Pinpointer

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Pinpointer is the name of three fictional characters from the Transformers series. The original Pinpointer was the Targetmaster partner to the Autobot Crosshairs. The second Pinpointer is the evil counterpart of the original from the Shattered Glass Transformers stories. The third Pinpointer is a character from the Transformers: Dark of the Moon toy line, and is the partner to the Autobot Tailpipe and the human Sergeant Noble.

Transformers: Generation 1

Transformers character
Pinpointer-tv.jpg
Pinpointer in The Transformers
Name Pinpointer
Autobot
Series Transformers: Generation 1
English voice actor Frank Welker
Japanese voice actor Masaki Aizawa
First appearance Transformers episode "The Rebirth, Part 1", November 9th, 1987
Information
Alternate modes Dual rocket-propelled grenade launcher
Gender Male
Partner Crosshairs
Sub-group Targetmasters

Pinpointer is the Targetmaster partner to the Autobot Crosshairs.

Biography: Pinpointer was a biomass-recycling engineer on Nebulous. As such, he shares his binary bonded partner Crosshairs concerns for the effiency and avoiding waste. He’s very businesslike and can be brief in his words to the point of appearing rude. But he is very reliable and an ideal Targetmaster. Pinpointer transforms into a dual rocket-propelled grenade launcher who can lock on a target in less than .0003 seconds but usually trusts crosshairs to tell him when to shoot. He can be fired by hand or mounted on and operated by crosshairs in vehicle mode. In weapons mode, Pinpointer often suffers from nausea and dizziness as a result of the exhaust fumes he inhales from his own grenade firings. This can severely reduce his accuracy.

In the Marvel Comics Transformers stories Nebulans are depicted as human-looking aliens, while in the animated US series they are green-skinned aliens. In the Ladybird Books stories the Nebulans are human-sized robots. In Japanese Transformers: The Headmasters the Targetmasters are not Nebulans at all, but robots from the planet Master.

Marvel Comics

Pinpointer first appeared in issue #4 of the Marvel Comics Headmasters comic in a story called "Brothers in Armor!!" where he volunteered to be binary bonded to Crosshairs as his Targetmaster partner. The Autobots then fled Nebulos for Earth in an attempt to lure away the Decepticons.[1]

Although Pinpointer is not depicted, in issue #38 of The Transformers the Autobots and Decepticons from Nebulos arrive on Earth.

In issue #39 Spike Witwicky introduces Fortress Maximus and the Autobot Targetmasters to his father Sparkplug.

Animated series

Pinpointer first appeared in the Transformers episode "The Rebirth, Part 1" as a sharpshooter among the rebel Nebulan group lead by Gort. In part 2 the Autobots copy Targetmaster technology from the Decepticons and Pinpointer is converted into the gun used by Crosshairs. In part 3 the Autobots and their Nebulans travel to Cybertron for the final showdown with the Decepticons. He then returns to Nebulos to rid the planet of the Hive's machines.[2]

In the Japanese series Transformers: The Headmasters the events of "The Rebirth" were ignored and the Targetmasters had a different origin. In this series the six original Targetmaster partners were Transformers from the planet Master. In episode #27, "Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)" the six escaped their planet to get reinforcements after the planet was invaded by the Decepticons. At the time the Decepticons had planted a bomb on Earth which the Autobots were trying to safely remove from the planet. The six robots from the planet Master took the bomb in an attempt to save the Autobots, but it exploded in space during a battle between three Autobots and three Decepticons.[3]

In episode #28, "Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 2)", It was discovered that the six Autobots and Decepticons had fused with the robots from the planet Master as weapons on their hands. They were dubbed the Targetmasters. The Autobot Crosshairs was bonded with Pinpointer. The Autobot Targetmasters aided on the planet Master when Jack has hyptnotized and given a bomb to blow up the Autobot base, and then came into conflict with the Decepticon Targetmasters.[4]

In episode #29, "The Master Sword Is in Danger!!", the Autobot and Decepticon Targetmasters participated in a battle on the planet Master where Zarak first sent in the Decepticon Duocons. In this battle the Decepticons are able to obtain a computer disk that contains information on the Master Sword.[5]

In episode #30, "The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide" the Autobot Targetmasters follow Soundblaster to the planet Master where they are ambushed by the Decepticon Targetmasters. The Autobots are washed away when the Decepticons blast a dam above the Autobots during the fight. Surviving the flood the Autobot Targetmasters discover a cave entrance to the Decepticon base. Despite being discovered by the Autobots, the Decepticon are able to escape with their new weapon.[6]

3H Enterprises

Crosshairs and Pinpointer appeared in the 2001 3H Enterprises story "Departure" where they were part of the rescue team lead by Hot Spot that recovered Arcee from a horde of Nightbird clones, but was unable to save Daniel Witwicky and Wheelie.

Dreamwave Productions

Crosshairs and Pinpointer had a single page biography printed in the Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye comic series.

Toys

  • Generation 1 Targetmaster Sureshot with Spoilsport (1987)
A new mold.


Shattered Glass

Transformers character
Draft-xdimension.jpg
X-Dimension Draft as Shattered Glass Pinpointer
Name Pinpointer
Autobot
Series Transformers: Timelines
First appearance Do Over by Fun Publications
Information
Alternate modes Fire truck/missile launcher gun
Gender Male
Sub-group Targetmasters

Crosshairs is incredibly lazy and partner the over eager Pinpointer, but when he's forced to get off his rear bumper he can become very angry. As well as his Targetmaster weapon he has a cannon in his chest. Ricochet commands Scoop and Crosshairs. Crosshairs is partnered with the Targetmaster Pinpointer.

Crosshairs transforms into an Earth-style truck. Pinpointer transforms into a truck or a "fire and forget" missile launcher gun.

Although no toy for Crosshairs and Pinpointer was ever released they appear to be identical to the toys for Transformers movie Warpath and the Armada X-Dimension Mini-Con Draft.

Fun Publications

Pinpointer is spotlighted as a members of the Autobot Targetmasters in the story Do Over by Fun Publications. In this story the Autobot Targetmasters capture Megatron, but as Optimus Prime arrives to finish him off personally the Micromaster Predacons and Whisper arrive and free Megatron.[7]

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Transformers character
Name Pinpointer
Autobot
Series Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Information
Partner Tailpipe & Sergeant Noble
Sub-group Human Alliance

Pinpointer is the small partner to Human Alliance Tailpipe.


References

  1. Bob Budiansky (w), Frank Springer (p), Ian Akin & Brian Garvey (i). "Headmasters" Brothers in Armor!! 4 (January 1988), Marvel Comics
  2. "The Rebirth, Part 1". The Transformers. First-run syndication. No. 1, season 4.
  3. "Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)". Transformers: The Headmasters. No. 27, season 1.
  4. "Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 2)". Transformers: The Headmasters. No. 28, season 1.
  5. "The Master Sword Is in Danger!!". Transformers: The Headmasters. No. 29, season 1.
  6. "The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide". Transformers: The Headmasters. No. 30, season 1.
  7. S. Trent Troop and Greg Sepelak (2009). Do Over. Illustrator Yuki Oshima. Fun Publications. 

External links