Seekers (Transformers)

Seekers is a term in the Transformers universe usually used to describe certain Decepticon warriors with jet transformations. For the character named Seeker see Seeker (Transformers).

Origin of the term
Exactly how the term came to be so widely accepted is unknown - it was never used in the cartoon or the comics, and yet even when the fandom was young it was the term of choice to describe the Decepticons jets. One piece of evidence for its use during the time of the original series was a JCPenney catalogue, which referred to a jet as a "Seeker". In the original Marvel Comics run of the Transformers comic book, however, a reference is made in issue #17 to a group of Decepticon jets on Cybertron as "Hunter-Seekers", but it is worth mentioning that these Cybertronian jets bore little resemblance to the pre-Earth alternate forms of the Decepticons jets in the Sunbow television show and that they were never officially referred to by this designation in the original run of the comic or its immediate successor, Generation 2.

The term "Seekers" was not used in any official publications until the first issue of the Dreamwave comic, Transformers: The War Within.

The term Seeker received official recognition from Hasbro in 2006 when it was mentioned in the tech spec for Transformers: Titanium Thundercracker.

Transformers: Generation 1
They are less commonly referred to as Skyraiders (on Generation 2 European packaging and in U.K. Generation 2 Marvel Comics), Jetron (in Japan), and simply as the "Decepticon Planes." They are led by Starscream. On Cybertron, the Seekers transformed into an approximately pyramidal shaped aircraft/spacecraft (sometimes referred to as Tetrajets in this form). Judging from both the cartoon and the movie, the Seekers were a large force and were basically the Transformer equivalent of an airforce. However, originally only six were named and brought to Earth; on Earth, they transformed into various jet aircraft, most notably an F-15. The term 'Seekers' essentially refers to these six members.

Named Seekers
The original Seekers from Generation 1 were Starscream, Thundercracker, Skywarp, Thrust, Ramjet and Dirge. The latter three were given the name of 'Coneheads' by fans because the character models from Generation 1(G1) had a unique shaped head, so that the jet fighter nose cone pointed straight up instead of back. (In addition, the body of the Coneheads' cartoon models were more accurate when compared to the toy, with shorter, cowled thighs which were less articulate.)

In recent years, a Japanese store named E-hobby released a new Seeker toy called Sunstorm, in reference to a scene in the 1984 cartoon's pilot which featured an orangish yellow jet. Sunstorm was also featured in the Transformers comic series by Dreamwave Productions.

Unidentified Terran Seekers
Another source of additional Seekers was the unnamed Decepticons used in the earliest portions of the first season of the cartoon. In order to give them a generic appearance, most were colored a periwinkle-like color (presumably a middle ground between the blue used on Thundercracker and the lavender used on Skywarp) and black, with white and red wing stripes (similar to Starscream and Thundercracker), and a silver chest (also shared by Thundercracker and Skywarp). In the original 3-part pilot, an unknown number of these Decepticons were drawn in order to balance the uneven number of Autobots (18 released as toys, plus at least 1 extra) and Decepticons (10 released as toys, minus Buzzsaw and Frenzy, plus the 3 Reflector robots) in fight scenes, similar to the large number of G.I. Joe Grunts and unnamed Cobras used in the first 2 G.I. Joe mini-series. These grunt characters were made into PVC figurines called simply "Decepticons" or "Decepticon Air Warriors". No toy based on the original 1984-85 Decepticon Planes, nor any later Starscream-based transforming toys has been produced to date.

It is commonly believed that these extra jets were destroyed in a mine explosion caused by a bomb placed by Sparkplug and Bumblebee at the end of "More Than Meets The Eye", part 2. However, with the gross color errors in the original series, they may still exist as background Decepticons.

Rainmakers
Additionally, in the episode "Divide and Conquer", three unique Seekers with bright coloring resided on Cybertron with bodies appearing mostly green, blue and yellow appear in the episode, appropriately called "Rainmakers" by Bluestreak. A toy redeco of Classics Starscream, named Acid Storm,is a camo green with yellow highlights in robot mode. He is said to be part of the Rainmakers, and could be the green one seen in "Divide and Conquer". Sunstorm is not the second of the "Rainmakers" as he is orange and the "rainmaker" is a lemon yellow.

Transformers: Cybertron
In Transformers: Cybertron, a large force of Decepticons freed by Starscream were ordered to turn into Seeker Ships to scour the Earth. These ships were oval shaped, and nothing more than an amalgam for genetic robots and had nothing to do with any prior "Seeker" units.

Transformers: Animated
In Transformers Animated the Seekers are clones created by Starscream using fragments of his Allspark shard to give them life. Each clone personifies an aspect of his personality: cowardice (Skywarp), arrogance (Thundercracker), sycophancy (Sunstorm) and pathological dishonesty (which unofficially resembles Ramjet). In addition, a female clone (Slipstream), who wishes not to explain her origin, is among the clone army. While Slipstream remained on Earth, Skywarp and Thundercracker ended up drifting in space. Both Sunstorm and Ramjet were captured and brought to Cybertron.

Transformers film series
There are two types of Seekers in the movie continuity; one is closer to the G1 depiction and the other having an origin that ties with the very first Transformers.

Reign of Starscream
In Reign of Starscream, Starscream is described as a 'Seeker'. The writers would later clarify that these Seekers refer to an elite unit (akin to commandos or special ops) under the command of Starscream. Like G1; most of them share the same body type. Among them; Starscream, Thundercracker, Ramjet and Skywarp. Dreadwing was apparently not considered good enough to be a part of Starscream's team and this is part of the reason for Dreadwing's betrayal shortly after Starscream's return from Earth.

Revenge of the Fallen
In Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, the Seekers are an ancient group of Transformers with the ability to leave Cybertron, teleporting to new locations to find stars which could be used to power the Allspark. Among these Seekers is the elderly Jetfire, a Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird and originally a Decepticon who, tired of destruction, later chose to side with the Autobots. It is unrevealed what the fate was of the other seekers, however, an unspecified number are confirmed as being still on Earth. Wheelie recognizes the alternate mode of several and is able to provide the locations of those within the US. Jetfire, in stasis in the Smithsonian Institution, is the closest and thus the one that is chosen to be investigated. Ransack, an Albatros D.III biplane is also one of these ancient Seekers. Others include a Ford Model T, a Consolidated B-24 Liberator, Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, and a NYC Hudson locomotive. During the course of the movie, Sam's group tracks down Jetfire who has defected from the Decepticons and has become a "mercenary doom-bringer." Jetfire allies himself with Sam and his group and aids them in their search for the Matrix of Leadership. Jetfire later takes part in the final battle, killing Mixmaster and Scorponok before he sacrifices himself to give Optimus his parts and the power he needs to defeat and kill the Fallen. Ransack appears in the movie novelazation where he confronts Jetfire and is killed by Jetfire stepping on and crushing him.

Transformers: Timelines
In Shattered Glass mirror universe the Seekers are a trio of evil Autobot cars.