First Aid (Transformers)
First Aid is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers series.
Contents
Transformers: Generation 1
First Aid is a doctor and hates seeing any machine in pain, even an overheated car. Compassionate to the injured, but also a great fighter. Carries double-barreled crystallizer cannon to internally weaken enemy structures. Combines with fellow Protectobots to form Defensor.[1]
Animated series
First Aid first appeared in the U.S. Transformers television series in episode 63, "The Revenge of Bruticus" with no explanation as to where he or the other Protectobots came from.
After the death of Ratchet in The Transformers: The Movie, First Aid became the Autobots' chief physician.
His most prominent role was in episode #85, The Ultimate Weapon. In that episode, First Aid returned to Metroplex after fellow Protectobot Blades was shot down by the Decepticons. Since First Aid was the only Autobot inside Metroplex at the time, the Combaticon Swindle infiltrated Metroplex to steal his transformation cog. First Aid attempted to stop him, but was unsuccessful. Feeling guilty about his inability to stop Swindle, he resigned from the Autobots and went into seclusion. Meanwhile, the Decepticons used Metroplex's cog to revive Trypticon. To prevent the Decepticons from gaining the advantage, the Autobots managed to steal Trypticon's cog for Metroplex. However, due to the incompatibility of the cogs, both robots began to experience major glitches as they fought. Hot Spot had no choice but to track First Aid down and try to convince him to rejoin the Autobots. Being the only Autobot to understand Metroplex's systems, he agreed and returned to repair Metroplex. This allowed Metroplex to defeat Trypticon yet again, and First Aid rejoined the Autobots with renewed confidence.
He is also credited with rescuing scientist Jessica Morgan, who was severely injured by the Decepticons in The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1. He was able to construct a biomechanical brace that allowed the paralyzed Jessica to walk again. Jessica's father, Dr. Mark Morgan, became enraged by his daughter's mechanical legs and decided to seek revenge on the Autobots by using the hate plague spores against them.
First Aid's last appearance was in The Rebirth, Part 3.
First Aid appears in episode #27 of the Japanese Headmasters series, called "The Miracle Warriors - The Targetmasters (Part 1)." Spike orders the Protectabots, Technobots and Trainbots to destroy the abandoned Decepticon headquarters on Earth. Combined into Defensor, Computron and Raiden the Autobots quickly demolish the building.
Comics
Dreamwave Productions
The Protectobots are featured in their Cybertronian forms in the second installment of the War Within comic series. In this chapter of Transformer history (which takes place long before contact with Earth), the Protectobots are a vigilante squad of peacekeepers. While loosely affiliated with the Autobots, they are a splinter group (as are most other special teams).
In issue #2 of the third Generation One series, titled "Black Sunshine", the Protectabots were ordered by Prowl to investigate the energy anomaly created by Sunstorm escaping Shockwave's abandoned secret lab. When they arrived they discovered the hole left in the roof by Sunstorm and the deactivated Battlechargers Runabout and Runamuck. Streetwise reported back to Prowl as First Aid repaired the Decepticons.
Marvel Comics
The Protectobots also appeared in the accompanying Transformers comic by Marvel, although they had a lesser role. They originally appeared in the UK Marvel Transformers comics in a very odd way - as part of a dream sequence. In previous stories, Optimus Prime had transferred part of the Matrix to Buster Witwicky. During a mission, Soundwave detected this and used one of Bombshell's cerebro-shells to tap into his mind. Buster's vision showed the future of the Transformer race - the combiners. The Protectobots and Aerialbots battled the Stunticons and Combaticons in their various combined modes with Shockwave and Prime looking on. This set the wheels in motion for more combiner teams on both sides.
The Protectobots made their first true appearance in issue 24 of the US Transformers comic, when they and Prime confronted Megatron and the Combaticons at a power plant. The two sides reached an agreement thanks to the human Ethan Zachary, where they would battle it out in the confines of a computer game. Prime and the Protectobots won due to their compassion towards the game's inhabitants, but Prime deemed that he had lost, as he had sacrificed some of them to stop a cheating Megatron, and self-destructed. Shortly after, Hot Spot was considered important enough to be one of the Autobots who named Prime's successor.
When Blaster and Goldbug went rogue from the new Autobot regime under Grimlock, the Protectobots were dispatched to bring them in. However, when they reached the used car dealership where they had last been sighted, they encountered the Combaticons. The two teams battled, with the Combaticons only withdrawing after the arrival of Circuit Breaker and RAAT, who captured Goldbug and the Throttlebots. The two teams battled again in pursuit of Blaster, this time as Defensor and Bruticus, with the Decepticon combiner emerging victorious, although Blaster managed to take out the Combaticons.
The Protectobots appeared less after this, as more new characters were introduced. Although they were not seen to be killed by the Underbase powered Starscream, they did not appear again after issue 50. They did, however, reappear in the Transformers: Generation 2 comic. Hotspot was part of a team sent to Earth to combat a newly rebuilt Megatron before the events Generation 2. He and Slingshot were the only survivors. Later he self-destructed in order to avoid being captured by Cobra forces. Blades was a member of one of Grimlock's raiding parties (with a notably more callous outlook), while Groove appeared assisting the Aerialbots in a team exercise against Hot Rod and the Dinobots. It is unclear if they survived the final battle against Jhiaxus' forces and the Swarm.
Toys
- Generation 1 First Aid (1986)
- In 1992 First Aid was recolored as the Autobot Safety, part of the Guard City set.[2]
- Generation 2 First Aid
- Prototypes of recolors of all the Protectabots were released for the Generation 2 toy line, but they never made it to general release. The few that were produced are considered highly collectable.[3]
- Hasbro Transformers Combiner Wars Deluxe First Aid
- Several parts for First Aid are available on Shapeways.
Transformers: Universe
A Micromaster Protectabot named First Aid was released in the Transformers: Universe line in 2004. He was is a slight redeco of Generation 1 Sireen. He came packaged with the left foot of Defensor.
3H Enterprises
This version of First Aid appeared only in his combined form of Defensor in issue 2 of the Transformers: Universe comic as one of the Transformers escaping Unicron's captivity.
Fun Publications
According to the Fun Publications Ask Vector Prime stories this First Aid comes from Aurex 1104.30-DB Zeta, part of the Unicron Trilogy series. Defensor was born from Doctor Brian Jones's attempts at reverse-engineering Maximus combiner technology and applying it to Mini-Con anatomy. Superion, Defensor, and Rail Racer fought Devastator in the Combiner Wars during the Unicron Singularity crisis.
Toys
- Universe First Aid (2004)
- First Aid is the U.S. name of former Japanese exclusive toy Sireen. A Kaybee toy store exclusive.
Transformers: Cybertron
First Aid is the Takara name of the Autobot called Red Alert by Hasbro. He is also known as First Gunner when he becomes a new form.
References
- ↑ Alvarez, J.E. (2001). The Unofficial Guide to Transformers 1980s Through 1990s Revised & Expanded 2nd Edition. Schiffer Publishing Ltd.. p. 38. ISBN 0-7643-1364-9.
- ↑ Alvarez, J.E. (2001). The Unofficial Guide to Japanese and International Transformers. Schiffer Publishing Ltd.. p. 23. ISBN 0-7643-1282-0.
- ↑ Transformers Generation 2:, by Karl Hartman, Hasbro Transformers Collectors Club magazine, issue #26, April 2009/May 2009, page 3
