Sunstorm (Transformers)

Sunstorm is the name of several fictional characters from the Transformers universes. Sunstorm is always a Decepticon allied jet who is yellow or orange in color.

Transformers: Generation 1
The profile included with his toy notes that Sunstorm was created with a built-in fusion reactor which perpetually runs at higher-than-normal efficiency, which he can use as a weapon, enabling him to generate intense light and heat or powerful electromagnetic waves. However, he cannot actually shut off these waves, making him something of a pariah, even amongst his fellow Decepticons (who believe he is insane anyway), ensuring he is usually sent into battle solo. Sunstorm himself believes he is a supernatural being, speaking and behaving accordingly, to his comrades bemusement.

Animated series
The character who would be Sunstorm appeared in the very first episode of the Transformers animated series, as a gold-and-white Decepticon jet, one of many generic troop characters used for crowd-building scenes (a bright yellow jet subsequently appeared a few episodes later, but has no relation to this one).

Dreamwave Productions
Taking advantage of Sunstorm's growing popularity, Dreamwave Productions opted to include a similar but re-imagined version of the character into their equally re-imagined 21st century version of the Generation One universe. Here, Sunstorm was a clone of Starscream, one of many Transformer clones created by Shockwave after investigation of the cloning technology of the Quintessons. At an early stage in the cloning process, Shockwave experimented with installing fusion reactors in his clones, but their bodies burnt out, unable to contain the energies. A solution was reached, however, when Shockwave coated the Starscream clone in the element known as electrum, allowing it to contain the fusion reactor's energies.

In 2003, Shockwave succeeded in accessing the massive data content of Vector Sigma, the mega computer at the heart of Cybertron, and although he was stopped by Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus before he could examine the data for himself, he was able to transfer a compressed version of it into his computer network, sending it to a terminal in one of his laboratories, clones were being held in stasis. The Starscream clone was exposed to the data, and the sheer amount of information dumped into its mind drove it insane, forcing it to simplify what it was being told into the most basic format it could comprehend. Calling itself Sunstorm, the clone escaped and, following what it had learned from the data, headed for Earth, intending to open a mysterious Cybertronian seal buried away on the planet, for which he needed Starscream.

Forced into an alliance with the Earth-based Autobots to save his own skin, Starscream reactivated the frozen Jetfire, who deduced Sunstorm's clone nature and developed a power siphon to drain off his energies. In the ensuing battle to attach the siphon to Sunstorm, Starscream betrayed the Autobots left to guard him and escaped to further his own ends, only to be pursued by the weakened Sunstorm, and for them both to be set upon by Omega Supreme. In order to escape, Starscream blasted the siphon off of Sunstorm, who overcame Omega and took Starscream to the site of the seal. Professing that only Starscream could open it, which he did, Sunstorm unveiled a mysterious subterranean chamber, overflowing with an energy-rich liquid that could give Starscream similar, but directly-opposite, powers to Sunstorm's. Unwilling to risk his life in the ooze, Starscream turned on Sunstorm, blasted him and sending him tumbling into the liquid, only for him to emerge, moments later, his powers flaring uncontrollably as the opposing natures of the two energies began to tear him apart from within. Descending even further into his madness, Sunstorm was engaged by Jetfire, who dragged him out of Earth's atmosphere, where Sunstorm exploded.

The precise nature of the data Sunstorm received from Vector Sigma, the true purpose of the Cybertronian seal on Earth, and the nature of both his powers and that of the opposing energies remain unrevealed - and due to Dreamwave's closure, it seems unlikely that any answers will be forthcoming, but given the events of the Beast Wars and Beast Machine series, it is likely to be the same as the organic core of Cybertron.

Fun Publications
Sunstorm was among Megatron's troops when Megatron attacked Iacon with his new weapon, Devastator.

Toys

 * Generation 1 Sunstorm (2003)
 * Nearly twenty years later, when Takara reissued the original Starscream toy in 2003, the popular online retailer, e-Hobby, offered one of their customary exclusive repaints of the toy - a repaint based upon this generic character, bearing the name of Sunstorm. However, despite being inspired by the golden jet of the TV show, the design of the actual toy prohibited it from accurately resembling its animated progenitor in terms of color layouts. Additionally, for whatever reason, rather than being golden yellow, the toy was a creamy-orange.


 * Heroes of Cybertron Sunstorm (2004)
 * Sunstorm struck a chord with fans, and his cult popularity resulted in him eventually reaching the United States in the form of an exclusive PVC figurine available at Botcon 2004.


 * Titanium 6 inch War Within Sunstorm (2007)
 * At the 2006 BotCon the a 6 inch Titanium series Sunstorm was first displayed, a repaint of Titanium 6 inch Thundercracker in Sunstorm's orange and white colors.


 * Smallest Transformers Sunstorm
 * Although Sunstorm never made it to release in the Smallest Transformers line, bootleggers got a hold of the Starscream mold and released redeco of it in the colors of Sunstorm. At least three variants of this toy exist, in solid and transparent plastic as well as one in a metalized finish.

Transformers: Universe
Sunstorm is super powerful and has a god complex.

3H Enterprises
Sunstorm's only appearance in the Universe storyline was as one of the Decepticons under the command of Reptilion in the Botcon 2004 voice actor play. He battled Silverbolt, Rattrap and Waspinator in order to secure two groups of dimensionally displaced Autobots from the RiD universe. However, the three groups of Autobots, together with a time-lost Autobot shuttle from the Great War, were able to defeat the Decepticons.

Toys

 * Universe Deluxe Sunstorm with Inferno (2004)
 * In 2004, Sunstorm finally reached American toy shelves in a new incarnation - a repaint of the Transformers: Armada Thrust figure, in Sunstorm's traditional orange, yellow and white. Accompanied by an appropriate redeco of Thrust's Mini-Con partner, Inferno, Sunstorm also came packaged with a repainted version of the Street Action Mini-Con Team.
 * An actual F-35 fighter is 15.47 meters long, while the Sunstorm toy is 16 centimeters long, making it a scale of about 1/97 scale.

Transformers: Cybertron (Legends)
Two different characters name Sunstorm were released in 2006 in the Cybertron toy line. Neither appeared in the television series because the series was made in Japan as Galaxy Force, and the two Sunstorm toys were made in the U.S. by Hasbro after the television series had been made.

The first was a recolor of the Micro sized Starscream, painted as a homage to Generation 1 Sunstorm.

He has not appeared in any official fiction yet, and his character is a bit of a mystery. It is unknown if he is a new character or a new version of one of the existing Sunstorms.

Toys

 * Cybertron Legends Sunstorm
 * A redeco of Cybertron Legends Starscream.

Transformers: Cybertron (Mini-Con)
The second Cybertron Sunstorm seems to be an original character. He is a general serving under the leadership of the Mini-Con Thrust and is suspected of being the real brains behind Thrust's rebellion. He had made contact with a small group of Decepticons and he intends to cause enough chaos among the Mini-Cons that they can be conquered by the Decepticons and join them.

Fun Publications
Sunstorm would pay the price for his ways in the accompanying club comic, however. When Unicron attacked Cybertron in the midst of the Mini-Con civil war, Sunstorm was amongst those killed by the Chaos-Bringer.

Toys

 * Cybertron Mini-Con Sunstorm
 * This Mini-Con named Sunstorm is a repaint of Energon Wreckage. He was available in a 2-pack with the Autobot Checkpoint.

Transformers Animated
In Transformers Animated, a clone of Starscream appears in the colors of Generation 1 Sunstorm. His personality emphasizes Starscream's sycophantism, and consistently kisses up to whoever he encounters, be they friend or foe.

According to his box biography he can absorb energy and then emit it in blinding flashes of light. He is also the fastest of the Starscream clones.

Animated series
After attacking Megatron's forces for control of the Decepticon Space Bridge Sunstorm defected to Megatron's side when it looked like Starscream had been defeated. He then joined in the counter-attack against Omega Supreme and was quickly overpowered by the giant Autobot.

He is shown to be alive when he shows up again in as Sentinel Prime's "prisoner", though he was actually captured by Lockdown but sold to Sentinel.

Though thrown in a cell in the middle of Blitzwing and Swindle, Sunstorm is freed by the latter during the ship's return to Cybertron. After helping in taking the ship, Sunstorm receives a helmet from Swindle to so he could tell him and his Liar Clone brother apart. But once Optimus Prime arrives, a fight ensued with Sunstorm captured and brought to Cybertron.

Toys

 * Animated Voyager Sunstorm (2009)
 * A Voyager sized recolor of Starscream. It will be released in Australia along with Activators Ratchet. It was released in the U.S. as a Target store exclusive.


 * Animated TA-38 Voyager Decepticon Sunstorm (Takara Tomy) (not yet released)
 * The Japan release version by Takara Tomy sports a metallic orange finish on his front fuselage and wings, as well as purple Decepticon emblems. Set for release in Japan on August 2010.