Tracer (Targetmaster)
From Transformers Wiki
| This subject of this article goes by multiple names that apply to other articles as well. See Tracer (disambiguation), Caliburst (disambiguation). |
- Tracer is an Autobot-allied Nebulan Targetmaster from the Generation 1 continuity family.
Community service is a strange way to end up in the middle of an alien war; nonetheless, that's what happened to Tracer (aka Caliburst). Serving time in prison for a crime from his youth that he has regretted ever since, Tracer volunteered to become an Autobot Targetmaster in hopes of helping defend his world, doing good deeds and someday, maybe, earning an official pardon.
The connection between Holepunch and Tracer in their combined mode is less than perfect, sometimes misaligning and causing the pair to jam when fired. Their Autobot partner, Scoop, just has to make do.
| “ | Why does everyone always assume we are good with machines? | ” |
| —Tracer, "Invasion" | ||
Contents |
Fiction
Marvel Comics continuity
Marvel The Transformers comics
Scoop wielded Holepunch and Tracer, one in each hand, during a series of fuel raids on Cybertron alongside the recently revived Pretenders Grimlock, Jazz and Bumblebee. Yesterday's Heroes!
Transformers Comic-Magazin
When the Decepticons stole three nuclear missiles from the United State Federation to hold the world to ransom, Optimus Prime put the entire burden of discovering their whereabouts on the shoulders of the Double Targetmasters. Scoop and his robotic guns discovered the Decepticon hideout. Scoop lured Dreadwind and Darkwing away, while Tracer and Holepunch investigated further before getting scared off by the Firecons. The little robot guns reported the events of the mission personally to Optimus Prime. Megatron's Ultimatum
Classics
Tracer and Holepunch, partnered to Scoop, were under the command of Metalhawk at the Autobots' base Ironworks when the evil Ultra Magnus attacked. Scoop and his Nebulans were ignored by Ultra Magnus during the evil Autobot's demonstration of power. Moments later, the heroic Decepticons arrived and forced Ultra Magnus to retreat, the heroic Autobots only being able to watch, and then listened to Treadshot's story of how they came to arrive. Treadshot requested that one of Metalhawk's Autobots join the heroic Decepticon Octopunch in tracking down the evil Wheeljack. Scoop and his Nebulans accompanied Octopunch underneath the Ironworks base where they met up with the evil Decepticons Skullgrin and Octopunch. While the two Octopunches fought each other, Scoop fought against Skullgrin. Being a Targetmaster, Scoop's firepower easily defeated Skullgrin. The heroic Octopunch asked Scoop to shut down Wheeljack's device which Scoop delegated to his Nebulans. Tracer complained and the three partners had no luck in stopping the device. Even Octopunch couldn't do anything, so they left. After the battle with the evil Autobots, Cybertron, Nebulos, and other planets exploded due to the energy backlash from the device. Invasion
The refugees of Tracer's universe wound up in the negative polarity universe. Events unfolded that brought an end to the Autobot/Decepticon War in that universe, ushering in peace on Cybertron. Tracer and Scoop were seen enjoying a street fair after the war was over. The Future Buried...
The Transformers cartoon
Many millions of years ago, on the planet Cybertron, life existed. But not life as we know it today. Intelligent robots that could think and feel inhabited the cities. Apparently among those robots were the Autobots Landfill, Quickmix, and Scoop, as well as their Targetmaster partners (including Tracer), who transformed from their vehicle modes and shot at some unknown attackers. G2: More than Meets the Eye, Part 1
2005 IDW continuity
Holepunch and Tracer helped Quickmix fix up citizens of Iacon who'd been injured in a Decepticon uprising. Three Monologues They were later present among a crowd of angry and desperate NAILs who pleaded for Starscream to protect them from the suddenly-unleashed Necrotitan who stood just outside of their city. Winners & Losers As the Necrotitan began wreaking havoc in the city, Holepunch and Tracer aided Scoop's efforts to help the victims. Into the Abyss The two may have been present during the celebrations in the wake of the Necrotitan's defeat, or maybe it was actually Groundpounder and Takedown.[1] The Becoming
Commercial appearances
Tracer was among a group of Autobot-allied Nebulans being chased down by Needlenose and Spinister. Once their Autobot partners showed up, Tracer and the others transformed to their weapon modes to be wielded against the Decepticons. Scoop then allowed Tracer and Holepunch to combine into a "superweapon" to better blast their opponents. Double Targetmasters commercial
Toys
The Transformers
- Scoop (Targetmaster, 1988)
- Part of the fifth year of The Transformers product, Tracer transforms into a "twin laser-guided ion blaster" in basically one and a half steps. As a Targetmaster, his handle is a 5 mm post, making him compatible with a lot of toys throughout the entire franchise. His base also features a 5mm post-hole, nominally used to combine him with his pack-in partner Holepunch to form a super-rifle.
- Tracer and Holepunch were only available with the Autobot Targetmaster Scoop in 1988.
- No version of this character or mold was released in Japan.
Generations
- Autobot Scoop (Deluxe Class, 2014)
- Series / Number: 02 / #014
- Known designers: Joe Kyde (Hasbro)
- Included as an accessory with Generations Thrilling 30 Deluxe Class Scoop, this version of Tracer (now named "Caliburst", for trademark reasons) was released as an accessory with the Thrilling 30 Deluxe Class Scoop toy. Now transforming into a triple-barreled gun, this version actually has some articulation in humanoid mode, with ball-jointed arms that fold up for transformation to gun mode, as well as a fold-away handle. He also retains the ability to combine with the included Holepunch toy to form a super-rifle, with either one forming the "front" part.
- This mold was later used to make Adventure Targetmaster, Timelines Dia, and Combiner Wars Singe and Zputty.
References
- ↑ In Robots in Disguise #20, artist Andrew Griffith debuted redesigns of Scoop's traditionally Targetmaster partners Tracer and Holepunch with construction vehicle alternate modes, but they wound up getting colored by Priscilla Tramontano like the Micromaster characters Groundpounder and Takedown. Subsequently for Robots in Disguise #23, Atilio Rojo drew them in their Generations toy bodies, colored accordingly by Josh Perez. Then, the two characters reappear at the start of More than Meets the Eye #27, standing by their buddies from Robots in Disguise #20, Quickmix, Landfill, Ricochet, and Boomer... except this time, based on the details visible, Alex Milne and Josh Perez appear to have actually drawn and colored them as Groundpounder and Takedown.