Cloudburst (Transformers)

Cloudburst is a fictional character from the Transformers series. He turns into a jet and has a shell that looked like an armored human. He shouldn't be confused with Phoenix, a Japanese Transformer who shares the same toy.

Transformers: Generation 1
Cloudburst is one of the original six Autobot Pretenders. His inner robot transforms into a spaceship. Unlike the other Autobot Pretenders, Cloudburst carries a whip instead of a sword.

Cloudburst is extremely cautious and wary. He prefers his outer shell, and very rarely exposes his inner robot, when not in space flight.

Marvel Comics
Although not seen or mentioned directly, Cloudburst was among the Autobots who joined Fortress Maximus in leaving Cybertron for the planet Nebulos (Transformers: Headmasters #1). Unfortunately, they were followed to Nebulos by the Decepticons under Scorponok, leading war to break out once more. Fortress Maximus's band left Nebulos for the planet Earth, with the Decepticons in close pursuit. (Transformers: Headmasters #4).

When Brainstorm needed subjects to duplicate a Decepticon Pretender experiment, Cloudburst and five other Autobots volunteered and became the Autobot Pretenders. They fought the Decepticon Pretenders with the help of Optimus Prime and Goldbug (Transformers #40). They soundly defeated their Decepticon Pretender rivals, who thought they were simply giant humans. Cloudburst was present when Grimlock fought Blaster for leadership of the Autobots on Earth's moon. The Autobots were then attacked by the Decepticons lead by Ratbat (Transformers #41).

Cloudburst has a major role together with Landmine, when they rescued Sky Lynx and Berko from the Mecannibals, before battling the Decepticon Powermasters. During the adventure, Cloudburst is forced to fight in gladiatorial combat on Femax. The leader of the tribe of giant females falls in love with him, but angrily decapitates him when she discovered he is really a robot. Landmine eventually persuades her to let them go and rebuild Cloudburst.

''Issue #248 of the Marvel UK Transformers comic featured a story called "Fallen Star", where Starscream began to doubt himself, despite being of the most powerful Transformers. Soundwave, Mindwipe and Weirdwolf feared Starscream would attack, but Starscream thought they were laughing at him behind his back. Leaving Starscream came across the Autobots Chainclaw, Cloudburst and Getaway, who were assigned by Optimus Prime to spy on him. Starscream soundly defeated all three Autobots and regained his self confidence.''

Cloudburst, Crosshairs, Getaway, Highbrow and Stakeout were among the Autobots who backed Optimus Prime when Grimlock challenged him for leadership of the Autobots in the issue #263 of the Marvel UK comics, "Break-Away!"

''The Decepticon Pretenders Bomb-Burst, Iguanus and Skullgrin were sent to steal from an oil rig in the "Gulf of New Mexico" in the 1989 UK Annual story "The Chain Gang." They were opposed and captured by the Autobot Pretenders Cloudburst, Landmine and Splashdown.''

Cloudburst continues to appear, but has few prominent roles. Cloudburst is killed in the battle with Unicron in issue #75 of the US comic.

Animated series
Although the US Transformers animated series stopped making original episode before Cloudburst was brought out, his Japanese counterpart Phoenix appeared in the Masterforce anime series.

Cloudburst's appeared in animation in commercials for the Pretender toys.

Animation from the commercial was used in the opening credits for season 5 of the Transformers, which retold episodes of earlier seasons. Cloudburst appeared in them.

Condor Verlag
In a story called "By their Blasters you shall know them ...!" from Transformers Comic-Magazin issue #12 by German comic publisher Condor Verlag Optimus Prime instructs Backstreet, Bumblebee and Ruckus on how to identify Autobots from Decepticons in battle using the Ark's computer. Cloudburst is one of those he displays to the Autobots.

IDW Publishing
Cloudburst, Groundbreaker, Landmine and Waverider appear in Spotlight: Hardhead investigating the Benzuli Expanse and reporting to Jetfire.

Toys

 * Generation 1 Pretender Cloudburst (1988)
 * This toy is identical to the Japanese toy Phoenix.