Silverbolt

Silverbolt is the name of seven different fictional characters from the Transformers series. The first character named Silvebolt was introduced in 1986 and was leader of the Aerialbots, a team of heroic robots who turned into jets. He used his devotion to his troops to overcome his personal fear of heights. This character was voiced by Charlie Adler in the animated Transformers series. The second Silverbolt was introduced in the Transformers sequel Beast Wars, as somewhat comedic hero who turned into a combination of wolf and eagle. He was voiced by Scott McNeil in the Beast Wars TV series. Other minor characters in Transformers have also been given the name Silverbolt, all of them heroic Autobot jets.

Transformers: Generation 1

Transformers character
Generation 1 Silverbolt art by Marvel Comics
Name	Silverbolt
Autobot/Maximal
Series	Transformers: Generation 1 Transformers: Generation 2 Beast Wars Transformers: Universe Transformers: Henkei Transformers: Combiner Wars
English voice actor	Charlie Adler
Japanese voice actor	Tomomichi Nishimura
Information
Alternate modes	Concorde supersonic transport/Launch Ramp, Sukhoi Su-37, giant bald eagle, XB-70 Valkyrie
Function	Aerialbot Commander
Motto	"Don’t look down, look straight ahead!" "On a wing and a prayer."
Partner	Air Raid, Airazor, Fireflight, Hot Zone, Ironhide, Prowl, Scattorshot, Skydive, Slingshot
Rank	8
Sub-group	Aerialbots, Basic Beasts, Deluxe Vehicles, Micro Vehicles, Ultra Vehicles, Voyagers

Silverbolt is the largest of the five Autobot-allied Aerialbots. Often protrayed as a combiner, he usually forms the head and torso of Superion. Silverbolt has been know to form part of Magnaboss.

Fictional biography

Profile: Silverbolt is scared of heights. It is this one trait, above all else, that determines the rest of his behavior. He projects the image of a brave, grimly determined warrior, befitting his role as Aerialbot Commander. In truth, he is just that. But it is a constant struggle for him to maintain this persona, to never falter or show any sign of emotional weakness to those he leads. Helped by the sleek, aerodynamic jet form that makes him appear to be a natural-born flyer, Silverbolt knows that everything about him belies even a hint of the existence of his phobia. And, in fact, no one is aware he has this problem, except Optimus Prime. It is for that reason the Autobot Commander selected Silverbolt to lead the Aerialbots - Optimus figured if Silverbolt felt responsible for the welfare of others, he'd have less time to worry about himself. Given that Silverbolt is an excellent leader, Optimus was right.

Abilities: In jet mode, Silverbolt can reach Mach 1.9 and has a range of 4500 miles. He carries on his underside an electrostatic battery, which allows him to strip electrons from air molecules as he's flying and store them. He can then direct this stored charge through his nose cone as a powerful bolt of electricity. He's capable of storing and releasing up to 150,000 volts at a time. He's especially effective in lightning storms, due to their abundance of charged particles. He carries an electrostatic discharger rifle in robot mode that has the same capability. He combines with the other Aerialbots to form the giant robot known as Superion.

Weaknesses: As long as Silverbolt is busy leading or fighting, he's fine, but when he's simply flying, particularly by himself, his fear of heights begins to manifest itself. The effect can be devastating; he might start flying wildly, go into a tailspin or even crash.

Animated series

Silverbolt

In The Transformers series Silverbolt was recreated from a "low-flying transport" (which is ironic because the Concorde was designed for high-altitude travel), which is believed to be the cause of his fear of heights. He was given life by Vector Sigma and Alpha Trion with the other Aerialbots to combat their Decepticon counterparts, the Stunticons. However, after defeating Menasor, Megatron escaped with the Decepticons' latest superweapon, forcing Silverbolt to confront his fear of heights to chase him down. He is a very level-headed robot that uses common sense and compassion to make his decisions, which later led Optimus Prime to name him the Aerialbots' leader.

Despite his fear of flight and being less adventurous then the other Aerialbots, he proved to be a great leader. He was able to lead the Aerialbots to many victories against the Decepticons and other combiners, like defeating Menasor again ("Cosmic Rust"), stopping the Combaticons from controlling the eastern oil fields ("Aerial Assault"), saving Rodimus Prime and the others from Quintessa ("Five Faces of Darkness"), fought with Scourge and Cyclonus ("Fight or Flee"), blast Trypticon from the inside ("The Ultimate Weapon"), and was badly damage while spying on the Junkions.

In the three part season 4 episode, "The Rebirth", the Aerialbots were among those who tried to stop the Decepticons on Cybertron. However, Galvatron ordered Sixshot to take them out. He did so, using each of his alternate modes to defeat the entire team. The Decepticons then scavenged their parts to construct a super engine to move the planet Cybertron. It is unknown if they survived or not, though one does appear jumping up and down with Bumblebee indicating that they might have survived.

Books

The Aerialbots appeared in the 1986 story book Galvatron's Air Attack by Ladybird Books.

Comics

3H Enterprises

The first Beast Wars Silverbolt made appearance in Transformers: Universe #3 as part of Magnaboss. In this comic Optimus Primal pleads with Magnaboss and the Maximal High council (which oddly includes Bantor, Air Hammer, Corahda, Torca and Battle Unicorn) to take the threat of Unicron seriously, but they doubt his claims. Optimus Primal is detained, but Snarl breaks him out of the detention center.

Dreamwave Productions

Unlike previous interpretations of Generation 1 Silverbolt, Dreamwave comics had all the Aerialbots being made on Cybertron before the Autobots came to Earth. They were one of several teams that used the combiner technology first used to create Devastator to make their own combined form.

The Aerialbots came to be among the Autobots on Earth in the 1980s and gained the forms of Earth-style jets. Upon the awakening of Optimus Prime in Dreamwave's first mini-series of the original cartoon universe, the Aerialbots were among the Autobots summoned by Optimus to rescue the remaining Autobots, who had been turned into mind-controlled weapons of mass destruction by a human arms dealer. During a subsequent battle with the Decepticons in San Francisco, the Aerialbots, merged into Superion, sacrificed themselves to stop an incoming nuclear missile, launched by rogue elements in the US military to eradicate both factions of Cybertronians in one fell swoop.

Later, it was revealed that parts of Superion, including his head, were recovered by the faction of the US government that also recovered Scourge, hinting that they were possibly trying to rebuild him.

Fun Publications

Silverbolt appears in "Beast Wars Shattered Glass Chapter One: Shattered Time" by Fun Publications. In this story Ultra Magnus and the Autobots aboard the Graviton battle Megatron and the Decepticons aboard the Talon. Both ships are pulled through a vortex into the past of Shattered Glass Earth. Crashing they discover that dangerous energon readings outside the ship will place them in stasis lock. The Autobots devise organic alternate modes to protect them from the energon. The Decepticons create energon-absorbing armor for protection. Silverbolt takes on the alternate form of a bald eagle (his Beast Wars toy).

Silverbolt appears in the story Beast Wars Shattered Glass by Fun Publications. Ultra Magnus and his Autobots discover that their ship's high security storage rooms were damaged in the crash and the Autobot bodies in stasis pods were lost. They head out to recover the pods when they are attacked by Dirge and Seawing. They find the pods, but also discover that Megatron has gotten to them first. He's converted the three Autobots into Autojetter, Autolauncher and Scylla, who are loyal to him. The Decepticons attack the Autobots, who are only saved thanks to the intervention of Depth Charge. Ultra Magnus orders the retreat, as there is nothing left for them to recover. Depth Charge informs the Autobots of his mission to save the multiverse.

IDW Publishing

In the IDW Publishing stories Silverbolt is on the Autobot Orbital Command Hub in Spotlight: Blaster. He is present when Blaster was recovered and returned to the Autobots.

Silverbolt was shown in the second volume of the Beast Wars: The Ascending miniseries to be part of the Maximal Imperium along with Ironhide and Prowl. With civil unrest on Cybertron reaching a peak they called in Big Convoy to find out why.

Silverbolt had a biography printed in the Beast Wars Sourcebook by IDW Publishing. This biography confirms that this is the Generation 1 character, now much older and upgraded into a Maximal body.

Marvel Comics

In the Marvel Comics Transformers story Silverbolt and the other Aerialbots were created on Earth by Wheeljack and given life by Optimus Prime using the Matrix. After their initial mission was deemed a failure due to only Silverbolt's personality being stabilized (with Superion nearly killing a human), Optimus Prime had their minds wiped clean and all five Aerialbots given life once again. Unbeknownst to Prime, the Insecticon Bombshell piggy-backed aboard Silverbolt, and attempted to inject a cerebro-shell into an open wound Prime incurred earlier. The shell allowed Bombshell to transmit Prime's thoughts—and the Matrix's creation process—to Megatron and Soundwave, allowing them to bring life to the Stunticons. (Transformers #21-22.)

The Aerialbots were subsequently captured by Circuit Breaker and her Rapid Anti-Robot Attack Team and taken to her laboratory and dismantled for study. However, to combat the threat of the rampaging Decepticon Battlechargers Runabout and Runamuck a deal was struck - if they cooperated in stopping the Decepticons she would let them go. Circuit Breaker then created a massive robot out of their parts, piloted by herself. After defeating the Decepticons, Circuit Breaker released the Autobots.

Jetfire, Perceptor, Blaster, Hot Spot, Ratchet and Silverbolt decide on a new Autobot leader

In issue #27, "King of the Hill!", Perceptor summoned his fellow Autobots Blaster, Hot Spot, Jetfire, Omega Supreme, Ratchet and Silverbolt in order to decide who should take leadership of the Autobots. After an attack by the giant Decepticon Trypticon the leader was chosen - Grimlock.

When Starscream returned to Earth after absorbing the powers of the Underbase, Silverbolt and his Aerialbots were amongst those in New York first to attack... and also amongst the first to fall in battle. Later when Optimus Prime was deciding which one Autobot to restore life to, he considered Silverbolt but imagined that after a while, he would resent being chosen over others.

Silverbolt was finally restored to take part in the battle against Unicron thanks to Grimlock's supply of nucleon.

He subsequently appeared in the Generation 2 comic as the Aerialbots were attacked from all sides by Jhiaxus' fliers - until Thundercracker and Skywarp unexpectedly bailed them out, leading a Decepticon armada into the fray.

Although Silverbolt did make a short background appearance in the Transformers: Generation 2 comic, he was portrayed in his original colors rather than his new Generation 2 toy colors.

TFcon comics

Silverbolt appears in the TFcon 2009 convention poster by Alex Milne in the form of his Universe Ultra toy.

Depth Charge addresses Ironhide, Prowl and Silverbolt on Cybertron in Days of Wreckening

Silverbolt appears in the TFcon 2012 live script reading prelude comic Days of Wreckening. In this story he appears on future Cybertron as a Maximal leader and refuses to let Depth Charge go after Protoform X.

Toys

• Generation 1 Aerialbot Silverbolt (1986)

A Scramble City style combiner torso, Silverbolt had a third launching pad mode. He was available by himself or as part of an Aerialbot gift set.

• Generation 2 Aerialbot Silverbolt (1994)

Released in the last year of the series, the Aerialbots made their second appearance in the Transformers series. As before, each were individually sold but this time Silverbolt was sold on a card rather than being boxed. Silverbolt was recolored blue.

Beast Wars Magnaboss in box

• Beast Wars Magnaboss (1997)

A 3-pack of figures that form Magnaboss.

Silverbolt is a Basic sized Maximal who turns into a bald eagle. This toy was recolored into Beast Wars Second Skywarp.

• Universe Classic Series Ultra Silverbolt (2008)

An Ultra Class toy designed to resemble the Generation 1 Aerialbot leader, featuring light and sound effects. He turns into a 1:222 scale XB-70 Valkyrie jet. With this scale his robot mode would stand 178 feet 5 inches tall.

The mold for the figure was also used for the Toys "R" Us exclusive Decepticon Darkwind and the Walmart exclusive Decepticon Skyfall. This version of Silverbolt appeared in the 2009 TFcon poster.

• Universe Classic Series Ultra Silverbolt (Takara Tomy) (2008)

The Japanese version of the Universe Ultra figure by Takara Tomy retains the Hasbro packaging and is marketed as a "USA Edition" toy, but sports more Generation 1 accurate colors.

• Universe Legends Silverbolt (2008)

This toy is a recolor of Cybertron Legends Thundercracker. A Target store exclusive sold in a 5-pack with other Special Team leaders.

• Universe Classic Series Deluxe Silverbolt (2009)

Leaked pictures have made it to the internet of a redeco of the Energon Air Team done in the colors of the Generation 1 Aerialbots.

• Combiner Wars Voyager Silverbolt (2015)

Gallery

• 

  Generation 2 Silverbolt toy

• 

  Beast Wars Magnaboss Silverbolt toy

• 

  Universe Classic Series Deluxe Silverbolt toy

• 

  Generations Combiner Wars Superion using Alpha Bravo and Drag Strip as limbs, with Powerglide

• 

  Generations Combiner Wars Superion with PC-05 upgrade

Beast Wars

Transformers character
Silverbolt in Beast Wars
Name	Silverbolt/Jetstorm
Autobot/Maximal/Predacon/Vehicon
Series	Beast Wars Beast Machines Transformers: Universe
English voice actor	Scott McNeil (Silverbolt) Brian Drummond (Jetstorm) Malwave (Silverbolt, TFcon 2013)
Japanese voice actor	Mitsuo Iwata
First appearance	Beast Wars episode "Coming of the Fuzors, Part 1"
Information
Alternate modes	Grey Timber Wolf/Eagle Fuzor, Cybertonian Jet Fighter, Technorganic Condor
Function	Aerial Assault/Tracker, Aero-Drone General
Motto	"After the darkness I take wing again!" (Beast Machines) "Even in the face of the darkest nights, justice will ultimately prevail." (Universe) "I am not bound by the law of the land." (Deluxe Jetstorm) "Cruelty is perhaps, the most enjoyable sin." (Ultra Jetstorm)
Sub-group	Deluxe Fuzor, Basic beast, Deluxe behicles, Ultra vehicles

Among the Maximals, Silverbolt stands in contrast to Dinobot - who embodied Predacon honor, similar to the samurai code of bushido. Silverbolt embodied the Maximal version of honor which was like the chivalry of the medieval knights. Silverbolt sometimes left his teammates feeling befuddled, annoyed, or amused at just how seriously he took his ideals. Often, a cheesy horn theme would play whenever Silverbolt said or did something heroic, sounding somewhat like an English fanfare for the Knights of old. Like Tigatron, Silverbolt was slow to anger but never backed down from a fight. Rattrap often called him "Bird Dog" and, at one point, called him "Sir Drools-a-Lot". Waspinator often referred to Silverbolt as "Doggy-Bot", and Blackarachnia often called him "Bowser", "Jo-Jo", and/or "Rover" in a tone that was often both mocking and affectionate at the same time. Silverbolt himself didn't seem to mind, and generally let whatever criticisms people made of him roll off his back as if he were oblivious to it.

Silverbolt was a Fuzor, a transformer who combined the traits of two animals for his alternate mode. In the case of Silverbolt, these animals were a wolf and an eagle, resulting a mode that looked like a winged wolf with bird claws.

Silverbolt fell in love with Blackarachnia, and had charmed her into grudgingly falling in love with him at the end of season 2; when Rattrap made a derogative remark about Blackarachnia, Silverbolt threatened to harm him brutally.

Unlike Tigatron and Airazor, Silverbolt did not seem to feel that the Earth was his home or place of birth. His fellow fuzor, Quickstrike, once vowed that they would have an all out brawl some day, but it never came to pass. Some of his early episodes portrayed Silverbolt as an extremely cheerful, almost happy-go-lucky Maximal who was always eager to undertake assignments.

According to Bob Skir's web site the producers were originally going to call Jetstorm by the name Skybolt, but had to change the name for trademark reasons. According to the DVD commentary for Beast Machines they changed the name from Skybolt to Jetstorm because the name Skybolt was so close to Silverbolt they feared people would guess they were the same person.

The appearance of Beast Machines Silverbolt is based on concept art provided to Hasbro by Draxhall Jump.

Reception

Silverbolt (the Beast Machines version) was voted one of the top robot characters that does not look like her toy by Topless Robots.

Animated series

Beast Wars

The stasis pod containing Silverbolt was launched into space around the Earth in the Beast Wars series pilot.

Appearing after the apparent death of Optimus Primal, Silverbolt's scanner was damaged by the energy wave that created the transmetals. Scanning a wolf and eagle, it combined them to create his beast mode: a timber wolf with the wings, tail, and claws of an eagle. Megatron immediately tried to recruit him, but despite his damaged memory banks Silverbolt quickly realized he did not belong with the Predacons, as even the transformation code of "Silverbolt: Terrorize?" was distasteful to him. When he saw the kindness the Maximals offered to him by sparing him after a battle — something Megatron had refused to do for the Maximals — he realized his place was with them. Repaired just in time to see Optimus Primal reborn as a transmetal, Silverbolt changed sides and even saved Primal from a blow from Megatron.

His first real mission with the Maximals was when he and Rattrap tried to stop Predacons Blackarachnia, Tarantulas, and his fellow Fuzor Quickstrike from creating a refueling station. When the cave, in which the station was supposed to be, exploded (by Tarantulas, to make a new lair) Silverbolt proposed to Rattrap that they won and should leave, in which Rattrap happily agreed. This is also the start of his relationship with Blackarachnia, when he refused to shoot her when she was down because she was a lady.

In the episode "Bad Spark", Optimus spoke of the "dark secret of Axalon's voyage", which was to dump the stasis pod containing Protoform X - Rampage - on a barren world so that he could cause no more destruction. When it was revealed that Rampage did survive when his stasis pod crashed, Optimus, Cheetor, Silverbolt, Blackarachnia, and Waspinator tried to subdue the rampaging Transformer, only to have him captured and forced to join the Predacons by Megatron. It was here that Silverbolt's relationship with the Predacon Blackarachnia really started. They were separated by their own teams and had to join forces to escape from the jungle and from Protoform X. But Silverbolt was able to defeat Rampage (with the help of Optimus) and saved Blackarachnia from falling into a chasm. Silverbolt would continued to have a secret relationship Blackarachnia for most of the season.

Silverbolt's unerring compassion would be demonstrated when a new stasis pod fell to Earth. When the pod was revealed to contain the transmetal mutant Transmutate, Optimus Primal deemed that the slow-witted but powerful mutant should be forcibly put back in stasis, Silverbolt furiously protested and tried to befriend the mutant robot. This was complicated by the fact that Rampage, seeing a fellow tortured and rejected soul, was trying to do the same (against Megatron's orders to destroy her). The two fought each other to keep her free and join their sides. Unable to bear seeing her friends fighting over her, she terminated herself, much to the sorrow of both combatants.

Later Silverbolt's tentative relationship with Blackarachnia flowered into a cross-faction affair. Silverbolt would ferry her things she needed to build a hover ship in a series of clandestine meetings, although at this point Blackarachnia was using him more than anything. After failing to stop her escaping during a battle, Optimus Primal confined him to quarters. Silverbolt escaped and joined with Blackarachnia. As Silverbolt doggedly tried to convince her to become a Maximal (being rewarded with a bolt in the leg for his troubles) Blackarachnia revealed her true intent: to uncover The Ark. The two were then jumped by Megatron, who forced Blackarachnia to cooperate by threatening Silverbolt's life. Megatron then shot the stasis-locked body of Optimus Prime in the head, causing a time storm that threatened to destabilize all of history.

Silverbolt was instrumental in Blackarachnia changing sides to the Maximals in "Optimal Situation" when, impressed by his unflagging courage and devotion to protecting her, she switched sides. Their relationship was not always smooth (she ended up shooting him at one point to save him from Dinobot's clone) but for the most part the two seemed to have a genuine affection for each other. The other Maximals often questioned and, in Rattrap's case, often mocked, his affection for Blackarachnia, which Silverbolt usually ignored; however at least once or twice he became violently angry with Rattrap when it came to Blackarachnia (once for her honor, later for her well-being).

Silverbolt's role in season three was rather minor, as he acted mainly as a guard for the entrance to the Maximal base. Most of the time, he ended up getting damaged and taken out of action early on in episodes; this led to a running gag in which Waspinator would regularly take cheap shots at Silverbolt and gloat before being taken out himself (such as when Optimal Optimus smashed him with his bare hands in "Master Blaster").

The third season featured a minor antagonism between Silverbolt and Cheetor over Blackarachnia, as they both had feelings for her. Outside of this, Silverbolt took part in the Maximals' failed attempt to recover the Sentinel guard unit from the Axalon, where he had a brief argument with Depth Charge over Depth Charge's loyalty, and battled the transmetal clone of Dinobot. It also showed Silverbolt at his most brutal during the episode "Crossing the Rubicon", when Blackarachnia was temporarily killed, due to the meddling of Tarantulas, an enraged Silverbolt attempted to murder Tarantulas, almost succeeding but for the intervention of Rampage. Happily, his love was soon resurrected as a transmetal 2 (with her Predacon programming purged) - just in time to save an ambushed Silverbolt from Rampage.

Silverbolt did have one very heroic save in the finale, "Nemesis", where he dove on a booby trap bomb left by Megatron at the entrance to Tarantulas's Nemesis worksite. The force of the bomb completely shredded Silverbolt, causing him to have to return to base for repairs; however it protected Optimus and Depth Charge who were then able to chase after Megatron.

Silverbolt (to Optimus): "Sir, I'll be fine! I can-"

Blackarachnia: "Shut up and obey your commander, bone-brain!"

Silverbolt: "Yes, dear..."

In the second part of the finale, however, Silverbolt has but a single line. After Megatron's finale defeat, Silverbolt returned to Cybertron with the other Maximals.

Beast Machines

At the start of Beast Machines, Silverbolt was captured by Megatron and his spark extracted, later to be used in the Vehicon General Jetstorm. The other escaped Maximals would remain unaware of Silverbolt's true identity until Blackarachnia began to suspect that his Spark lay inside one of Megatron's generals.

Jetstorm was one of the three original Vehicon generals, along with Tankor and Thrust who were created to help Megatron command his drones. Jetstorm was probably the most enthusiastic of the Vehicon Generals. An arrogant and rather talkative fighter, Jetstorm usually joked and mocked the Maximals but also hid a harsh and purely vindictive personality. He loved his job of tormenting the Maximals, and was always cuttingly sarcastic in battle.

He was completely loyal to Megatron, despite his huge ego, and did not tolerate treachery from the other Generals. He commanded the Aero-Drones, who he quickly became annoyed with for their incompetence. Jetstorm never took responsibility for his own failures. To him, his efforts were flawless and someone else was always at fault. His alternative mode was a metallic blue Cybertronian Attack Jet.

Each of the three original Vehicon Generals had their own personalized command codes; Jetstorm's was: "Jetstorm Afterburn!!!"

Despite their past rivalry, he and Thrust formed an actual friendship, even though the idea of having a friend seemed absurd at first to Jetstorm. However, Jetstorm despised the other Vehicon General, Tankor, thinking him to be a stupid lug who always got in the way. He even asked Megatron if he could have the tank drones after Tankor's apparent death.

After mistakenly assuming Silverbolt's spark was inside Thrust (who turned out to be Waspinator instead, much to her chagrin), Blackarachnia discovered it to be inside Jetstorm, whose sheer murderous impulses were the total opposite of Silverbolt's nobility. She briefly managed to awaken Siverbolt's true personality, but the Jetstorm program quickly reestablished itself and Blackarachnia was forced to leave behind her former-loved one.

In a contrast to Silverbolt trying to sway her from the side of evil in Beast Wars, Blackarachnia now tried to reawaken the good in Silverbolt. She had many setbacks, including when Jetstorm managed to extract her Spark and present it to Megatron, only being foiled by the timely intervention of Nightscream. Eventually Rattrap invented a device which combined a spark extractor with a DNA scanner he planned to use to restore transformers into their bodies. Blackarachnia stole this device and together with the organic core of Cybertron and a nearby fossil reformatted Jetstorm into Silverbolt, now a technorganic condor.

Unfortunately, Silverbolt's mind had been fully aware and conscious whilst Jetstorm was active, and the fact that he'd been able not only to commit such atrocities but also enjoy them had left him with a darker personality, no longer as close to his beloved as he had originally been out of mixed-guilt. Furious, Silverbolt would attempt to kill Megatron after the megalomaniacal dictator tried to sway him back to his side, with the Blackarachnia having to knock him out to get him away. After this Silverbolt was willing to do whatever was necessary to defeat Megatron.

His return to the Maximals was not a smooth transition, as his changed personality caused him to clash with the rest of the team on several occasions, particularly the impetuous Nightscream, who distrusted the former Vehicon general. Silverbolt also refused to resume his relationship with Blackarachnia, claiming he wanted to end the conflict with Megatron first. This greatly annoyed Blackarachnia, who had to go through many dangers to bring him back. Silverbolt also distrusted the new second-in-command Cheetor, stating that he "did not take orders from children." However, despite his rough reunion with the Maximals, Silverbolt proved to be a valiant addition to the team, adding much strength during battles with his former Vehicons, and even mediating the Maximals after they were they succumbed to the Hate Plague. After Megatron's final defeat, Silverbolt's old, chivalrous personality reasserted itself and he finally rekindled his romance with Blackarachnia.

Already a controversial series, the change in Silverbolt's character angered a number of fans, who felt that his personality had been changed into a copy of Dinobot and Depth Charge, losing much of his previous charm. However, in the series finale he regained his old personality. In the audio commentary on the Beast Machines DVD, this change was said to have been inspired by the evolution of Batman's persona. The campy Batman's change into his current dark portrayal was used as a template for the evolution of Silverbolt. The creators stated that part of this reason was due to how much the Beast Wars Silverbolt reminded them of Adam West’s Batman. Scott McNeil, the actor who voiced Silverbolt, was quoted in interviews saying that he did not like the change in Silverbolt's personality. Strangely enough, when Silverbolt's persona first re-emerged while inside Jetstorm's body, he appeared to be the same chivalrous, knight in shining armor type character he had been in Beast Wars, poetically addressing Blackarachnia as "dark poison of my heart" (he has called her this during the beast wars after he thought she was about to die in optimal situation) and seemingly unaware of his deeds as Jetstorm or even aware of his Jetstorm identity, although he seems to have acknowledged Waspinator as Thrust. Perhaps it was after this event that Silverbolt become aware of what he was doing as Jetstorm.

Comics

3H Enterprises

Sadly, Silverbolt's happiness would not last long. In the BotCon exclusive storyline Transformers: Universe, Silverbolt and several other heroes of the Beast Machines era welcomed the Autobot heroes of The Great War back to Cybertron. However, all of them were transported away by Unicron. Reformatted into a new body (a purple and yellow version of his Beast Wars Fuzor body). Forced to fight for Unicron's amusement (and unbeknownst to all, so that the Spark energy from fallen combatants could revitalize his own shattered frame), Silverbolt would team up with the Autobot Trailbreaker, swapping Sparks (and bodies) to free themselves from their cells. All were subsequently freed by the resurrected Optimus Primal, but with a price - Blackarachnia had been corrupted by Unicron's power and now willingly served the Chaos-Bringer. As she had once done for him, Silverbolt vowed to bring her back to the side of good.

Silverbolt also appeared in the 2004 BotCon voice actor play. When Rhinox's attempts to stop Unicron pulling victims from alternate realities resulted in two groups of dimensionally-displaced Autobots being marooned on frozen planetoids, Silverbolt was sent alongside Waspinator and Rattrap to help. They ended up battling Unicron's minions alongside a crew of time-lost Autobots (Bumblebee, Cosmos and Tracks) and the two groups of Autobots they had been sent to help (both from the RiD universe), and, with Rhinox's help, sent them back to their own times and realities.

Fun Publications

Although Universe ended at issue #3, the flashback of Optimus Prime would reveal what happened. In the final battle between the forces of Optimus Primal and Unicron, the Chaos-Bringer had disappeared (due to the events of Transformers: Energon), with Primal's forces barely making it out. Silverbolt was seen carrying away Blackarachnia.

IDW Publishing

Silverbolt had a biography printed in the Beast Wars Sourcebook by IDW Publishing.

TFcon comics

Cheetor, Dinobot, Rattrap and Silverbolt charge into battle in Days of Wreckening

Silverbolt appears in the TFcon 2012 live script reading prelude comic. In this story Cheetor, Dinobot Rattrap and Silverbolt discover three Constructicons and some Predacons on prehistoric Earth and are joined by the Wreckers .

Blackarachnia and Silverbolt in Grab and Go

Silverbolt appeared in the TFcon 2013 live script reading Grab and Go, where he and Blackarachnia are abducted by Bikemurder.

Games

Silverbolt in the Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals game

Silverbolt appears as a character in the 1999 video game Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals. The Playstation version of the game included a loading screen that displayed the statistics of Tarantulas, stating that he was 260 centimeters tall and weighed 2000 kilograms.

Toys

• Beast Wars Deluxe Fuzor Silverbolt (1998)

A Deluxe sized Maximal Fuzor who combined traits of a grey wolf and an eagle. Came with 2 missile/feathers. This toy was later redecoed into BotCon Windrazor.

• Beast Wars Metals Deluxe Silverbolt (1999)

A slight redeco of the Silverbolt toy was released in Japan as part of their Beast Wars Metals line. This version featured slightly more show-accurate colors.

• Beast Machines Deluxe Jetstorm (2000)

There were three toys of Jetstorm: a Deluxe, a larger Ultra version and a tiny McDonalds Happy Meal kids toy. The appearance of the two larger toys does not resemble the TV show character accurately, like many Beast Machines models.

The Deluxe sized Jetstorm toy was redecoed into Robots in Disguise Autobot Stormjet and Decepticon Jhiaxus, as well as Universe Skywarp.

• Beast Machines Ultra Jetstorm (2000)

The Ultra Jetstorm toy was redecoed slightly in Japan to make it more show-accurate. Much like the original G1 Scattershot, Jetstorm has an obscene robot mode when the nose section of his jet mode is pointed forward instead of being folded in the back. It was also repainted as the BotCon exclusive Cyclonus, who appeared in the Transformers: Universe - Wreckers comic series.

Fans have compared the jet mode design with the VF-19 Excalibur Variable Fighter of the Macross series, and because of its leg configuration, it is possible to transform Ultra Jetstorm into Gerwalk mode.

• Beast Machines Happy Meal Jetstorm

he Happy Meal version of Jetstorm was released in a variety of colors in Australia in Red Robin's restaurants, including green and red variants.

• Beast Machines Basic Silverbolt (2000)

A basic sized Maximal condor, Silverbolt was one of the smallest Maximal figures, but was the tallest in the show. Like most Beast Machines toys, the colors of the toy and show character of Silverbolt did not match. In the show, he was purple with yellow highlights, but as a toy he was red and blue with rainbow feathers.

Universe Deluxe Silverbolt toy

• Universe Deluxe Fuzor Silverbolt (2003)

The original Fuzor toy redecoed into purple and bright yellowish-green, with silver and red deco across his beast mode back. This coloration is somewhat similar to those seen previously for Silverbolt in the Beast Machine animated series.

This figure got four and a half stars out of five from Educational Child Toy.

• Beast Wars Returns Basic Silverbolt (2005)

The Japanese release of the Beast Machines toy was recolored into show accurate colors.

Transformers: Universe

Transformers character
Universe Micromaster toy
Name	Silverbolt
Autobot/Decepticon
Japanese name	Falcon
Series	Transformers: Generation 1 Transformers: Universe Transformers: Cybertron
Information
Alternate modes	F-16 Fighting Falcon
Sub-group	Aerialbots, Micromasters

A second Silverbolt later appeared in the Universe toyline in 2006, this time a Micromaster - It is unknown if this Siverbolt is a new version of any previous Silverbolt, the Micromaster Falcon, or a completely new character. With no profile from Hasbro to determine his identity, it is open to speculation and interpretation. Falcon's biography described him as a hard worker.

He forms the left leg of Micromaster Superion.

According to the story for Berserker Sixwing, a computer virus briefly turned the Sixwing team into Decepticons.

Dreamwave Productions

Flanker and Falcon (as Decepticons) appeared and was eaten by the Deluxe Insecticons in Micromaster #2.

Toys

• Generation 1 Micromaster Falcon

• Generation 1 Micromaster Falcon reissue

A recolor of Falcon as a Decepticon.

• Generation 1 Micromaster Berserker Falcon

A recolor of Falcon in white as a Decepticon.

• Universe Micromaster Silverbolt

Silverbolt is a recolor of the Sixwing component, Falcon originally released during 1992 in Japan. He comes with the left foot of Superion.

Micromaster Silverbolt was released in Cybertron packaging in European countries, as they didn't have the Universe line.

TransTech

Transformers character
Name	Silverbolt
Autobot
Information
Alternate modes	Cybertronian Jet

TransTech's form is based on concept art by Draxall Jump.

Silverbolt is New Arrivals Coordinator in the city of Axiom Nexus on Transtech Cybertron.

Fun Publications

Silverbolt appeared in "Withered Hope", where he oversaw the arrival of two intertwined groups of arriving dimensional travelers, one of which was a 6 GoBots, the other 4 Transformers. Once the GoBots arrived he welcoming Path Finder and her group.

In "Transcendent" Breakaway, Landquake and Skyfall arrive on a parallel Transtech Cybertron, in the city of Axiom Nexus. They are greeted by that world's Cheetor and Silverbolt, and are worried that Cliffjumper has gone missing. The arrivals are told that they are among many to arrive on this world and are brought to "processing." Among those waiting in processing are Autoceptor, Bad Boy, Charger with Fire Beast, Cosmos, Cy-Kill, Path Finder, Universe Repugnus, Sky-Byte, Small Foot and Treds. After processing the three Autobots are greeted by the ancient Autobot Alpha Trion and taught in the ways of outworlders in Axiom Nexus. Breakaway is then abducted by Transtech Shockwave.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Transformers character
Revenge of the Fallen Silverbolt
Name	Silverbolt
Autobot
Series	Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Information
Alternate modes	Jet
Partner	Air Raid, Airazor, Fireflight and Skydive
Sub-group	Deluxe Vehicles

In the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen toy line, Silverbolt is the leader of the Aerialbots, forming the head and torso of Superion.

Toys

• Revenge of the Fallen Deluxe Silverbolt (2009)

This toy is identical to the Universe version of the toy, also released in 2009, which in turn was a redeco of the Energon Storm Jet toy. Packaged together with his fellow Aerialbots as a Target store exclusive in the U.S. Together they form Superion.

Transformers: Prime

Transformers character
War for Cybertron Silverbolt
Name	Silverbolt
Autobot
English voice actor	Patrick Seitz
Information
Alternate modes	Cybertronian jet

Silverbolt is one of the playable Autobots in the 2010 video game Transformers: War for Cybertron. In the Autobot campaign, he joins Jetfire and Air Raid in flying over Cybertron's orbit to take down the Decepticon satellite Trypticon, which is preventing Autobot transport ships from leaving the dying planet. The aerial trio enter Trypticon and destroy his cooling systems and plasma reactor, disabling his main weapon. Unfortunately, the attacks are not enough to disable Trypticon, so they enter his core and destroy his transformation cog, forcing him to revert into his true form. Forced to transform into dinosaur mode, Trypticon sets a course toward the Autobot city of Iacon with the intent of decimating it, but the Autobot trio destroy his flight pack, sending him crashing into the planet. This leaves Optimus Prime and his ground-based team with the task of finishing off Trypticon before he lays further waste on Iacon.

Shattered Glass

Silverbolt
Transformers character
Generation 1 Falcon reissue
Created by	Takara
Information
Species	Transformer
Abilities	Combining Flight Shapeshifting Superhuman durability Superhuman longevity Superhuman strength
Affiliation	Autobot
Alternate mode	Jet
Series	Transformers: Generation 1
Sub-group	Micromasters

Silverbolt is a a member of the Superion combiner team in the Shattered Glass universe.

Fun Publications

Superion was present at the battle of Decepticon City. He fought Generation 1 Grimlock and the Shattered Glass Predacons.

Toys

• Generation 1 Micromaster Falcon reissue (2003)

A reissue of Falcon as a Decepticon.

This toy was repurposed as Shattered Glass Silverbolt.

External links

• Silverbolt advises wiki