Ark (DOTM)

TheArkis anAutobotstarship from theDark of the Moonportion of thelive-actioncontinuity family.

There's a star. There's another one. Star. Star. Star. Star. Star. Star. Getting bored of space.

TheArkwas designed by theAutobotsto be able to transport them away fromCybertronin order to find a new place to call home.^[1]Piloted byRoller,theArkis able to convert into a powerful space station.^[2]It is able to launchprotoformsto nearby planets and features sophisticated sensor equipment which was used to track down theAllSpark's energy signal.^[1]

Once the flagship of theAutobot fleet,^[2]theArkand its captain,Sentinel Prime,were lost in space centuries ago.^[1](It lies wrecked on theMoon.)

Fiction

Movies

Dark of the Moonfilm

"We don't evenbotherputting landing gear on these bastards anymore. "

TheArkleft Cybertron with itsspace bridgepillars,but was waylaid byDecepticons.Though the Autobots thought it to be destroyed, in actuality the ship floated in space until it finally landed onEarth'smoonin1961.NASAdetected the crash, andU.S. PresidentJohn F. Kennedyinitiated a plan to land on the moon and explore the wreck.Neil ArmstrongandBuzz Aldrinlanded on the moon and scouted theArkin1969.

Meanwhile, theSoviet Union's space program photographed Decepticons removing hundreds of pillars in1963.Eventually, unmanned probes retrieveda fuel cellfrom the ship, which was transported toChernobyl Nuclear Power Plantfor study, leading to the1986nuclear meltdown.Optimus Primeobtained the fuel cell in2011,alerting him to theArk's presence on the moon. Optimus andRatchetjourneyed to the moon on theXantium,retrieving Sentinel's body from the crash vault and the control pillar.

Later on, Sentinel revealed theArk's true mission: to take the pillars to Earth and summon Cybertron, enslaving humanity and putting them to work on rebuilding the war-torn planet.Dark of the Moon

The Last Knightfilm

Several years later,theArk's fuel cellbecame one of the many Cybertronian historical artifacts in the possession ofEdmund Burton.

WhenQuintessabrought Cybertron into Earth's orbit, a trailing fragment of Cybertron collided with theArkand uprooted it from the lunar surface as it passed the moon.The Last Knight

IDW movie comics

As Cybertron was devastated by the worsening war, with Optimus Prime unwilling to take the decisive actions that would have brought the conflict to an end, Sentinel Prime was forced to make a deal with Megatron to seek out another planet whose resources they can exploit to restore their homeworld.Dark of the MoonThe chosen planet was the resting place of the Primes'Star Harvester.Sentinel recreated the Primes' lostspace bridgetechnology, fashioning hundreds of pillars that would form a bridge large enough to teleport Cybertron itself across the cosmos, telling the Autobots it would be used to instantaneously teleport soldiers, supplies, and refugees into and out of the battlefield, allowing them to defeat the Decepticons. The pillars were loaded onto a secondArk,while a strike team led by Optimus attacked Simfur in order to activate the control pillar for the space bridge by bringing it into contact with the AllSpark.Foundation #3While most of the Autobots kept the Decepticons busy, Elita-One and her sistersArceeandChromiasuccessfully reached the AllSpark and energized the control pillar, which Elita then delivered to Sentinel Prime.

Curse you, Starscream!

Sentinel took hisArkto ostensibly collect Optimus and the others from Simfur, but upon arrival, the ship was attacked by Starscream, who was unaware of the secret deal his leader had made with the Prime. Starscream's attack triggered a huge explosion which consumed theArk,leaving the Autobots to believe Sentinel, the space bridge tech, and all others aboard had been destroyed.Foundation #4Dark of the MoonUnbeknownst to anyone present, however, theArkhad not been destroyed: the space bridge tech aboard had in fact been triggered and thus teleported it away through space and time, with all on board knocked into stasis by the blast.Convergence chapter 1

Out in space, the originalNemesisand Sentinel'sArk(still jinking through space and time) zeroed in on the energy signature of the AllSpark (which had since been ejected from Cybertron by the Autobots), and were both crippled when theArkblindly teleported directly into the same physical space as theNemesis.TheArkmade one final jump, leaving a lingering space bridge portal in its wake. After setting the ruinedNemesisdown on the dead moon of a nearby gas giant, the Decepticons boarded the smaller shipLongshotand followed theArkthrough the portal at The Fallen's urging, leaving his sarcophagus behind. Both ships were hurled into the future. Sentinel Prime'sArkand theLongshotemerged from the space bridge and into the vicinity of Earth in early1961.TheArkviolently crash-landed on Earth'sMoon,killing all on board, save for Sentinel, who was safely sealed in the ship's crash vault. After examining the wreckage,Soundwavedetermined to keep the vessel out of the hands of the humans on the planet below.Convergence chapter 1

The crash of theArkwas detected by both theUnited Statesand theSoviet Union,and a "space race" began to be the first to reach the Moon and plunder this alien treasure. OnJuly 16,1969,NASAcarried out theApollo 11mission, successfully sending astronautsNeil ArmstrongandBuzz Aldrinto the Moon, where they discovered theArk.Dark of the MoonConvergence chapter 4

From1970to1972,the United States staged three further manned missions to the moon to continue plundering theArk.Incensed over his failure to stop the Apollo 11 mission, Soundwave hadRavagescout for viable agents within the American space program, and made contact with a NASA accountant namedGould.By tapping the stock market to provide Gould with all the money he desired, Soundwave procured his services to manipulate the NASA budget and make further moon missions financially unfeasible.Dark of the MoonConvergence chapter 4Consequently, the sixth mission, launched in December 1972, was deemed the last, and the astronauts triggered explosives to hide the wreck of theArkbeneath lunar dust.Dark of the Moon #1

Similarly, also in 1972, Soundwave employed his Soviet agents to ensure that the first Russian manned mission was cancelled. Soundwave spent the remainder of the decade manipulating his pawns, and "recruiting" more and more human agents in various areas of the American and Soviet government to ensure that the Ark was never re-discovered.Dark of the Moon

Ask Vector Prime

InTyran 609.23-PX Kappa,Soundwave planted clues about theArk's presence on Earth's moon for Sam Witwicky to find. Falling for the bait, Optimus Prime took theXantiumto the Moon, where Megatron captured him with the aid of the traitorous Sentinel Prime.Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/22

Toys

Dark of the Moon

A giant, flying space-clam: perfect for road trips.

• Autobot Ark(Cyberverse Playset,2011)

• Japanese ID number:CV01
• Accessories:2 missiles, spring-loaded cannon, static cannon, 2 pivotable guns, 2 missile racks, repair claw
• Known designers:Joe Kyde(Hasbro),Hisao Nishimoto(TakaraTomy)

Coming withAutobot Roller,theArkis a playset which transforms from a starship to a space station, scaled to work withCyberverseLegion Class figures (and notionally work with Commander Class figures too, though they don't fit too well inside it). It features several electronic lights and sounds and includes all the generic "playset" special features that you'd expect: an elevating "repair bay" with a detachable repair claw to the right side of the ship, a "prison cell" for Decepticon figures with spring-shut doors at the back, a tilting ramp at the front for vehicles to roll down at the front, and a rotating light-up turret in the center. For more Transformers-specific fun, the right bay of the base mode features a decagonal platform with five flip-upspace bridgepillars(which can be interpreted as a teleportation platform if so inclined), and the ship comes with six removable weapons, all outfitted withMechTech5 mm posts:two swiveling guns mounted on its rear, two forward-mounted missile racks, and two prominent cannons (with absurdly long posts) that sit beside them. Both of these two larger cannons can hold a transparent missile, but only the one to the left of the prow features a spring-loaded firing mechanism.

In ship mode, placing Roller or any suitably-sized Cyberverse figure in the opening cockpit depresses a hinged panel on the cockpit floor, which triggers engine and (continuous) flight noises, and a pulsing light within the ship. Pressing the golden button just beside the cockpit lights up the twin guns beneath it, and triggers electronic laser firing noises.

Pulling or pushing on either side of the ship initiates a partial automatic transformation, as the central tower raises/lowers and a slow version of the classic transformation noise plays. In its space station mode, pressing a button on the base floor sets off blasting sounds and lights up the central turret. Placing a vehicle-mode Cyberverse figure on the central ramp depresses a button hidden beneath it, which causes a power-up noise to build, accompanied by steadily-brightening lights in the forward cannons, until the switch beside the ramp is tilted to send the figure rolling off with a whooshing noise.

The ship is decorated withnumerous5 mm and 3 mm ports andC jointbars all over its hull to hold a veritable arsenal MechTech and Cyberverse weapons; the base mode, in particular, features four C joint bars on the left side and four clips on the right, allowing other Cyberverse playsets to connect up to the Ark, a laMetroplexor theMicromaster Stations,to create a sprawling micro-world.

Out of thebox,the missiles and repair claw are not found inside the ship. Instead, they can be found bagged and taped right behind the small cardboard display that Roller is cradled in. Batteries are not included.

• More information on the Ark (with Roller) at TFU.info

• Autobot Ark with Roller and Bonus Value Sentinel Prime(Cyberverse Playset, 2011)

• Accessories:2 missiles, spring-loaded cannon, static cannon, 2 pivotable guns, 2 missile racks, repair claw

ThisTarget-exclusiverelease includes otherwise unchangedArkandRollertoys, along with a free and equally unchanged figure of the first CyberverseSentinel Primetoy. Good luck getting him into the cockpit.

Notes

• TheArk's CGI model fromDark of the Moonwas reused inAge of ExtinctionasLockdown'sship's netting drone.
  

  

References

1. ↑^1.01.11.2TheArk's onlineVector Sigmaentry.[1]
2. ↑^2.02.1TheArk'sonline toy bio.