FUSION
Appearances:
UK Transformers
Transformers Annual 1985 (And There Shall Come... A Leader!)
Quote:
"I'm expendable!" and he sure was..
Alt-Mode:
A tank-like vehicle. Interestingly this vehicle seems to have been based on Optimus Prime's alt mode as shown in Issue 1 (both UK and US). That alt mode was kind of a box thing, with Optimus Prime's infamous gun stuck on top. Apart from differences in the gun, Fusion is INCREDIBLY similar.
Effort was made in And There Shall Come... A Leader to make the transformers we see look like the ones in Transformers #1. To this end we actually see some of the TFs from the first issue (though differently coloured), and all the other Autobots we see have a similar look to that as well.
Interestingly Blue Streak's Cybertronian form is almost identical to that of Jazz, from the cartoon and TFU (but it is all black).
Description:
Fusion is a classic example of an
"Autobot heroics" character. He's also a classic "Hi then
die" character. Like most of these characters his loss is mentioned, but
not mourned. Rarely are character deaths in Transformers mourned as well as
mentioned. In fact, only Optimus Prime and Dinobot (from Beast Wars) stand out
as mourned losses. Grimlock mourns the losses of his men, but few other leaders
do. 4 million years of war makes it hard to make time to mourn, I suppose.
Fusion acts as an "Autobot heroics" figure, giving his life not just
for Bluestreak but for that all-encompassing and beautiful goal, "The
Greater Good".
Biography:
We first see Fusion when he's acting as an escort to Bluestreak, who's trying to ship a haul of shatter bombs, needed for an unsanctioned plan by Optimus Prime. He and Bluestreak had stolen the bombs earlier, and obviously been spotted by the Decepticons in the process.
As the two raced away from their pursuers we see them. Fusion manages to blast
one of the pursuing Decepticons into kingdom come (which involves a very cool
shot from Fusion's point of view) just as Bluestreak notices a break in the path
ahead. Bummer.
Fusion stalled a little, covering Bluestreak's back, so that the black Autobot (later to become grey, never blue, except in the Diaclone version who wasn't named Bluestreak...) could jump the gap. While this did buy Bluestreak the time he needed, for Fusion, it was fatal. The Decepticons blow him to bits. Bluestreak paused, then drove on, vowing revenge for his fallen comrade.
The last thing we heard of Fusion was Optimus asking whether the Bluestreak and Fusion had reported back. A black, Ironhide-like (at least in terms of facial features) Autobot explains that Bluestreak had reported in, but Fusion hadn't. We don't get to see Optimus' reaction, but this usually means that he had little or no reaction.
The legacy of Fusion goes a little further than that. The bombs he helped Bluestreak bring in were put to good use. They were planted across a bridge Megatron and his troops were to cross when they advanced on Iacon. Optimus baited Megatron into stalling on the bridge, then blew it up, halting the attack, and decimating Megatron's army (as well as burying Megatron himself under tonnes of rock).
As they say in the classics, Fusion did NOT die in vain.
Tech Specs/TFU:
I dunno about Fusion's tech specs. I suppose he'd have a pretty nifty firepower, most tank alt-mode Transformers do tend to have a high-ish firepower. Might have a decent speed (he kept good time with Blue Streak). A high intelligence? Probably not. Someone smarter wouldn't have sacrificed himself for a loudmouth like Bluestreak.
Toy:
I wonder. His alt mode is almost identical to that of Optimus Prime's "original" Cybertronian alt mode. Does this mean that he's almost identical in robot mode? A toy of Fusion could be a Cybertronian form toy of Optimus Prime!!
Over All:
Fairly standard Furman "Hi then
Die!" character. He shows up, then dies to prove that Autobots are noble
and good in every way. And to save Bluestreak. What fun.
As stated previously, the interesting thing about Fusion is his similarity to
Optimus Prime's Cybertronian alt mode (at least, his Cybertronian alt mode
according to Issue #1, not according to issue #48). Was he built from the same
model as Optimus Prime? Is he to Optimus, visually, what Bluestreak is to
Prowl? Could Fusion be Optimus' brother?
Well, actually, he probably isn't. Optimus didn't really react strongly when
Fusion died. Still, it's something to consider, all you fanfic writers.
Gallery:
1985 Annual
