Striker

Striker is a Maximal Dinobot from the Beast Machines portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.

Striking a pose.

Striker is extremely dedicated to the Maximal cause. Methodical and deliberate in combat, Striker doesn't need T-Wrecks and his Dinobot allies to send scores of Vehicons to the scrapyard. Rumor has it that he's actually one of the first generation of Dinobots.

Striker's Oracle-given technorganic body is able to gather and store electric energy with his spinal plates and release it in powerful long- or short-range attacks. His tail can also create ground tremors that send land-bound Vehicons tumbling. In robot mode, his tail becomes a powerful grappling rocket that draws hapless Vehicons into its crushing jaws!^[1]

Fiction

3H comics

Voice actor: Brian Orms (English)

The Oracle called out to the Dinobots and two other counter-Vehicon groups who remained on Cybertron: the Wreckers and the Mutants. As the three groups stood before the Oracle, the Dinobots were given an errand. Striker and the others were to travel to the planet Arkus in order to awaken the "sleeping giant" for a mysterious purpose. Departure

However, the mission was a fool's errand, arranged by the Quintessons and designed to destroy the Dinobots. At first, Arkus appeared desolate and in ruins. Striker grew impatient and belligerent, as he was expecting a fight. But he quickly got one when its former inhabitants suddenly burst out of the grounds of its cities, intent on feeding on the Dinobots. The "sleeping giant" was actually a Trans-Organic creature known as the Dweller, one of the Quintessons' most dangerous creations! Betrayal In the midst of the battle, Striker mysteriously disappeared into thin air, pulled across time and space by Unicron. The Wreckers: Finale Part 1

These are my evil colors!

Striker, the colors of his form presumably corrupted by the Pit, became one of several brainwashed Minions of Unicron in charge of other abducted Transformers like himself in the Cauldron, an extradimensional arena within Unicron. When these abductees proved unruly, he and Unicron's four generals would overcome them. He also would hand weapons to the combatants inside, such as before a battle between Smokescreen and Smokescreen. Striker would put his skills to use when a group of seven Autobots and Maximals were herded into the Cauldron by the Cauldron drones. Using his tail, he was able to silence the Maximal Silverbolt. Abduction

However, when he and Reptilion attempted to take on gate-crashers Optimus Primal, Grimlock, and Megatron, OTFCC Live-Action Drama he was subdued. Primal used his Oracle-enhanced (but now Unicron-limited) spark telepathy to reach Striker's inner being, freeing him from Unicron's control. He and many others escaped from the Cauldron and returned to their proper dimensions—in Striker's case, the technorganic Cybertron Primal called home. Escape

Once on Cybertron, Striker assisted Ratchet in trying to remove the Unicron virus from Sideswipe. Homecoming

Universe CD-ROM

The Autobot Striker followed Optimus Primal in battle against Reptillion and his Decepticons. He was ganged up on by Blackarachnia and Razorclaw. Following the Decepticons' abduction by a mysterious ship, Striker looked on in confusion. Universe CD-ROM

2005 IDW continuity

Striker was one of Onyx Prime's Maximals. After his master invaded Cybertron and felled Metrotitan, Striker was dispatched from Nemesis under Liege Maximo's command to root out the Titan's companions in Iacon. The Hallowing

Toys

Beast Machines

Solar Beam takes one turn to charge.

• Striker (Deluxe Class, 2000)

• Accessories: Tail-weapon

Released in the third wave of Beast Machines Deluxes, Striker is a redeco of the Beast Wars Neo Destron Saberback. He transforms into a Stegosaurus and has a third mode that's supposed to look like a dead Stegosaurus with a giant carnivorous flower growing out of it. No, really. The three "petals" of the flower are spring-loaded and open by pulling on the spinal plate at the tail's base. This gimmick also becomes his hand-held weapon for robot mode. His helmet is evocative of a Native American feather headdress.

Although Striker contains a large amount of gold plastic, he is surprisingly strong and is not particularly prone to Gold Plastic Syndrome. His main points of breakage are the various connector pegs or the ball sockets for his beast mode back panels.

This mold was redecoed to make Dinobots Snarl.

• More information on Striker at TFU.info

Universe (2003)

Striker, listen, and you listen close: Flying a plane is no different than riding a bicycle, just a lot harder to put baseball cards in the spokes.

• Dinobot Striker (Deluxe class, 2003)

• Accessories: Tail-weapon

Part of the second wave of Universe Deluxe toys, Striker was redecoed as an Autobot, and given the modified name Dinobot Striker for stronger trademark protection.

• More information on Dinobot Striker at TFU.info

Notes

• If the rumors of Striker being one of the original Generation 1 Dinobots are true, his stegosaur mode and energy absorbing spinal plates strongly point towards him being Snarl. However, he was not portrayed as such in his fictional appearances.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Striker (ストライカー Sutoraikā)

References