Tigatron
Tigatron is a fictional character from the various Transformers series introduced in 1996. He was voiced by Blu Mankuma in the Beast Wars animated series. Several toys of Tigatron were rare exclusives at the Transformers convention, Botcon.
Contents
Beast Wars
Tigatron tends to patrol solo, modeled after the solitary behavior of tigers in the wild. Tigatron and Airazor share a love of the Earth, as each considers it their home. They both prefer to remain outside the Maximal Base and roam the planet free in beast mode. Airazor would often save Tigatron’s life and vice versa. Airazor soon developed deep feelings for him in which Tigatron felt the same and they were seen holding hands when the Vok abducted them. Fellow Maximal, Cheetor, admires Tigatron's wisdom and bravery - the fact that Tigatron is another feline helps – and often calls him “Big Cat”. Tigatron enjoys this nickname and often calls Cheetor "Little Cat". Tigatron does not really understand fellow Maximal Rattrap who is constantly throwing out verbal jibes and calls him "Stripes" or “Tigatron the Barbarian”, but the two manage to get along.
Although Tigatron is peace loving and his primary roles are remote reconnaissance and environmental research, he can be a very effective warrior when he needs to. His code of honor is equal to the ranks of those like Dinobot and Silverbolt. While he is usually a pacifist like Optimus, he will fight when nature is threatened. In the Japanese version of the series, Tigatron spoke in an archaic Japanese dialect used by samurai.[3]
According to commentary from the Beast Wars DVD the character of Wolfang was originally intended to be used, but the show animators wanted to use Tigatron so they wouldn't have to make a completely new animation model. For Tigatron they simply modified Cheetor's model.
Tigatron's voice actor attended Botcon 2006 at the Lexington Convention Center for the 10th anniversary of the TV series. [4]
Animated series
Tigatron was the first Maximal from one of the orbiting stasis pods to join Optimus Primal's group during the Beast Wars. The Maximals were able to activate his pod's scanners by bouncing a transmission from the Axalon, to the moon to the pod. His birth was a difficult one however. In the crash, much of his datatracks were erased, leaving him without the knowledge of which faction he belonged too. To fill in those mental blanks, Tigatron adapted to the instincts of his alternate form: a white tiger. Because of this, he felt much more comfortable in the wide open spaces of the Earth. He felt that Earth was his home and that in many ways he is more of a tiger than Maximal. He did not reside in the Maximal Base, but rather in the wilderness of Earth, checking in to the Maximals via laser relay stations.
Of all the Maximals, Tigatron was the one most 'in harmony' with his beast form and shares a love for the beauty of nature with Airazor. During his long travels through primeval earth, he managed to merge his animal instincts with his Maximal programming, uniting his beast and robotic forms. He is slow to anger, lives in harmony with the world around him, is a pacifist, and is wise and well-spoken. Tigatron's unwavering adherence to his moral convictions (including a belief that fighting should always be the final resort if ever) often put him at odds with the Maximals. His early relationship with Optimus Primal was uneasy, but Tigatron ultimately became one of his most loyal followers. As a result he was viewed as aloof and was less willing to participate in pre-emptive military actions, but he always willing to run to the Maximal's rescue whenever they were on the brink of disaster or ultimate Predacon victory. [5]
Tigatron formed a special relationship with a fellow white tiger (a native of Earth) named Snowstalker. Unfortunately, she was killed during a battle with the Predacons. This almost made Tigatron leave the Beast Wars, but he eventually used the experience to strengthen his resolve to protect the wilderness from the Predacons. This connection to the earth and respect of nature is quite different from any of the other Transformers, who are very much integrated into technology and only see their beast modes as a necessity. This trait saved his hide when he fell onto the "flying island", a whole ecosystem in a cloud protected by alien technology which would target and attempt to destroy anything violent or which threatened its delicate balance.[6]
Tigatron and Airazor left the Axalon permanently, keeping in touch while searching for stasis pods. On a scouting expedition, they discovered strange plants growing in a canyon in the middle of a wasteland. They disappeared suddenly when the mysterious alien construct Metalhunter appeared on Earth.
It was later learned that the alien race known as the Vok merged both Airazor and Tigatron into the powerful Tigerhawk. This combination was short-lived, as Tigerhawk was killed while attempting to stop the Nemesis .
3H Enterprises
Although Tigatron and Airazor seemingly died in the end of the Beast Wars series, they returned in the Transformers: Universe line in two ways.
The first way Tigatron and Airazor returned was as transmetals returned to Earth by the Vok after the Maximals left and teamed up with Primal Prime and Ramulus in taking on Tarantulas and his new Predacons in the Primeval Dawn comic book series. This Tigatron eventually came to Cybertron where he helped reform the Wreckers.
The second way Tigatron and Airazor would return in the Universe line was as one of the binary sparks of the Decepticon Razorclaw. Razorclaw was an alternate universe version of Tigerhawk who killed Megatron and became a minion of Unicron.
Fun Publications
The 2006 comic Timelines: Dawn of Futures Past would reveal a possible background for Tigatron. His pre-Beast Wars name was not mentioned, only being referred to as Unit 2 of his team, and he is a member of the Maximal Command Security Forces. In this he was unable to prevent Megatron's forces from stealing the Golden Disk artifact. Commandeering a ship and pilot to pursue the Darksyde, the ship was crippled by Predacon firepower. A desperate Optimus Primal had the sparks of the crew transferred to their cargo of protoforms to save their lives, but damaging their memories in the process, explaining how Tigatron and Airazor later came to be protoforms in the Axalon's cargo hold. This helps keep the comic in line with the animated series, which shows that Tigatron and Airazor were brought online on Earth and had never been on Cybertron. It was however established in the series that at least one protoform did have a life before joining the Axalon's stasis pods: Protoform X, later known as Rampage.[7]
Tigatron and Fractyl appeared together in the story Wreckers: Finale Part II by the Transformers Collectors Club in 2007. During the invasion of Cybertron by the Quintessons Tigatron healed Fractyl of his wounds, but doing so cost Tigatron the power of the Vok bound to his spark. Later when Rodimus was dying from wounds he received battling Cyclonus Tigatron was unable to save the former Autobot leader.[8]
Manga
Much like the TV series, except that Tigatron disappeared without a trace when Optimus Primal was killed. He was found by Tarantulas, who brainwashed him into a slave. Airazor sacrificed herself to break Tigatron out of it, with her spark entering his body and merging onto his spark. This caused Tigatron's body to evolve into Tigerhawk. In this Manga, he has a katana and puts a cloak, which may be inspired from his tone in the Japanese dub.[9][10]
IDW Publishing
Tigatron had a biography printed in the Beast Wars Sourcebook by IDW Publishing.[11]
Video games
Tigatron appears as a character in the 1999 video game Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals.[12]
Toys
- Beast Wars Deluxe Tigatron
- The toy of Tigatron is a recolor of the toy used for Cheetor.[13] Although both the Cheetor and Tigatron toys came with two guns (one stored in the belly and one stored in the tail) Cheetor was depicted with the tail gun when with Tigatron while Tigatron used the belly gun. Both Cheetor and Tigatron featured a second mutant face, but these were not used in the show. [14]
- Although the Hasbro toy of Tigatron is off-white in color, the show animators depicted him as white. When released in Japan by Takara the toy was recolored to more closely match the show colors. Although sold by himself by Hasbro, Takara sold Tigatron by himself or packaged together with Blackarachnia.[15]
- Beast Wars Deluxe Transmetal Tigatron
- The transmetal Tigatron toy was a BotCon white exclusive repaint of Beast Wars Ravage, while the TransMetal Airazor was from the second year of the regular toy line, but was never utilized in the show.
- Timelines Scout Tigatron
- A remold of Cybertron Clocker available only at BotCon 2006. This toy represents Tigatron before leaving Cybertron.
- Device Label Tigatron (2009)[16]
- A redeco of the Device Label Ravage figure using Tigatron's colors. Transforms into a 2GB USB flash drive.[17][18]
Transformers Animated
In the series Transformers Animated, a nod was made to Tigatron when a baseball stadium in the future Detroit was named Tigatron Stadium, also a reference to the now-demolished Tiger Stadium.
References
- ↑ Who's who in Black Canada two, Volume 2 - Page 237
- ↑ http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/voice-compare/Transformers/Tigatron/
- ↑ Furman, Simon (2004). Transformers: The Ultimate Guide. DK Publishing Inc.. p. 89. ISBN 1405304618.
- ↑ http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-154327750.html TRANSFORMERS Fans Gather in Kentucky to Celebrate Their Love of 'MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE' Toys. Business Wire September 27, 2006
- ↑ Transformers: The Ultimate Guide by Simon Furman page 89
- ↑ http://www.secondtruth.com/bwtf/char10.htm
- ↑ http://www.seibertron.com/comics/view.php?comic_id=848
- ↑ Greg Sepelak & S. Trent Troop (2007). Wreckers: Finale Part II. Illustrator Guido Guidi, Colorist Drew Eiden. Fun Publications.
- ↑ http://www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/BW/Japan/Metals4
- ↑ http://www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/BW/Japan/Metals6
- ↑ http://www.monstersandcritics.com/books/comics/news/article_1343405.php/Creators_of_Transformers_Beast_Wars_The_Gathering_are_back
- ↑ http://www.gamecheats.com/playstation-2/beast-wars-transformers/Tigatron
- ↑ Alvarez, J.E. (2001). The Unofficial Guide to Transformers 1980s Through 1990s Revised & Expanded 2nd Edition. Schiffer Publishing Ltd.. p. 121. ISBN 0764313649.
- ↑ Toys & Prices 2007 - Page 115
- ↑ http://www.hasbro.com/common/instruct/Transformers_Beast_Wars_Tigatron_Maximal.pdf
- ↑ TFW2005.com - Device Label Tigatron
- ↑ PCWorld, Gadgets Holiday Tech Gadget Preview, Sep 21, 2009
- ↑ Figure King magazine, issue #140, page 91
