Springer (Transformers)

Springer is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes. For trademark reasons, many toys of the character are named Autobot Springer.

Transformers: Generation 1
He is a green Autobot Triple Changer who can transform into both a Cybertronian car and a helicopter. So named for the massive leaping power in his legs, Springer is one of Rodimus Prime's inner circle. More laid back than many of his allies, he is nonetheless brave, loyal and always ready with a sharp quip in battle. He is optimistic and good humored.

Marvel Comics
In the Marvel U.K. comics, Springer was a member of Autobot Impactor's Wreckers team — added (with Broadside and Sandstorm) to the team to lend reinforcements for Operation: Volcano in the event that Ultra Magnus did not return in time from Earth. Operation: Volcano was aborted when the targeted Decepticons were recalled by Megatron, but a lone Decepticon named Macabre pressed on, attempting to assassinate Emirate Xaaron but killing Wrecker leader Impactor instead. With his dying words, Impactor appointed Springer leader of the Wreckers.

The Wreckers were soon in action alongside Magnus again, when Optimus Prime arrived on Cybertron and the Decepticons spread misinformation that he was one of their spies. The Wreckers hunted him down, only to realize he was the real Optimus when he insisted on getting medical attention for another wounded Autobot first. Springer accompanied Prime and Magnus to the Decepticon base to confront Megatron (who was in the throes of possession by Straxus), and was left counting the cost when Prime, Megatron and Magnus were all transported back to Earth.

Springer had serious doubts about his role as leader and these were only worsened when the undead Impactor attacked during the zombie uprising in Kalis, but he came out of the experience a much more dedicated and stronger leader.

Afterwards, the team was sent to take down and retrieve Galvatron; the first clash was disastrous as the Wreckers found themselves battling him and Cyclonus and Scourge in a human city. The second clash occurred during the Time Wars, when the Wreckers and the Decepticon Mayhem Attack Squad teamed up and were jointly decimated in battle with Galvatron and Megatron. The few survivors, along with Skids, formed the renegade group known as the Survivors, of which Springer was the unofficial commander, and he found himself in an uneasy partnership with Carnivac. In order to save Carnivac from the second Mayhem incarnation led by Bludgeon, the Survivors joined the Autobot Earthforce.

Issue #279 of the Marvel U.K. Transformers comic featured a story called "Divide and Conquer!" where Soundwave lead the bulk of the Decepticon forces on Earth against the Autobot Earthforce headquarters while Starscream attacked an oil tanker. Sent into battle by Prowl, the Dinobots routed the main Decepticon forces while Springer lead the Autobot Survivors, Broadside, Inferno, Skids, and Carnivac to defeat Starscream.

Springer made several appearances in the post-2006 comics, due to his being part of the movie cast, and he had a brief appearance in Generation 2.

Animated series
Springer is characterized as an affable tough guy, possibly making him a replacement for Ironhide, who was killed in The Transformers: The Movie. Later, Springer develops an attachment to female Autobot Arcee.

Springer was the first Autobot Triple Changer to be featured in the show, soon followed by Sandstorm and Broadside. However, in contrast to the series up to that point, the three Autobot Triple Changers were not featured together as a team. Rather Springer appeared usually with Ultra Magnus, Kup, Rodimus Prime, Blurr and or Arcee as he did in the film. Springer was also identified as Rodimus's first choice as heir to the Matrix in "Five Faces of Darkness". Following the season's five part introduction, Springer would appear multiple times.

In "Dark Awakenings", he is among the crew that accompanies zombie Optimus Prime to avenge the "deaths" of Arcee, Rodimus, Ultra Magnus and Kup. Springer would appear briefly in "Forever is a Long Time Coming", after which taking a hiatus from the series for several episodes, reappearing in "Fight or Flee". In "Dweller in the Depths", we see Springer turned into an energy vampire by transorganic creatures made by the Quintessons. Following this episode Springer would get a starring role in "Nightmare Planet". In this episode, both Springer and Predacon leader Razorclaw are caught up in a manifestation of Daniel Witwicky's nightmares. Springer finds himself rescuing a young damsel in a castle from a fire breathing dragon.

In the episode "Only Human", Ultra Magnus, Springer, Rodimus Prime and Arcee were captured and found their minds transferred into human-mimicking "synthoid" bodies by the human crime lord Victor Drath and the ex-terrorist Old Snake.

Following his brief appearance in "Call of the Primitives", Springer would make his final appearance in "Burden Hardest to Bear", in which he attempts to encourage Hot Rod to reclaim the Matrix from Scourge. Springer was neither killed nor injured in this episode or "The Return of Optimus Prime". As such, his fate and whereabouts at the end of the series remain unknown.

Springer would appear in the Japanese series Headmasters alongside the Autobot Triple Changers in the first episode entitled "Four Warriors Come out of the Sky".

Books
Springer appeared in the 1986 story and coloring book The Lost Treasure of Cybertron by Marvel Books.

Springer appeared in the Marvel Books 1986 story and coloring book The Invasion of the Decepticon Camp by Pat Brigandi.

3H Enterprises
Springer and Rodimus appeared in a flashback sequence in Transformers: Universe — The Wreckers #1, where he and Rodimus were looking into getting upgraded into Maximals and consoling Arcee over the death of Daniel Witwicky.

Dreamwave Productions
Springer first appeared chronologically in the second volume of Transformers: The War Within. Following the disappearance of Optimus Prime, Springer split off from the Autobots, establishing the Wreckers as an independent faction. They often clashed with Ratbat's Ultracons. In one such battle they ran up against Ratbat's newest weapon — Devastator. They were saved by Defensor, but in order to prevent an arms race between the various factions, Springer convinced Defensor to separate and defeat Devastator via sabotage.

Springer had a role in the revolution against Shockwave on Cybertron in the second volume of the Generation 1 comic War and Peace. He then battled Shockwave's troops alongside many other Autobots at Cybertron. He appeared again in the Generation One series, as part of a complex love triangle with Arcee and Hot Rod — unaware they were being manipulated by the Quintessons. Dreamwave's closure prevented this story from being completed.

Devil's Due Publishing
Springer also had a brief appearance in the third G.I. Joe vs the Transformers crossover from Devil's Due Publishing. He and Sandstorm were part of a patrol looking for Decepticon activity — and failed to detect the massive Decepticon army forming under Serpentor.

Fun Publications
Based on the Transformers Classics toy line, the Timelines 2007 story is set 15 years after the end of the Marvel Comics story (ignoring all events of the Marvel U.K. and Generation 2 comics).

After the war Springer was recruited by Grimlock to be security officer of the Autobot ship Graviton, whose mission it was to track down Bludgeon and his Decepticons.

In Transformers: Timelines volume 2 #2, "Games of Deception" Ultra Magnus lead a force including Elita One, Springer, Huffer, Snarl, Strongarm and Tyrannitron after the Decepticon Bugbite and his forces to Earth. Bugbite and Springer had full page biographies in the book as well.

IDW Publishing
Springer made his first IDW Publishing appearance in The Transformers: Stormbringer. As in other continuities, Springer leads the Wreckers: a commando team sent in to the most hopeless situations in order to cause maximum casualties for the enemy before the Autobots pull out. Like the cartoon, he is an affable tough guy (albeit a more vicious and hard-bitten one), and is on friendly terms with Optimus Prime. Dispatched from the doomed world of Varas Centralus by Prime to counter the threat of Thunderwing, Springer led the Wreckers in annihilating Bludgeon's group of cultists, destroying the beacon guiding Thunderwing in the process. When the monster returned to Cybertron, Springer led the Wreckers in fighting against him. Although, he was badly wounded when Thunderwing smashed his helicopter mode into the ground, he survived the battle, examining Thunderwing's inert corpse.

He also appeared in the The Transformers: Spotlight issue on Kup, supervising the rescue of the veteran Autobot from a deadly radiation filled crystalline planet. Unwilling to give up, even though both Prowl and Perceptor told him it was a waste of time and lives, he brought in Trailbreaker, who used his forcefield to save Kup. Later, Springer wondered if he had allowed his feelings to get in the way as they examined Kup being rebuilt.

Springer appeared in Spotlight: Doubledealer where he was among the Autobots fighting Thunderwing on the planet Corata-Vaz.

Toys

 * Generation 1 Springer (1986)
 * A Triple Changer toy that transforms into a helicopter or jet car. One of several new toys released during the premiere of The Transformers: The Movie.


 * Timelines Springer (2007)
 * A redeco of Cybertron Cybertron Defense Hot Shot in the colors of Generation 1 Springer was part of an exclusive set at BotCon 2007. He came with BotCon Huffer and was limited to only 1,400 in number.


 * Universe War Within Series Springer (2008)
 * A redeco of Cybertron Evac. Part of a Target exclusive two-pack with Ratbat dubbed "Standoff Beneath the Streets." Hasbro released Springer in helicopter mode only--and not as a Triple Changer--as the BotCon exclusive already represented his ground vehicle mode.

Transformers: Energon
Sprung (the Japanese name for Springer) was the Japanese name of the Autobot Bulkhead. As Bulkhead is a green helicopter, he is an obvious homage to Generation 1 Springer.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
In September 2008 pictures of a mold for an unnamed Legends class toy similar to Incinerator appeared online. In December 2008 images of a boxed Springer toy from Revenge of the Fallen appeared on the internet.

The original script for the movie was to have Springer in it along with Depth Charge and Breakaway and concept art was even created for him but after many revisions to the script, Springer was cut out of the movie all together along with Depth Charge & Breakaway due to the writer strike, concept art was also created for him, although he survived in both his Legends and Robot Heroes toys.

His alternate mode seems to be similar to that of the Decepticon Incinerator, only with an extra blade in each rotor.

Note: As a toy he's called "Autobot Springer", possibly for trademark purposes.

Titan Magazines
Springer appears in the story "Rules of Engagement" by Titan Magazines.

Toys

 * Revenge of the Fallen Legends Autobot Springer (2009)
 * A Legends Class toy.


 * Revenge of the Fallen Robot Heroes Autobot Springer vs. Starscream (2009)
 * Super deformed figurines of Springer and Starscream.

Transformers Animated
A bust of Springer appeared in Master Yoketron's dojo as a member of ther Cyber Ninja Corps in the Transformers Animated episode "Five Servos of Doom" during a flashback of Prowl's training during the Great War.

Transformers: Prime
Springer is a member of the Wreckers under the command of Ultra Magnus.

Books
Appears in the novel Transformers: Exodus.