research to him. Their presence, combined with an explosion, Shockwave's reactor and Predacon CNA, resulted in the creation of a large amount of cyber-matter. Evolution
2015 Robots in Disguise cartoon
The Alchemor had a stockpile of energon cubes aboard, a batch scattering when the ship broke in two. The Bee Team collected many of these cubes for their use while many others were seized by Ped who attempted to monopolize the precious resource. Can You Dig It?
Beast Wars: Uprising
On post-war Cybertron, the manufacture of Energon cubes was handled by corporations, such as Dynamic Energon Distillery.
When Gnashteeth was betrayed by the D.E.D. administrator Double Punch, he and the programmer Scorponok hit upon the idea of taking surplus cubes manufactured by the plant and selling them on the side, starting their own criminal enterprise. After a vicious beating from rival "businessmech" Thunderhoof's goons, Gnashteeth had Scorponok overload the D.E.D.'s Iacon plant while they made off with a small hoard of cubes, which Gnashteeth used to buy off Thunderhoof's minions. Identity Politics
Mechanimals were able to process energon without the need of cubes, and it was thinking of this, via the example of the humble ant-droid, that inspired Gnashteeth, now renamed Megatron, to implement the Beast Upgrade, freeing the Proto-races from the need for Energon cubes, and by extension the control of the Builders. Not All Megatrons
Games
War for Cybertron
Both the Autobots and Decepticons used energon cubes to regain energy they had lost in the heat of battle. Soundwave was capable of producing energon cubes on the fly to heal his Decepticon brethren. Transformers: War for Cybertron
Battle for the Matrix
Bumblebee and/or Optimus can collect Energon cubes in order to repair themselves. Transformers: Battle for the Matrix
Transformers Roleplaying Game
The Autobots planned to send a shipment of energon cubes to a research facility on the East Coast by rail. However, their plan to mislead the Decepticons by sending a dummy train flanked by Rollbar and Mirage failed, and the Decepticons wound up tracing them back to their temporary base in Colorado and stealing the lot. The Great Energon Robbery
Things that look like energon cubes but aren't
- Personality components for some reason look like small energon cubes. Starscream's Brigade
- Refined Cybertonium looks like a green colored energon cube. Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2
- The refined heat resistant alloy developed by Jessica Morgan's father resembles yellow colored energon cubes. The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2
The reason why all share the shape of energon cubes is a mystery that plagues us to this day....
Toys
The Transformers Collection
- Insectrons (Multi-pack, 2004)
- Japanese ID number: 16 (full set)
- Insectron Clone Army (Multi-pack, 2004)
- Japanese ID number: 75 (individual), 76 (clones set)
- Energon Cubes were available with Takara's "TF Collection" reissue of the Insecticons, and the set's redeco, the Collector's Edition Insectron Clone Army (Shothole, Salvo and Zaptrap) box set released in Japan in 2004.
European Energon McDonald's promotion
- Ironhide (Happy Meal, 2004)
- Megatron (Happy Meal, 2004)
- Optimus Prime (Happy Meal, 2004)
- Unicron (Happy Meal, 2004)
- In 2004, McDonald's locations in various parts of Europe released four Energon-based Happy Meal toys of Ironhide, Megatron, Optimus Prime, and Unicron. These toys were united by a common feature of interchangeable light-up "energon cube" accessories.
- These cubes were little more than a cheap, battery powered gimmick (the battery couldn't be replaced; the triangle-headed screws used by McDonald's are notoriously impossible to remove) that would make sound or light the toy up. The cubes were interchangeable, but not all of them were "compatible", so to speak—Unicron's light-up feature didn't work on the more opaque plastic of the other toys.
Masterpiece
- Soundwave (2013)
- ID number: MP-13
- Soundwave (2013)
- ID number: MP-02
- Both the Takara and Hasbro releases of Masterpiece Soundwave included an Energon Cube accessory. A clear plastic box, one side could be removed so that the cube could be plugged into Soundwave's cassette door chest to simulate the cube production he performed on the Sunbow animated series. At least on the Hasbro release, the cube didn't attach so well, though it did connect firmly to the grid attachment for Soundwave's chest.
- The edition purchased via Amazon.com in Japan came with two additional energon cubes.
- The Soundblaster retool includes the Energon Cube accessory, now cast in red plastic.
Generations
Masterpiece
- Soundwave (2013)
- ID number: MP-02
- The Hasbro release of Masterpiece Soundwave was rereleased as part of Generations.
Platinum Edition
- Insecticons (Platinum Edition 3-pack, 2015)
- The Energon cube accessories were available again for the Platinum Edition Insecticons.
War for Cybertron Trilogy
Middle: Centurion's EnerGULP.
Right: The blood of Nemesis Prime's victims.
- Spoiler Pack (Leader Unboxing, 2020)
- As part of the "surprise unboxing" gimmick that runs throughout the War for Cybertron Trilogy Spoiler Pack assortment, Ultra Magnus is packaged with, among other things, a small pot of modelling compound into which a buyer can dig to uncover a packet of three small energon cubes. The cubes are made of the same sort of soft plastic as the concurrent Fire Blast effects, and each edge measures 11 mm.
- Deluxe Centurion Drone Weaponizer Pack (Deluxe Class with accessories pack, 2020)
- Two energon cubes are included as part of the Deluxe Centurion Drone Weaponizer Pack, alongside a plethora of other accessories. The cubes are hollow plastic and have only five faces; bubbles are sculpted into the cubes to represent liquid, and one of them is designed with a seam bisecting it to give it the appearance of being only half-filled. Artwork of all the accessories printed inside the box suggests the cubes were intended to come with 5 mm/3 mm double post handles, but the final release features 3 mm holes.
- Spoiler Pack (Leader Unboxing, 2020)
- The second Spoiler Pack, containing Nemesis Prime, once again includes a pot of modelling compound, and three unchanged energon cubes. Stock images for this set erroneously show the cubes as being red.
R.E.D. [Robot Enhanced Design]
- Megatron (2020)
- Reformatting Megatron (2021)
- Both versions of G1 Megatron in the Transformers R.E.D. line include several interchangeable hands, one of which is permanently grasping an Energon cube.
LEGO
- Optimus Prime (June 1, 2022)
- LEGO Optimus Prime includes a brick-built Energon cube accessory.
One
- Quintesson High Commander (Prime Changers, 2024)
- The Walmart-exclusive Quintesson High Commander includes a rubberized Energon cube accessory which can be stored inside the figure's torso. Oddly enough, the Energon cube is pink, despite Energon being blue in the movie.
Merchandise
Transformers (2007)
- Released along side the Movie Preview protoform figures, Energon now takes on the delicious form of candy! Held inside clear, plastic containers, the "energon" inside is more or less flavorless balls of condensed sugar with artificial colors. The cubes are held together by stickers, depicting scenes from Generation 1. The larger cube, made of 8 smaller ones, can be open and folded, in one direction, until it returns to its original position.
- Out of the eight cubes, only two have candy in them. Most of the art on the cube is taken from Dreamwave art by Superstar Funana, with the exception of two parts that feature art by Don Figueroa.
G.I. Joe and the Transformers
- Shockwave H.I.S.S. Tank with two figures & Energon (2012)
- Accessories: Liquid-effect inserts
- The exclusive box set release for San Diego Comic-Con 2012 included three Energon cubes inspired by the Generation 1 cartoon. They are clear pink plastic with inserts to make them appear to be partially filled with liquid. Also included was a trolly for the included Battle Android Trooper to transport the cubes.
Notes
- Thanks to the exalted leader of Carbombya in "Thief in the Night", we know 1000 barrels of oil makes a single energon cube. This means each cube contains the equivalent power of 42,000 U.S. gallons of crude oil. If refined into gasoline (with a conservative 30% yield ratio) that much oil would keep Bumblebee's Volkswagen alt mode (with a rough value of 40 miles/gallon) going for approximately half a million miles without needing to refuel! That's enough to circumnavigate the Earth over seventeen times without stopping! No wonder a few cubes of the stuff got ol' Megsy drunk off his rocker!
- Meanwhile, "Identity Politics" has a moment where Scorponok muses that a supply of fifty-four energon cubes would fuel him, an average sized Predacon, for anywhere between three orbital cycles (roughly a month in Uprising continuity) to a full stellar cycle (about a year), giving us a glimpse of the fuel economy for the Proto-races in that setting.
- Early drafts of the first live-action film originally referred to the AllSpark as the "Energon Cube."
Foreign names
- English: Power pack (Omni Productions dub)
- Japanese Energon cube (エネルゴンキューブ Enerugon Kyūbu)
