Orbital jump
From Transformers Wiki
Anorbital jumpis a type of teleportation, typically used by Transformers to travel from an orbiting starship to a planet's surface and back. A variant, theorbital bounce,sends the traveler from one point on the planet's surface to another, presumably "bouncing" off the orbiting starship in transit. Orbital bounces over short distances aren't entirely accurate.[1]
The teleporting subject typically appears in a blaze of light, accompanied by a beam of light descending from the sky and retracting once the teleport is complete. It also sometimes appears as an energy portal.[1]Nightbeatsays of this mode of travel: "notthe nicest way to travel... but it gets you downfast,slips you past any kind of local sensor network. "Despite its name, the technology still works when the transporting starship is on the planet's surface, even if it is buried under hundreds of feet of water or ice.
The subject Transformer arrives in primary mode, even when doing so risks breaking cover[2]or exposure to dangerous radiation,[3]perhaps indicating that the technology has certain limitations. The process is highly traumatic and potentially lethal tohumans,and possibly tofacsimile constructsas well. Super-powered humans just get shaken up a bit.[1]
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Fiction
2005 IDW continuity
Thousands of years ago, theDynobotstrackedShockwaveto prehistoricEarthas he worked on hisRegenesisproject. The team adapted their forms to have beast modes with a protective outer coating to defend against the planet's raw energon radiation. However, despite the need for this protection, when the newly created Dinobots jumped to Earth's surface to face off against Shockwave, they arrived in robot mode.Spotlight: Shockwave
Megatrontravelled from an abandoned Decepticon bunker in Nebraska to Starscream'sSiege Modebase in Oregon via orbital bounce. Prior to his arrival,Bumblebeedetected "a buildup of charged anti-protons" presaging the bounce.Infiltration #6
Nightbeat "jumped" from his orbiting spaceship to the surface ofGorlam Prime.Despite the need for stealth, he arrived in robot mode.Spotlight: Nightbeat
When the Autobots on Earth deployed toBrasnya,they traveled via orbital bounce. Of note, the teleporting ship,Ark-19,was parked at the bottom ofLake Michiganat the time. The Autobots arrived in robot mode, but immediately transformed to their Earthly disguises.Infiltration #4
Jazz,Bumblebee, andWolverineused an orbital bounce to sneak in to the Decepticons' base inLatveria.Since it was a short bounce, it got them close to the target, but they still had to find their way.Prowl,Ratchet,andSpider-Manlater used it to bounce out of the base and into the battle outside. Later, having their evil scheme thwarted, the Decepticons escaped using anemergency warp-out.Man and Machine, Part Four
An orbital jump may have been responsible for the Autobots' loss of theGeorgi Koskafacsimile construct shortly thereafter; Hot Rod transported the captured facsimile to theArk-32via orbital bounce, but the clone, wounded by shrapnel, expired by the time it reached the ship.Escalation #6
An orbital jump saved Earth's Autobots from the wrath ofSixshot.Setting up a remote control link toArk-32,Nightbeat transported all of the team away via orbital jump, leaving onlyOptimus Primebehind to battle Sixshot to the finish. When Sixshot withdrew to deal withother problems,Prime ordered Nightbeat to clear him out via orbital jump, seconds before the Air Force carpet-bombed the battle site. ThoughVerity CarloandJimmy Pinkdid not survive the jump, Ratchet was able to successfully revive them shortly thereafter.Devastation #4
An orbital bounce allowed the recently revivedGrimlockto escape from the (literal) clutches ofScorponok;the damaged and weaponless Dinobot leader teleported away from a losing battle to have a chance at finding his lost teammates. This jump was of particular note since Grimlock had no clue if his ship, theSkyfire,even still existed. Despite being buried in ice below the planet's surface, the technology still worked, transporting him to the vessel. Unusually, he was able to make the jump while in his alternate mode.Spotlight: Grimlock
Yet again, the orbital jump technology saved the crew of the Autobot vesselMirror-Manifold;theTechnobotsteleported four Autobots out of the damaged ship mere seconds before it was obliterated byCyclonus.Spotlight: Sideswipe
The Autobots eventually developed technology to prevent orbital jumps taking them out of the War with the deflectors becoming a standard on all Autobot missions.Full Fathom Five
DuringMegatron's trial, theSeaconsattempted to evacuate their leader via orbital bounce.Predestination: A Beginner's Guide
Even after the War's end, the deflectors were still utilized leading the crew of theArk-7to conclude thatGalvatronhad found some way of applyingSkywarp'spowers to his whole crew.Full Fathom Five
After seeing theM.A.S.S. Devicein action, Optimus compared it to the orbital jumps and commented that humans having such technology did not bode well.Sgt. Savageagreed.Ghost in the Machine
TheArk-Zerowas equipped with orbital jump technology which continued to function in spite of the space bridge counter-frequency thatEmissarywas broadcasting, though Optimus Prime noted that they were insufficient to evacuate billions ofElonians.Our DarkestWhenUnicronarrived at Cybertron,Elita OnehadObsidianorbital bounce her and theTorchbearersup toCarcer.Our Finest
TransTech
TheTransTechspicked up orbital bounce technology from anOffworlderviaSwindle, Swindle and Swindlefor the final leg ofVector Prime's journey toNebulosas Nebulan society was hostile to Cybertronians.Ask Vector Prime, 2015/11/09
Games
Transformers: Earth Wars
Prowlstated thatWheeljackwould outfitKupwith an Orbital Bounce relay for the mission to theDecepticon Moonbase.Moonbase
