Red Alert (Transformers)
Encyclopedia : R : RE : RED : Red Alert (Transformers)
| Transformers character | |
| |
| Red Alert (Alert) | |
|---|---|
| Allegiance | Autobot (Cybertron) |
| Sub-Group | Autobot Cars |
| Function | Security Director |
| Motto | "Caution can never be overused." |
| Alternate mode | Lamborghini Countach LP500S |
| Fictional Appearances | G1 cartoon, Marvel Comics, Dreamwave comics |
| Voiced by: | Michael Chain (English) Yoku Shioya (Japanese) |
Red Alert (Alert in Japan, Feu D'Alerte in France, Jaguaro in Italy) is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers toylines.
Transformers Generation One (1985)
Nothing escapes his notice, no matter how small. When his sensors are activated, thinks trouble is coming. Edgy... unpopular with comrades, but appreciated. Can trigger alarms in other Autobots. Excellent sensory perception. Fast in vehicular mode. Carries 25 mile range rocket launcher and particle beam rifle. Prone to rash judgements which can lead to injury to himself and comrades.
Initially released as a toy in 1985, the toy of Red Alert is a repaint and remold of the earlier Autobot named Sideswipe. He was reissued in Japan in 2002, and in the U.S. in 2003. The mold was also repainted as a police car in 2003 in Japan as the character Deep Cover. In 2004 a miniature transforming version of the original Red Alert was released in Japan as part of a series of small Transformers.
Although depicted in the television series as having a red head, the toy itself has a black head.
Dreamwave Comics
When civil war broke out on the planet Cybertron between the Autobots and Decepticons, Red Alert joined the Autobot cause.Red Alert acted as an advisor to Optimus Prime when he became the new Autobot leader.
After the Great Shutdown ended Red Alert was reformatted into an Earth-style car.
Red Alert was among the Autobots to receive combat training from Prowl and Ironhide on Cybertron (Transformers: Generation One III #2).
Brawn, Grapple, Hoist, Jazz, Omega Supreme, Prowl, Red Alert, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were among the Autobots who continued work on Autobot City (Transformers: Generation One III #13).
Although there was no toy of Red Alert for the Generation Two toy line, the character did appear in the Marvel Generation Two comics.(2002)
Armada Red Alert as he appeared in Dreamwave comics.
Function: Doctor/Science Officer
Motto: "All life is precious."
Although called Red Alert in the U.S., the character was called Ratchet in Japan, the name of Generation One character he more closely resembled. Armada Red alert came packaged with a Mini-Con partner named Longarm.
Besides the original Armada Red Alert toy, he was repainted as Powerlinx Red Alert, released as a kids toy in a McDonalds happy meal and as a Built-To-Rule model kit.
The Red Alert mold was also recolored in blue and white and renamed Prowl, released along side a recolor of Armada Starscream.
Hasbro Tech Spec: Red Alert is a valued doctor and science officer who has saved the lives of many Autobots. His quest to save lives has led him to find new ways to repair damaged circuitry. He has risked his life many times to retrieve wounded comrades during battles. An old friend of Optimus Prime, Red Alert was once a fierce and heroic fighter, until he was seriously wounded in battle and saw the preciousness of all life. But will this new battle reawaken his warrior's heart?
A quote from Hot Shot about Red Alert: "A while back, Prime told me that -many cycles ago, Red Alert was the loudest, most brazen Autobot warrior this side of Cybertron. He was literally one of the fiercest Autobots to ever pick up a blaster, a regular livewire. Well, you'd never think it if you met the Red Alert of today. Don't get me wrong, Red's still as cool as the next 'bot.. . it's just that he's very-how should I put it -He reserved. He's calm and calculating to a fault, definitely not the type of 'bot to crack a joke or kick back to enjoy an Energon brew with the fellas. Nor is he the type to ever take a break. Chances are, if you run into Red Alert, you're going to run into him while he's working. Even when there's no one in the med bay, you'll find him in there working on new ways to repair damaged circuitry or upgrading one of the base's subsystems. Prime says that Red's change in demeanor is due largely to an injury that he sustained in battle during his days as a full-fledged warrior with the Autobot army. I don't know what exactiy happened, but rumor has it that he was on the verge of terminal stasis lock for quite some time there and they weren't sure if he was ever going to make it through. Lucky for us, he did. Given enough time, there's no wound that Red can't fix. Heck, one time I saw him patch up a gash in Optimus' chassis with a wad of bonding sealant and a couple of boits. And when slag hits the fan, that crazy wrist-mounted blaster of his comes in pretty handy too, whipping up anything from a laser. Geez...I guess a 'bot as smart as Red doesn't have too many weaknesses. He can pretty much figure his way out of anything. Still, more often than not, the others take offense to his reserved demeanor, usually mistaking it for ego or disdain. That's so not the case. Red just seems a bit more comfortable around his inventions is all."
Red Alert Page: http://www.unicron.us/tf2002/toypix/redalert.htm
Red Alert was the Japanese name for the character called
Armada Red Alert continued to appear among the Autobots in the Transformers: Energon comic series in his Armada form.
Transformers: Energon #27 – On Cybertron Avalon offers words of encouragement to Jetfire when Prowl brings news of the Terrorcon invasion of Earth. A strike force is readied, including Beachcomber, Bulkhead, Cliffjumper, Downshift, Hoist, Landmine, Landquake, Prowl, Quickstrike, Red Alert, Rodimus, Scavenger, Thrust and Towline, lead by Jetfire. Perceptor also volunteers and they take the Space Bridge to Earth. Jetfire leads Bulkhead, Cliffjumper, Landquake, Perceptor and Tow Line to Los Angeles as the others travel to the other cities.
Transformers: Energon #28 – In Toronto Hotshot leads Beachcomber, Red Alert, Rodimus and Thrust fight with the Divebomb clones. Hot Shot contacts Jetfire and they all agree they are loosing when suddenly Megatron appears above Toronto.
Transformers: Energon #29 – In Toronto the Autobots and Thrust are shocked to find the new Megatron helping them against the Divebomb clones. Divebomb and his clones fall back.
(2004)
Transformers Universe Red Alert.
Red Alert was the name of one of a member of the Micromaster team which formed Universe Defensor. A fire truck, it was an American release of a Generation One Japanese-only character named Discharge. Universe Defensor appeared briefly in one issue of the Transformers: Universe comic book, breaking out of imprisonment from Unicron.
Lacking any tech spec for or appearances individually, it's impossible to tell how this character is related, if at all, to other characters named Red Alert, however, the character of Discharge was a female Autobot firefighter.
Oddly enough, two other toys were released in the Universe toy line which were painted as homages to the Generation One Red Alert - a Spychanger repaint of Robots In Disguise Prowl II called Prowl who was supposed to be an alternate reality version of the RiD Prowl II.
There was also a Deluxe Autobot repaint of Robots in Disguise Prowl who resembled Red Alert named Inferno. The Prowl repaint was originally supposed to be named Red Alert, while Inferno was to be the X-Brawn repaint, but information got crossed during packaging development.
Armada Red Alert appeared as part of Defensor in issue 2 of the Transformer: Universe comic book as one of the escaping prisoners of Unicron.
(2005)
Self-sacrifice is a way of life for Red Alert, but non-stop fighting with the Decepticons has caused him to doubt his skills as a healer. His vast sensor array and integrated tools and his instincts as a scientist give him an almost limitless capacity for absorbing data. He considers every possible course of action before committing to a plan, which brings him into conflict with the hot-headed Hot Shot when the pair arrives on the Speed Planet.
Although named Red Alert in the US, this character is named First Aid in Japan, yet another homage to another Generation One Autobot ambulance. In Japan he is an original character, but in the U.S., the toy's identity follows the original plan of being the Armada character upgraded.
Code key info: Red Alert used to be a warrior in the old days of Cybertron. He fought alongside Landmine, Jetfire and Optimus Prime for years and years before the "accident". One day he was on the battlefield when Starscream attacked him. The evil Decepticon jet dove down into attack position and pulled out his Energon Saber. Red Alert went to block the attack, but Starscream lopped off his hand! Red Alert ended up putting a medical multi-tool where his hand used to be, but he has NEVER forgiven Starscream...
The toy of Red Alert was sold by itself, as well as packaged with the Mini-Con Dirtboss and a Tiny-Tin as a promotion at Walmart stores. Oddly, though the Warmart promotional Red Alert was identical to the regular seluxe sized one with an Earth Cyber Key included, the box stated Red Alert came with a Speed Planet Cyber Key and had information about the Speed Planet on the side panel.
Critical Path Pack
In 2006 a Target store exclusive 2 pack called the Critical Path Pack included Cybertron Sideways and Red Alert.
Tech Spec: Some have been know to call RED ALERT uptight, but that's not how he sees himself. There are rules for a reason, after all. Without rules, things get confusing, difficult and messy. RED ALERT hates a mess, hates for things to be more complicated than they need to be. Still, sometimes a mess is unavoidable. "If SIDEWAYS wants things to get messy, well then, fine," thinks RED ALERT. "Let's get messy."
Cybertron Defense Red Alert
Promo art of Cybertron Defense Red Alert.
After Red Alert, Hot Shot and Scattorshot were nearly killed in combat with Megatron, the power of the Cyber Planet Keys was able to not only heal their wounds, but reformat the trio of Autobots into new forms based on vehicles found at the military base they were being repaired at. The three Autobots became the Cybertron Defense Team (Vanguard Team).
After being reformatted into a large missile launcher truck, he would become known as Cybertron Defense Red Alert, or Vanguard Team First Gunner in Japan.
After the threat of Galvatron (Master Galvatron) and his Decepticons was over Optimus Prime (Galaxy Convoy) proposed a new Space Bridge project using the power of the four Cyber Planet Keys and the four great Cybertronian ships. Many Autobots and former Decepticons joined in the project. Leaving Jetfire (Dreadrock) in charge of Cybertron, Optimus Prime lead the Atlantis with the Earth Cyber Planet Key, joined by Red Alert (First Gunner), Safeguard (Roots), Scattorshot (Backgild), Leobreaker (Ligerjack), Menasor (Mole Dive) and Heavy Load. Override lead the Ogygia (Mu) and Velocitron Cyber Planet Key with Brakedown, Quickmix and Stripmine. Evac (Live Convoy) lead the Hyperborea (Pangea) and Jungle Planet (Animatros) Cyber Planet Key with Backstop and Lugnutz (Road Storm). Metroplex (Megalo Convoy) lead the Lemuria and Gigantia Cyber Planet Key with Drillbit, Undermine (Dinoshout) and Brimstone.
Code key info: In his newly reformatted form, Red Alert has even more diagnostic and medical abilities than ever before. Every finger, every panel, every diode and wire has the ability to reconfigure, re-transform and re-deploy at the merest thought from Red Alert to aid one of his fallen comrades on the battlefield. This was put to the test during one of the massive swarms of Scrapmetal on Cybertron when Hot Shot – always the reckless youth – ran headfirst into the swarm. Overrun with the beasts, they bit off Hot Shot’s arm. Racing to his aid, Red Alert grabbed the arm and used his massive shoulder-mounted Ion cannon to knock back the swelling insecticons. He then expertly replaced and repaired Hot Shot’s arm – even fixing a bad rotator cuff in the process.
Remolds and Recolors
In 2006 the original mold of Cybertron Red Alert was repainted as a Decepticon named Cannonball. The larger Cybertron Defense Red Alert was remolded into Botcon 2006 Megatron.
Armada Red Alert continued to appear among the Autobots in the Transformers: Energon comic series in his Armada form.
Transformers: Energon #27 – On Cybertron Avalon offers words of encouragement to Jetfire when Prowl brings news of the Terrorcon invasion of Earth. A strike force is readied, including Beachcomber, Bulkhead, Cliffjumper, Downshift, Hoist, Landmine, Landquake, Prowl, Quickstrike, Red Alert, Rodimus, Scavenger, Thrust and Towline, lead by Jetfire. Perceptor also volunteers and they take the Space Bridge to Earth. Jetfire leads Bulkhead, Cliffjumper, Landquake, Perceptor and Tow Line to Los Angeles as the others travel to the other cities.
Transformers: Energon #28 – In Toronto Hotshot leads Beachcomber, Red Alert, Rodimus and Thrust fight with the Divebomb clones. Hot Shot contacts Jetfire and they all agree they are loosing when suddenly Megatron appears above Toronto.
Transformers: Energon #29 – In Toronto the Autobots and Thrust are shocked to find the new Megatron helping them against the Divebomb clones. Divebomb and his clones fall back.
(2004)
Red Alert was the name of one of a member of the Micromaster team which formed Universe Defensor. A fire truck, it was an American release of a Generation One Japanese-only character named Discharge. Universe Defensor appeared briefly in one issue of the Transformers: Universe comic book, breaking out of imprisonment from Unicron.
Lacking any tech spec for or appearances individually, it's impossible to tell how this character is related, if at all, to other characters named Red Alert, however, the character of Discharge was a female Autobot firefighter.
Oddly enough, two other toys were released in the Universe toy line which were painted as homages to the Generation One Red Alert - a Spychanger repaint of Robots In Disguise Prowl II called Prowl who was supposed to be an alternate reality version of the RiD Prowl II.
There was also a Deluxe Autobot repaint of Robots in Disguise Prowl who resembled Red Alert named Inferno. The Prowl repaint was originally supposed to be named Red Alert, while Inferno was to be the X-Brawn repaint, but information got crossed during packaging development.
Armada Red Alert appeared as part of Defensor in issue 2 of the Transformer: Universe comic book as one of the escaping prisoners of Unicron.
(2005)
Self-sacrifice is a way of life for Red Alert, but non-stop fighting with the Decepticons has caused him to doubt his skills as a healer. His vast sensor array and integrated tools and his instincts as a scientist give him an almost limitless capacity for absorbing data. He considers every possible course of action before committing to a plan, which brings him into conflict with the hot-headed Hot Shot when the pair arrives on the Speed Planet.
Although named Red Alert in the US, this character is named First Aid in Japan, yet another homage to another Generation One Autobot ambulance. In Japan he is an original character, but in the U.S., the toy's identity follows the original plan of being the Armada character upgraded.
Code key info: Red Alert used to be a warrior in the old days of Cybertron. He fought alongside Landmine, Jetfire and Optimus Prime for years and years before the "accident". One day he was on the battlefield when Starscream attacked him. The evil Decepticon jet dove down into attack position and pulled out his Energon Saber. Red Alert went to block the attack, but Starscream lopped off his hand! Red Alert ended up putting a medical multi-tool where his hand used to be, but he has NEVER forgiven Starscream...
The toy of Red Alert was sold by itself, as well as packaged with the Mini-Con Dirtboss and a Tiny-Tin as a promotion at Walmart stores. Oddly, though the Warmart promotional Red Alert was identical to the regular seluxe sized one with an Earth Cyber Key included, the box stated Red Alert came with a Speed Planet Cyber Key and had information about the Speed Planet on the side panel.
Critical Path Pack
In 2006 a Target store exclusive 2 pack called the Critical Path Pack included Cybertron Sideways and Red Alert.
Transformers The original Red Alert (called Alert in Japan) character returns for Binaltech as a recolor of Silverstreak. His Binaltech appearance is actually one of the first Binaltech Asterisk toys - these being produced with a female driver. Alert comes with Ai - recognisable from her appearance in the Japanese TV series Car Robots (Robots in Disguise in America). It is not yet known whether there will be an Alternators version of Red Alert.
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