Road Rocket (G2)

Road Rocket is an Autobot from the Generation 2 portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.

Damn you! ... Wanna fight, huh? ... FIGHT ME!

While most ninja are known for their collected and deliberate behavior, Road Rocket runs hot all the time. Ever eager for action, he pushes his engine to its limits when roaring towards the battlefield, making it glow red-hot; Road Rocket has to chug a hefty cocktail of motor oil and antifreeze just to keep his systems from melting down. Thankfully, he always has more than enough energy to keep this breakneck pace in battle, using his light saber buzzsaw weapon to cleave through Decepticon armor as if it was warm butter.

His eagerness tends to get the better of him on most occasions, though, and he often disobeys orders, breaks rank and goes it alone against all common sense. This gets him out of tight situations as frequently as it gets him into them. Road Rocket plays very poorly with others due in equal parts to his hyperactive tendencies as well as his less-than-pleasant social skills; he's very quiet and standoffish despite his hot-blooded attitude. Considering he was an Autobot living on Chaar of all places, his inability to make friends should come as no surprise.

Fiction

Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity

Robotmasters comic

Road Rocket originally hailed from Chaar, but relocated to Earth to study the art of ninjutsu. Despite being an Autobot, he abstained from the 2004 conflict between Beast Megatron's Decepticons and Optimus Prime's Autobots and trained in the mountains of Japan. When Sideways informed the Autobots of a solitarium supply on Chaar, Mirage sought out Road Rocket so that he could guide them through the hostile planet.

Road Rocket joined Optimus Prime and Optimus Primal in exploring a crevasse filled with solitarium crystals. However, they were ambushed from above by Beast Megatron and Sideways, who had led the Autobots into a trap. The Decepticons detonated the crystals around the Autobots. Fortunately, Primal managed to shield the three from the explosion with a huge slab of rock, but they were unable to prevent the Decepticons from making off with a huge load of solitarium. Defend the Solitarium!

Masterpiece

Road Rocket became the disciple of Six Clan member Nightbird along with Road Pig. The two students were brought to Chaar by their teacher once she learned that Galvatron had been resurrected as Super Megatron in the 2030s. Nightbird Shadow bio

Legends comic (1)

Road Rocket and Road Pig butted heads over their master, developing a rivalry. LG-15 Nightbird Shadow Sequel

G-2 pack-in manga and story pages

After the Cybertron Alliance failed, Road Rocket was one of the new warriors assembled by Optimus Prime to fight back against Megatron. An effective ninja clan warrior from the planet Chaar, he was also a loner by nature and frequently acted without consulting his fellow Autobots, getting him into trouble. G-2 Part 3

In his first battle against the Decepticons, he, Volt and Electro had been cornered by Jolt, Sizzle, Skyjack and Hooligan. Road Rocket broke formation against orders, using his vehicle mode to kick up a blinding cloud of dust before breaking through the Decepticons' line. G-2 #11

Later, he was running through the Decepticons' base, eventually finding himself cornered in a dead end by Road Pig, Jolt and Sizzle. As Road Pig mocked Road Rocket's failings as a ninja, an air vent opened up above them... Aero Raid had arrived to save Road Rocket's hash! Road, unimpressed, merely muttered out a simple "Thanks", much to Aero Raid's annoyance. G-2 #14

Legends comic (2)

At some point, Road Rocket was embroiled in a battle around Metroplex. Bonus Edition Metroplex

When the Cybertron Alliance was restored, Road Rocket and Road Pig were reunited with Nightbird, who tried to impose peace between her two former students. Epiloge

Robotmasters 3D Diorama manga

Road Rocket was ordered by Optimus Prime to search for solitarium in Egypt. After both he and Sideways detected some nearby, they raced to reach the soliarium and Road Rocket won. Sideways, who failed to time his jump properly, fell down a gorge. Robotmasters Vol. 4

2005 IDW continuity

First appearance: Spotlight: Galvatron

During the war, Road Rocket was part of an Autobot squad led by Sunstreaker when they were attacked by Deadlock and his troops. The Autobots lost that battle, and were forced to retreat. Drift #1

Later, Road Rocket was a part of Hound's Tactical Response Unit, stationed at Thunderhead Pass to guard the remains of Thunderwing. He was witness to Hound's dressing down of Sideswipe. Later he was part of the team responding to the murder of Leadfoot and the attack on Sideswipe by an unknown Transformer. After an unsuccessful attempt to contain the attacker, he and most of the other members of his team were knocked offline, but their lives were spared by the mysterious being in a strange act of mercy. Spotlight: Galvatron

Later, Optimus Prime informed Hound that his unit should make preparations to come to Earth as reinforcements. Devastation #1 However, due to the extraction of prisoners from Garrus-9, Hound's unit, including Road Rocket, was diverted there instead. Devastation #6

Road Rocket is the guy you don't recognize.

On the way, their ship, the Ark-12 was attacked by Cyclonus and Road Rocket reported on the ship's damage. He joined the landing party and helped attack Cyclonus on the surface of Corata-Vaz. He was hit with one of Cyclonus' missiles. Spotlight: Cyclonus Road Rocket survived the encounter with Cyclonus and fought alongside the Wreckers as they attempted to get past Thunderwing, who had been activated by Cyclonus to guard the Nega-Core that was positioned inside the cavern. Spotlight: Hardhead

Hound's squad was soon put under the command of Fortress Maximus and sent to Earth to try and halt the Expansion. Their job was to get past Straxus and Grindcore and disable the Nega-Core the two Dead Universe Transformers were guarding. While Sideswipe held them off, Road Rocket helped Hound and the others dismantle the Nega-Cores and send them into the Benzuli Expanse, thus ending the threat of the Dead Universe...for the moment. Spotlight: Sideswipe Spotlight: Doubledealer

Wings Universe

Road Rocket's special power is farting pink.

Created in a Cyberfactory on Earth in the 21st century, Road Rocket was part of the "second generation" of Cybertronians who were neither Autobots nor Decepticons. When infighting broke out amongst them, they picked up the old factions and Road Rocket became an Autobot. In 2010, he participated in the battle over the Large Hadron Collider with the Decepticon Syndicate, and was strangled by their leader, Clench, until Rapido bumped into him. Alongside the other combatants, he was exposed to forestonite in gaseous form and developed a new superpower. Generation 2: Redux

Not trusting these strange new powers, Cliffjumper made Road Rocket demonstrate his power on Decepticon dummy _targets alongside a number of other Autobots. He was startled when Road Rocket turned out to have the power to teleport. A Flash Forward, Part 2

2019 IDW continuity

Definitely not hints for the upcoming Velocitron toyline!

I installed hips just so I could stand like this.

After racing in the Speedia 500, Road Rocket was appointed head of Velocitron's senate only after the winner Blurr abdicated the position and left the planet rather than serve. Tread & Circuits Part 1 The next Speedia was threatened by terrorist activity orchestrated by the group known as Mayhem. Nevertheless, Road Rocket allowed the race to proceed as planned, with extra protection provided the racers by Security Operations. The ruling First Senator entered the race alongside other competitors, hoping to actually earn the title this time. Tread & Circuits Part 2

Road Rocket had an early lead alongside Override and Sideways coming around the second bend. Mayhem attacked the race as they warned, leading to several injuries and even a fatality. Two Mayhem agitators made it to the front of the pack and blasted Road Rocket and several other racers off the course. Mayhem escaped Security Operations' dragnet, and Knock Out of the Ascenticon party ended up crossing the finish line before all the other distracted racers. Tread & Circuits Part 3

Days later, Road Rocket was present at the Velocitronian Senate to mark the peaceful transition of power to the new First Senator. Instead, Mayhem struck again with an apparent assassination attempt on Knock-Out. Road Rocket was last seen being escorted to safety by Breakdown of Sec-Ops. In the aftermath, facts emerged showing that Mayhem and Security Operations were working together to facilitate Knock-Out's rise to power on behalf of the Decepticons. What actually happened to Road Rocket and the other senators after Breakdown got them to "safety" is therefore suspect. Tread & Circuits Part 4

Legacy VS500 Collection Special Comic

Road Rocket from the "G2 Universe" competed in the Speedia 500 for the chance to become leader of Velocitron. She used her ninja disappearing tactics to confuse her opponents. Velocitron Speedia 500 Part 1 Road Rocket would ultimately lose to former champion Override. Velocitron Speedia 500 Part 2

In the second week of the race, Road Rocket was met with three new racers. She went on to watch one of them, Galaxy Shuttle, win the race. Velocitron Speedia 500 Part 3

Toys

Generation 2

If Scooter was AWESOME.

• Road Rocket (Laser Cycle, 1995)

• Takara ID number: TRF-11
• Known designers: Masakatsu Saito (concept artist)

One of the two Laser Cycles released in the tail end of Generation 2, Road Rocket transforms into a red and blue Yamaha GTS1000 motorcycle. He has a light-up gimmick similar to that of the Laser Rod toys: pressing a button on his "dashboard" lights up a red LED at the end of a connector wire, making the clear plastic of his arm-mounted weapon illuminate. This buzzsaw weapon becomes part of his rear wheel assembly in cycle mode.

This mold was retooled to make the Microman: LED Powers toys Mach Speeder and Hyper Speeder; the retooled mold was then used to make 2001 Robots in Disguise Sideways and Robotmasters Road Rocket (see below). The original mold was planned for use in Generation 2 as Jazz, but that toy never saw release.

• More information on Road Rocket at TFU.info.

Robotmasters

This saw of mine glows with an AWESOME POWER...or an LED.

• Road Rocket (2004)

• ID number: RM-18
• Release date: December 28 2004

Released in the fifth wave of Robotmasters toys, this version of Road Rocket is a redeco of the Microman Mach Speeder, itself a retool of Road Rocket's first toy, now decoed largely in yellow and black. Mach Speeder featured retooled handlebars, as well as a handle added to the buzzsaw to allow a Microman rider to grip them; though the weapon's handle was removed for later Transformers releases, the handle base retains the added detailing. Road Rocket reinstates the LED functionality of the original release that was removed for Microman.

• More information on Robotmasters Road Rocket at TFU.info

Legacy

Baby, I can rocket to you...

• G2 Universe Road Rocket (Deluxe Class, 2022)

• TakaraTomy ID number: TL EX-03
• TakaraTomy release date: January, 2023
• Accessories: 2 Energon blades, front tire/Energon blaster
• Known designers: Mark Maher (Hasbro), Hisashi Yuki (TakaraTomy)

Velocitron Speedia 500 Collection "G2 Universe Road Rocket" is a redeco and new-head retool of the mainline Legacy Prime Universe Arcee toy, transforming into a '90s-style sportbike motorcycle. She includes the same Energon blade accessories as Arcee, but with additional paint decos in the center to resemble a shuriken. The blaster weapon formed by splitting her front tire can also be plugged into a 5 mm port on her back, allowing her to better resemble the original Road Rocket figure with its distinctive shoulder wheels. Unfortunately, she does not include a buzzsaw weapon like the original figure. Road Rocket features Generation 2 Autobot symbols accurate to her origin universe. The back of her head is molded in translucent blue plastic to allow for light-piping.

Hasbro designer Mark Maher noted that when it came time to determine retools for the Arcee mold, it was Takara veteran Hisashi Yuki who put forward the idea of using one of the alternate heads to redesign one of the Laser Cycles as a "female ninja", with Road Rocket ultimately being chosen.^[1]

The Velocitron Speedia 500 Collection was exclusive to Walmart in the US, with Hasbro Pulse receiving limited quantities of the figure. The series went up for pre-order on July 21st 2022, and started arriving in stores by August 1st. In TakaraTomy's markets, it was a TakaraTomy Mall exclusive, put up for preorder in January 2023. It was also a Farmers department store exclusive in New Zealand.

The original version of this mold was redecoed into Shattered Glass Collection Decepticon Flamewar and her fellow G2 biker bot Laser Cycle. This mold was then further retooled into Cybertronian Erial.

Notes

• Confusingly, Road Rocket's French name as featured on his trilingual French/Dutch/German European packaging, "Motard", is also his fellow Laser Cycle Road Pig's French name as featured on his bilingual Canadian packaging.
• During the Hasbro Pulse livestream that announced Road Rocket's Legacy figure, the Transformers team consistently used she/her pronouns when describing the toy, demarking the Legacy incarnation of the character as female.^[2]
  • Designer Mark Maher later elaborated on how this came about in the design process, crediting the character reimagining to Takara designer Hisashi Yuki.^[1]
  • In the IDW miniseries Wreckers—Tread & Circuits released ahead of the toy's announcement, Road Rocket appears in both Generation 2 (historical hologram) and Legacy (present-day) bodies and is not referred to in the third person at all. Given the line as a whole wrapped shortly thereafter, the gender of Road Rocket's 2019 IDW continuity incarnation is left as something of a choose your own adventure situation.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Road Rocket (ロードロケット Rōdo Roketto)
• French: Motard ("Biker", France), Motosprint (Canada)
• Italian: Goblin

Gallery

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  Spotlight: Galvatron design

References