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The name or term Jetfire refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Jetfire (disambiguation).


The name or term Skyfire refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Skyfire (disambiguation).


Jetfire is a bot of science, literally. Not only is his mind dedicated towards scientific pursuits, but his body is a testament to the technology he studies so intensely. (Some would say "religiously", but not in his presence.) Every inch of his chassis is cutting-edge and kept up-to-date. However, he does not have the trust of his teammates and it was not so long ago that he was a Decepticon. Jetfire is compassionate, so some Autobots feel that he could be soft on their enemies or, even worse, he may turn on them after realizing his cold calculations swing the other way.

Jetfire would find their misconceptions about science appalling. After all, science is just the pursuit of truth, which, as he maintains, walks hand-in-hand with liberty.

Preliminary name: Fireball
Alternative name: Skyfire
French name (Canada): Bolide ("Racing Car" - Yes, for a jet.)
Italian name: Aquila ("Eagle")
Russian Tv dub name (6th channel): Istrebitel'(Истребитель. "Jetfire")
Japanese name: Skyfire
Portuguese name (Portugal comic): Jacto, Fogo-Celestre
Hungarian name: Röptűz ("Flyfire")

Gallery[]


Fiction[]

Marvel Comics continuity[]

Note: UK only stories are in italics.
Jetfireg1marvel1

Brainless Jetfire brings home small mammals. Also: IS DAT SUM VALKYRIE?

Early in the war on Earth, Shockwave held the head of Optimus Prime captive, hoping to use the Creation Matrix he possessed to create a new army of Decepticons. Optimus Prime had secretly passed the energies of the Matrix onto the teenaged human, Buster Witwicky, so Shockwave was stopped short of giving Jetfire's constructed body life. Shockwave soon learned of the human's involvement, so he sent Jetfire after the human anyway, though the lifeless robot could do nothing more than follow orders. When Jetfire found Buster, he was accompanied by the Autobots Bluestreak and Bumblebee for his protection, but it was Buster's Creation Matrix powers that ultimately disassembled Jetfire before their eyes. Buster reassembled Jetfire, and with Bumblebee's help, changes were made to allow Buster to directly control him. Brainstorm!

However, Jetfire's programming reasserted itself, and maneuvered so wildly that Buster, riding in the cockpit, blacked out. Buster woke up inside Shockwave's base (a former Blackrock Industries plant), strapped to a machine ready to drill the Creation Matrix out of him. In the meantime, knowing that the Autobots were eavesdropping on him, Shockwave sent Jetfire to drop a fake Optimus Prime head at a disclosed location for the Autobots to find. The fake head attached itself to Optimus Prime's body and began attacking the Autobots, causing many injuries. At the last moment, Buster was able to control Jetfire once again, knocking out Shockwave, and delivering the true Optimus Prime head to the Autobots, allowing them a costly victory. Prime Time!

Jetfireyourehit

Naw, you think?.

With Optimus Prime fully restored, Jetfire was quickly given life and joined the Autobots. He was briefly mistrusted due to his Decepticon origin, and during the Dinobot Hunt Ironhide resented being given orders by someone with a Decepticon badge; Jetfire proved himself by restraining Slag, and had his Decepticon badge torn off in the process. Dinobot Hunt!Wheeljack, who still didn't trust Jetfire, almost deactivated him and returned him to the Decepticons as part of a deal for technology with Ravage, but decided against it at the last minute. Perchance to Dream

Having proven himself, he was granted the Rite of the Autobrand marking him as one of their rank. Rock and Roll-Out When Bumblebee, depressed, had left the Autobots and gotten himself attacked by the Decepticons, Jetfire eagerly came to his rescue. Plight of the Bumblebee Later, Jetfire helped the Autobots approach the Decepticon base to steal information that would allow them to build their own combiners. Command Performances

When Optimus Prime and Prowl were lost in Limbo and Galvatron assumed command of the Decepticons, Jetfire became acting leader. His headstrong tactics got the Autobots defeated several times, and out of desperation he even formed an alliance with Megatron and Soundwave. He also mistrusted Ultra Magnus, thinking his arrival too convenient. However, after seeing Magnus be beaten half to death trying to stop Galvatron, Jetfire realised he was wrong and came to his aid. When the future Decepticon was driven off, Jetfire thanked Magnus for all he'd done. Target 2006

Soon afterwards, several missions made Jetfire worry that his response time was quicker when humans were in danger than Autobots were, and he talked with Buster Witwicky to come to terms with this; he came to realise that it was because he viewed Earth as his home, as he'd been built there. The Gift He also accompanied Donny Finkleberg to the spot where Finkleberg claimed seven Autobots had crossed over from Cybertron, though they found nothing but traces of oil. Aerialbots over America

After the death of Optimus Prime, Jetfire voted for the Dinobot Grimlock to take command. King of the Hill He later seemed to regret this decision, offering to help Blaster usurp him Spacehikers, and when the rivalry ended in a duel staged on Earth's moon, he was among the Autobots who watched. When the Autobots were ambushed by the entire Decepticon army, he was blasted out of the sky by both Vortex and Laserbeak. Totalled

Jetfire was destroyed along with the Aerialbots and countless others in New York when Starscream absorbed the power of the Underbase. Dark Star

Cartoon continuity[]

The Transformers cartoon[]

Voice actor: Gregg Berger (English), Osamu Saka (Japanese)
Note: In the animated series, Jetfire went by the name Skyfire. His character model was significantly altered from the toy, as was his appearance in nearly all media. See Why "Skyfire"?, below.
Jetfireskyfire

They dug him out of the Arctic to be their chauffeur.

Millions of years ago on Cybertron, before the war, Skyfire and Starscream were good friends and fellow scientists. On a mission of exploration to prehistoric Earth, Skyfire was lost in a storm. Starscream searched, but there was no sign of his comrade. He returned home.

Millions of years later, after the Autobots and Decepticons had crashed and awoken on Earth, the Decepticons found Skyfire, encased in a block of Arctic ice, and revived him. Skyfire joined them due to his past friendship with Starscream, though he expressed discomfort with their methods. When Skyfire's compassion for humans led to his disobeying orders, Starscream, who had changed much in the intervening millennia, turned on his friend. Skyfire left the Decepticons and joined the Autobots, sacrificing himself to be buried beneath the ice again to stop the Decepticons' plans. The Autobots held a memorial service in his memory at the location of his involuntary burial. Fire in the Sky

The Autobots returned later to dig him up when they needed a ride down to South America. Megatron and his Decepticons were in Peru seeking the Crystal of Power, which was kept in an Incan temple. After battling the Decepticons, Skyfire arrived at the temple to find Thundercracker guarding it and the crystal inside. Thundercracker was angry at Starscream, and was willing to let Skyfire past him to destroy the crystal so long as Starscream got in trouble. Starscream overheard this and shot Skyfire in the back, knocking him out.

At one point, Optimus Prime actually pats Skyfire on his jet mode's nosecone, like a dog. Sucks to be Skyfire. Fire on the Mountain

Skyfire Gerwalk

Mid-transformation, or a reference to the toy's "third mode"? CHOOSE WISELY.

As the old adage goes, do something right once, and it's your job. From then on, Skyfire's only apparent duty was to shuttle the Autobots around Earth and even to Cybertron (when it was in Earth orbit). The Ultimate Doom, Part 2, The Ultimate Doom, Part 3, A Plague of Insecticons, Attack of the Autobots, The Immobilizer, Day of the Machines

Skyfire (or a very similar space vehicle) can be briefly seen as part of the Autobot fleet attacking the Quintessons. He was shot along with Powerglide and several Aerialbots. The Aerialbots survived so Skyfire might have survived as well. Dark Awakening

Note: This may have just been an animation error, common in the season 3 episodes.

The Headmasters cartoon[]

Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)

Generation 2 manga[]

Note: While in the English continuity, Generation 2 Jetfire was the same character as Generation One Jetfire/Skyfire, the same would not appear to be the case in Japan. In Japan, the Generation One character was called "Skyfire" in the cartoon, which was the only Japanese media he appeared in, as his toy was never released in Japan. The "Jetfire" that appears in the Generation 2 manga probably would have originally been a different character, though Robot Masters backstory and the character's appearance in the 15 Go! Go! comics seemed to consolidate the two retroactively.
G2StoryPageWheeljackPerceptor1

Ten points if you can find Wheeljack and Perceptor in this picture!

Jetfire was once friends with the Decepticon Cyberjets during his days back on Cybertron. However, after the war had raged on for centuries, two of his Cyberjet friends (Strafe and Aero Raid) began to have their doubts about the Decepticon cause. Taking Jetfire's advice, the two Cyberjets switched sides and became Autobots. This act forever earned Jetfire, Strafe and Aero Raid the hatred of the remaining loyal Decepticon Cyberjets.

At one point, Megatron kidnapped the Autobot Laser Rod, Electro. While Megatron attempted to persuade Electro into joining the Decepticons, Jetfire infiltrated the headquarters. Busting-in at full-force, Jetfire took the Decepticons by surprise and managed to successfully rescue his fellow Autobot.

Jetfire was also the head of a research team staffed by Wheeljack and Perceptor that discovered a new attribute of the Matrix. This discovery allowed Optimus Prime to survive a fatal attack from Megatron and form a newer, more powerful body.

15 Go! Go![]

TGGJetfire1

Whoever he is, he looks awesome.

On a trip into the future with her companion Steeljaw, the humanoid computer Teletraan 15 encountered the Autobot scientist Jetfire. He immediately realized that they had come from a different time and cautioned them that the area was about to become a war zone. Recognizing Jetfire's scent despite the unfamiliar body, Steeljaw asked if he was the same being as his old warrior acquaintance.

Concerned for the pair's safety, Jetfire offered to take them to his commander, unaware that the Decepticons Smokescreen and Dreadwing were following. Under heavy attack, Jetfire and his passengers were saved by the intervention of Battle Convoy.

TGGJetfire2

Bandai's gonna suuuuue.

After the battle, Teletraan 15 recorded Jetfire's information and announced that her mission to restore Teletraan I's damaged databanks was at last complete.

Before she and Steeljaw returned to their own era, Jetfire asked 15 to tell him something: in her travels through time, had she ever discovered when the fighting would end? When would the progress of science finally bring about peace?

See & Read Video[]

He went on a lot of suicide missions.

Transformers Pop-Up Book[]

Jetfire was one of many to participate in the battle at Castle Decepticon. He may have in fact been a Decepticon himself.

Dreamwave comics continuity[]

Jetfiredarkages

I bet Skywarp pulled that mask over his face a lot in junior high.

Before the war, the scientist Jetfire and Starscream were friends. But when Starscream joined the Decepticons in their assault on outlying city-states, Jetfire was torn. If he followed his beliefs and upheld justice and life, he would end up facing his dearest friend on the battlefield. Jetfire did end up with the Autobots, but not before a barrier of distrust had been built between them due to his inaction and his past loyalties.

These loyalties came to a head during a period when Optimus Prime and Megatron were presumed lost forever, the two factions splintered into five. Events conspired behind the scenes, building up to an unknown crescendo, and Jetfire was suspicious. Putting his already-shaky trustworthiness on the line, he met up with Shockwave in secret to discuss the looming front of darkness. However, the source of these machinations, The Fallen, had leaked their correspondence to Grimlock, who held a grudge against the scientist.

Grimlock assaulted Jetfire at his intended meeting place, but both were overwhelmed by the Fallen and dragged far inside Cybertron and strapped to a four-paneled contraption in the Well of All Sparks. Jetfire, Grimlock, Hot Spot, and Blitzwing were the "Angles of Dissolution," four "unique sparks" which could catalyze the breach of the Seal of Primus. Combined forces from several factions penetrated the Fallen's operation, but despite Jetfire and Grimlock's teamwork, the Fallen was destroyed only by his own scheme -- the hand of Primus reached out, awakened from his slumber, and smote the enigmatic being to pieces. Jetfire, a skeptic towards things supernatural, began to wonder if there might be something bigger than them going on, something no one could comprehend. The War Within: The Dark Ages

Jetfireg1dw

I've always said there's nothing an agnostic can't do if he really doesn't know whether he believes in anything or not.

Long after, Jetfire and Omega Supreme were sent out into space to search for the missing Ark. Arriving on Earth, they were attacked by Scourge, but Jetfire disabled him with an EM pulse from their ship. When he ventured outside to identify his assailant, he was caught in an avalanche and buried in ice.

Millions of years later he was found by Starscream and stored aboard the Nemesis, still encased in a block of ice. When the zealot Sunstorm arrived on Earth, Starscream freed Jetfire from his icy prison to stop him. An uneasy alliance formed between Jetfire, Starscream, and Bumblebee's team of Autobots as they tried to come up with a plan to stop the unbelievably powerful Seeker, but Sunstorm was unstoppable. Jetfire started to consider that Sunstorm might be supernatural, despite his natural skepticism. During their encounter, Jetfire realized that Sunstorm's internal fusion reactor was about to go critical, and flew him up into space where he could explode without risk to the Earth. Jetfire was seemingly annihilated in the explosion. His demise caused Bumblebee to throw down his arms and quit the war. Generation One

Note: It was revealed long after the demise of Dreamwave that an issue was planned that involved the return of both Jetfire and the Fallen, meaning his "death" would not have been final.

IDW comics continuity[]

This section covers fiction that is ongoing. It will be added to as the story progresses. If it isn't current, you can help by updating it.
Jetfireclassics

"I'm a scientist, Ranger Brad. I don't believe in anything."

Years of war had put the Transformers' home world of Cybertron through too much punishment, meaning a spiral into planet-wide cataclysm, a consequence the scientist Thunderwing had foreseen. Jetfire and other Transformers scientists ignored his warning, until it was too late. Thunderwing underwent the polydermal grafting process he had developed, and was driven insane, forcing the Autobots and Decepticons to unite and try to stop him. Jetfire spent the battle trying to figure out a way to effectively counter Thunderwing, but Cybertron itself swallowed Thunderwing before he could find a way. Cybertron was abandoned as a result.

Seven hundred stellar cycles later, and against regulations, Jetfire and the Technobots traveled to the supposedly-abandoned husk of Cybertron from their science vessel, the Calabi-Yau, to investigate a strange energy reading. Though it violated several command directives, Jetfire decided to lead a recon mission to the surface. Despite the misgivings everyone had, Jetfire remained adamant that they investigate, saying that a failure to investigate was what doomed Cybertron to begin with. Upon arriving on the dead surface of the planet near Thunderhead Pass, Jetfire, Scattershot, Afterburner, and Lightspeed were ambushed by a mysterious group of robots with stealth abilities. The Technobots were badly damaged and Jetfire was captured. When he revived, he found his captors worshiping the reanimated corpse of Thunderwing. Stormbringer issue 1

Stormbringer4 JetfirePrime plainlanguage

I just plumb don't understand alla' yer fancy talkin'...

Their leader, Bludgeon, wished to revisit the mad scientist's plot and harness the power that accelerated the planet's death in an apocalyptic torrent all those years ago. Jetfire pleaded with Bludgeon not to again unleash the powers that destroyed their planet, but he was ignored, and his attempts to escape were thwarted. Stormbringer issue 2 Thanks to a distress signal sent by the remaining Technobots in the Calabi-Yau, Optimus Prime and the Wreckers soon arrived, released Jetfire, and defeated his captors, just before an alert system announced the arrival of Thunderwing, newly reborn. Stormbringer issue 3

Fortunately Jetfire was able to figure out that the Ultra-Energon powering Thunderwing would be depleted in a prolonged struggle. This allowed Optimus Prime, the Wreckers, and the Predacons to stop the monstrosity without destroying Cybertron. Stormbringer issue 4

Jetfire was later called in to take the Pretender Monsters to the Garrus-9 prison and attempt to cure them. Spotlight: Optimus Prime Every previous attempt had failed, but whether he may have found a cure to their combined minds was then rendered moot when the Decepticons attacked and abducted the Monsters. He convinced Fortress Maximus to let Arcee "escape" to hunt the Monsters down, and they would invent some story afterward. Spotlight: Arcee

Shortly after Optimus Prime arrived on Garrus-9, Cyclonus activated the Nega-Core and its guardian, Thunderwing, on Corata-Vaz. Prime ordered Jetfire to summon the Wreckers to face off against Thunderwing again. Spotlight: Cyclonus

Jetfire is attempting to disable Thunderwing using an Axis chair of Garrus-9 but is facing resistance from the enemies command setup on Gorlam Prime in the form of chief scientist Jhiaxus. Spotlight: Hardhead On Garrus-9, Bludgeon takes a swing at Jetfire but finds himself brought up short by Jetfire's prattle, probably a first, pointing out the deformed Jhiaxus might have bitten off more than he can chew. As years pass Gorlam Prime re-awakens into a new and remarkable form, and is renamed by its inhabitants as Cybertron. Jetfire observes a delightful list of future comic topics. Spotlight: Sideswipe

Jetfire survived the Decepticon purge of Autobot bases and eventually found himself stranded on Earth serving in Optimus Prime's forces. However, ever the pacifist, as soon as Hot Rod started preaching an end to the war, Jetfire was right on his side, hoping to get away from the depressingly slow and dull witted humans.

After BumbleBee sided the Autobots with Colonel Spike Witwicky's forces, Jetfire got access to the highest grade communication access.

War For Cybertron Trilogy[]

Chapter 1: Siege[]

Jetfire, Starscream, Thundercracker, and the Decepticons track Bumblebee and Wheeljack to sector seven. Thundercracker scans Bumblebee, but he registers as unknown, while Wheeljack on the otherhand is a known collaborator with Optimus Prime.

Starscream insists that they be killed, pointing a blaster at them. Jetfire cuts off his arm and reminds him that he’s the commander, and he decides how they’re dealt with. Starscream informs his commander that if the Seekers were under his command that Jetfire would be dead. He proceeds to convince the other Decepticons to align with him and turn on Jetfire, allowing Bumblebee and Wheeljack to escape. However, the entrance is blocked by Megatron. Starscream wants to execute every Autobot on sight, but Megatron reminds him the war started as a revolution, not a genocide. He wishes to see an end to the war and asks Bumblebee and Wheeljack to join them. However, Wheeljack refuses. Megatron leaves, but not before instructing Jetfire and Starscream to execute them both.

Jetfire, Starscream, Thundercracker, and the Decepticons take aim, but Optimus arrives just in time to save them from execution. Megatron returns and demands that Optimus surrender, but he refuses, and so they fight. As Megatron attempts to kill Prime, Elita One arrives, taking fire at the Decepticons, allowing Optimus, Bumblebee, and Wheeljack to escape.

Megatron rallies the Decepticons against the Autobots. They must answer their aggression with force, claiming that Optimus tried to assassinate him. Megatron realizes now that there can be no treaty with the Autobots, and so, they must be wiped out. Starscream applauds, having gotten his hand reattached. Jetfire asks if he wants to lose it again. Jetfire then goes to Megatron to report that his Seekers are on the hunt, though Starscream argues that he should be commanding the Seekers. Megatron warns him that his ambitions will be his undoing. Megatron then informs his men that the only way to find Prime is to hurt him. They must forge weapons from his weaknesses. Episode 1

Megatron orders the Decepticons to search every sector until they find the Autobots. Skywarp interrupts Megatron to inform him of an unexpected arrival. Jetfire warns him to come no closer. When he continues, Starscream demands that he reveal himself. Megatron smacks him for firing without being instructed to. The bot under the hood reveals himself as Ultra Magnus. He’s come to surrender. Jetfire later puts him in a cell and voices his stance on reformatting the Autobots. Episode 2

Starscream is aware of Megatron’s plan to reformat the Autobots, which he is against. He fears it will dilute their race. Starscream continues, even calling Megatron weak. Jetfire confronts Starscream and tells him that his false sense of superiority will be his downfall. Megatron arrives and says that anyone with a problem with his vision of Cybertron has no place in it. Starscream takes off and Megatron reminds Jetfire that Starscream is just a weapon that can easily be replaced.

Jetfire and Skywarp sense Impactor is near. They follow it to the Autobot Command. Skywarp wishes to report back to Megatron, who will give the order to annihilate the Autobots. Jetfire argues that annihilating an entire race shouldn’t be the price of peace. They should give the Autobots the option to surrender, though Skywarp insists that they all be murdered. When Jetfire tries to stop him, Skywarp punches him in the face, which leads to Jetfire shooting him in the back, though he apologizes immediately after. Episode 3

Jetfire arrives at Tarn-Hauser after Megatron kills Ultra Magnus. Megatron tells Jetfire to take Ultra Magnus to Shockwave. However, Starscream arrives and shoots Jetfire, informing Megatron that he murdered Skywarp. Jetfire admits this is true. He has no desire to be involved in the genocide of the Autobots. Megatron orders Starscream to kill Jetfire, but before he can get the chance, Jetfire shoots missiles at them and flies away. However, Starscream isn’t far behind and shoots Jetfire out of the sky.

Jetfire arrives at the Autobot Command, claiming that he wishes to join them. Episode 4

Jetfire is placed inside a cage. The Autobots demands to know how he found them. Jetfire insists that no one else knows he is there and that he only wishes to join the Autobots. He refuses to help Megatron wipe out an entire population. He’s fallen into darkness. Jetfire informs them how Megatron murdered Ultra Magnus. A prisoner of war. His hands were cuffed. There was no honor in his death.

Optimus asks Jetfire about the Sea of Rust, where they've tracked the AllSpark. Jetfire informs him that the Seekers mapped the Sea of Rust ages ago. He promises him that he can help navigate them through the sea and back. Jetfire asks Prowl about his law enforcement days in Praxus, before the war. He knows all about the core override. Jetfire will submit to one. Prowl explains that during a certain era at Praxus, the council created core override implants as a deterrent. Essentially meaning remotely triggering brain detonation. Optimus tells Prowl to proceed.

Jetfire, Optimus, Moonracer, Hound, and Prowl enter the forbidden sector. They swerve to avoid the lightning bolts coming at them. Jetfire fires rockets to protect them from the lightning. They are now faced with metal vortexes. Prowl is sucked into one of the vortexes, forcing Jetfite to fly up and rescue him. Prowl is so grateful that Jetfire saved him that he wishes to give Jetfire the remote trigger to his brain module, but Jetfire insists that he keep it. They proceed down below to the Allspark. They suddenly find themselves surrounded by rusted old, rusted, Sparkless bots. Episode 5

Jetfire, Optimus, Moonracer, Hound, and Prowl fight off the rusted Sparkless bots. Unfortunately, Moonracer is ripped apart in the battle. Optimus catches a glimpse of the Allspark above. He capture it, causing the Sparkless bots to disappear.

Jetfire returns to Autobot Command and faces off with his former comrade, Starscream. In the midst of his battle with Jetfire, Starscream gets word from Megatron to destroy the Spacebridge in sector seven. Jetfire isn't far behind. He even saves Optimus and Hound on the way to sector seven. After the Autobots escape through the Spacebridge with the Allspark, Jetfire reconvenes with Red Alert, Chromia, and Elita One on Cybertron. Episode 6

Chapter 2: Earthrise[]

Jetfire, Red Alert, Elita One, and Chromia kill two seekers after coming across a group of wounded Decepticons being kept as prisoners by their own kind.

Jetfire questions if it was wise for Elita to free those Decepticons. Elita isn’t entirely sure herself, but she can’t help but wonder why Decepticons are imprisoning their own kind. Jetfire says that everything has changed since the Battle of the Spacebridge, including Megatron. Jetfire surmise that he’s turned on his own as he lacks an enemy with the Autobots essentially gone. Jetfire would rather leave the Decepticons locked up, but Elita argues that they can’t lose sight of the fact that even Decepticons are still Cybertronian, so they’ll continue to liberate the prison camps.

Jetfire arrives at the prison camp and takes out the three seekers before joining Elita, Red Alert, and Chromia and heading inside. Jetfire, Elita, Red Alert, and Chromia walk into a trap set by Starscream. They are then taken to Metatron, who is harvesting the Allsparks of bots. Episode 1 (Earthrise)

Starscream places Elita in her cell. Jetfire, Red Alert, and Chromia wonder what she’s learned. Elita didn’t learn much. But she doesn’t think that Megatron has even told his own men why he’s harvesting their energon. Jetfire surmises that they’re building a weapon. They try to break their way out of their cell but fail to do so successfully. They can’t even send a distress signal as HQ is deserted and Omega Supreme has been down since Crystal City fell. Skytread catches Jetfire, Elita, Red Alert, and Chromia trying to sneak away. Surprisingly, he means to help them. While he’s not an Autobot sympathizer, he also doesn’t condone Project Nemesis. Episode 2 (Earthrise)

Jetfire, Elita, Red Alert, and Chromia return to the old theater with Scrapface and the other Decepticons after nearly blowing their cover when he attacked a couple seekers. Scarface then gets a Decepticon-wide transmission from Shockwave, who explains that Megatron has ordered all Decepticons to report to Kaon Arena. He claims that they have energon to protect them. Elita suspects that Shockwave’s luring them to the arena to harvest their sparks. Elita wants to lead the remaining Autobots and Decepticons to Kaon to destroy the arena. Episode 3 (Earthrise)

Jetfire, Red Alert, Chromia, Scrapface, and the remaining bots find themselves under attack by cloaked Decepticons while Elita plants charges inside the arena. Chromia saves Jetfire, Scrapface, and the other bots from being taken into the arena by the Decepticons, shooting down their enemies, including Skytread despite the fact that he helped them escape last time. Episode 6 (Earthrise)

Chapter 3: Kingdom[]

Despite the chance he could have survived the explosion at Kaon, it is clear that during the time from the explosion to when the autobots and decepticons returned to cybertron, that he had perished at some point since among the characters who's sparks formed prejections of their bodies, Jetfire was among them. So it is likely that he either perished due to the explosion or to the freezing tempertures.

Toys[]

Generation One[]

  • Jetfire (1985)
    • Accessories: "GU-11 55mm Three-Barrel Gatling Photon Missile Launcher Gun Pod", 4 "RÖV-20 Fixed Anti-Aircraft Laser Cannons", rifle mounting pod, "Turbo Thruster Booster Pack", 2 leg guards (left & right), 2 arm guards, 2 fenders
Jetfireg1toy

Don't expect Takara to reissue this toy any time soon.

A Takatoku 1/55 Macross VF-1S Super Valkyrie, also known as a VF-1S Battloid Vexar in Robotech (the US adapation of Macross and some other similar anime packaged into one continuous story) the toy was repainted, repackaged and released with an Autobot symbol (and some minor retooling of the nose cone) and named "Jetfire" (and Hasbro would die out of shame for this). Jetfire features three modes: robot, jet, and an "GERWALK" (Guardian in Robotech) mode that deploys his arms and legs in jet mode. Additionally, Jetfire comes with several red pieces of armor and rocket booster backpack that can snap onto his arms, legs, and back in any mode. Due to his Macross origins, Jetfire has considerably more articulation than the other Transformers in the line at the time and comes with spring loaded landing gear.
Naturally, Jetfire was not released in Japan, since the toy (or at least, a dozen variations of it) was released by one of Takara's rival toy companies.
The shoulder assembly where the jet mode folds in half for robot mode is one of the more commonly broken parts in the early Transformers toy line. The more rigid plastic used on the armor pieces also means that it's not uncommon for their attachment clips to have snapped off. And finally, the small black clip-piece that attaches Jetfire's rifle to his jet mode is possibly one of the most commonly missing accessories on secondhand Jetfires, if not secondhand Transformers all around. The fact that the instructions don't tell you what to do with it doesn't help. The piece is used to hold Jetfire's rifle via the clip attached to the arm, as well as under the jet mode as a belly gun.
There were two variations of the toy: one featuring the Robotech Defense Force roundel on the wings and one without it.

Generation 2[]

  • Jetfire (Cyberjet, 1995)
    • Japanese ID number: TRF-16
    • Accessories: 3 missiles
G2Jetfire toy

No, I'm Jetfire! Really!

Jetfire was released in Generation 2 as one of the Autobot Cyberjets, a redeco of the Decepticon Hooligan. He transforms into a proposed swing-wing naval variant of the F-22 Raptor. He is armed with a pressure-launched missile fired from his right arm, which also forms a weapon in fighter mode.
Interestingly enough, his toy has Decepticon faction symbol stickers, despite being released as an Autobot.
Jetfire-JG2decal

Nice concept, but where should they go?

The Japanese release of Jetfire came with an extra decal sheet.
R-Blade's expanded bio in the Robot Masters sourcebook specifically mentions Jetfire as the leader of the Autobot Cyberjets, even though no mention of this is made in Jetfire's Generation 2 bio.

Titanium Series[]

  • Jetfire (6-inch Cybertron Heroes, 2006)
    • Accessories: 2 cannons, display stand
Jetfiretitaniumwarwithin

Unfortunate landing gear placement.

Jetfire is based on Don Figueroa's design as seen in Dreamwave's The War Within miniseries, which in turn was based on Figueroa's scratch-build custom Transformer, Strikefire. He transforms into a Cybertronic fighter plane with armor add-ons.
As with all Titanium Series figures, Jetfire's toy is constructed of both die-cast metal and molded plastic, and it comes with a plastic display stand featuring his name and his faction logo. In jet mode, landing gear can be deployed from underneath the fuselage and both legs. In robot mode, the two wing cannons can be removed to be held by the robot either separately or combined together into a single weapon.

Classics[]

  • Jetfire (Voyager, 2006)
    • Accessories: Rocket Booster pack, rifle, 2 missile launchers, 2 missiles, helmet
Jetfireclassicsvoyager

We're getting almost as many Jetfires as we are Optimus Primes.

Classics Jetfire's design is an amalgam of the original cartoon/comic model for Jetfire/Skyfire and the original toy. It not only features removeable armor like the original toy, but the toy-inspired head can be removed like a helmet to reveal a cartoon/comic-inspired head. The jet mode pays homage to Generation 2 Jetfire in being a swing wing aircraft, but while the body resembles the design of an F-14 Tomcat, which is the model of the VF-1 Valkyrie, the nosecone is unique. The toy's add-on booster packs have flip-out reveal cannons, and it also features arm-mounted spring-loaded missile launchers. Somewhat uselessly, the arms rotate below the elbows and at the wrists, but don't rotate above the elbows.
An unexpected level of detail can be found on the black non-firing rifle; when it is assembled, the gun's "sight" comes together in a way that would be functional on a full-size weapon.
The toy's design was first featured on the solicited cover to IDW Stormbringer #1. Contrary to popular belief, it was not designed by Don Figueroa.
A "ghost" redeco of this toy, with black plastic and silvery electric paint deco, was shown by Hasbro in a news broadcast about their attempts to cheer up a Rhode Island orphan. Sadly, this version was never released. Even more sadly, the orphan was never adopted.
This mold was retooled to make the BotCon 2007 version of Dreadwind, and redecoed to make the Universe version of Tread Bolt.
Jetfireclassicslegends

"Yes, the Classics has Jetfire." "Too much Jetfire."

  • Jetfire (Legends, 2006)
This toy is a redeco of Legends of Cybertron-class Thundercracker, transforming into an SU-37 fighter jet.
This mold was later redecoed into Universe Starscream, and then Universe Silverbolt from the Target-exclusive "Special Team Leaders" Legends-class figure pack.

Attacktix[]

  • Jetfire (200?)
Your bargaining posture is highly dubious.

Proceed on your way to oblivion.
This item has been canceled, with no current plans for release.


Henkei! Henkei![]

Henkei Jetfire toy

Comes packaged in a block of ice for "show-accuracy".

  • Skyfire (Voyager, 2008)
    • Japanese ID number: C-06
    • Accessories: Rocket Booster pack, rifle, 2 missile launchers, 2 missiles, helmet
Henkei! Henkei! Jetfire is an redeco of Classics Jetfire. The primary changes to his deco are mainly for better resemblance to Skyfire's Generation One cartoon model's appearance (in particular painting most of the canopy to make it appear smaller), rather than the Jetfire/Macross design. Of amusement is the fact the fighter's airbreak has been painted blue to be a faux secondary canopy. As with all Henkei toys, he lacks the heat-sensitive rubsign seen on the Classics release, but instead has several vacuum-metallized parts (his jetpack's exhaust nozzles). It also includes a manga detailing the events that lead to Skyfire's appearance in the Henkei universe.

Merchandise[]

Diamond Select Toys[]

  • Jetfire Bust (2008)
DiamondSelect G1Jetfirebust

No potential lawsuit here, old chum!

Sculpted by Art Asylum, this detailed bust of Jetfire is based upon his cartoon/comic body.
AFX ArmoredJetfire bust

Uh-oh, move along, nothing to see here...

  • Armored Jetfire Bust (2008)
An exclusive to AFX, this version of the Jetfire bust features an interchangable Macross-inspired head design based upon his original Generation One toy, two booster packs on his back and a "battle damaged" sculpt.
Or you could pick... WHAT'S IN THE BOX.

This item is currently scheduled for release, but is not yet available.

Why "Skyfire"?[]

Jetfire-SkyfireModels

I went from 98-ton weakling to muscle-bot on...the Dery plan!

We may never be certain of the exact circumstances behind the change from Jetfire to Skyfire. There are, however, a few known factors, and a lot of theories.

  • Not all of Hasbro's Transformers product originated with Takara. The Macross Super Valkyrie, the toy that would become Jetfire, came from a company called Takatoku (who were also responsible for the toys that became Roadbuster, Whirl, and the Deluxe Insecticons). Why did Hasbro market non-Takara product? Bob Prupis, one of the original members of the Transformers marketing team, would frequently go to Toy Fairs in Asia, where "any product that really looked good that was exciting we didn't care where it came from. We did some work with Bandai, who had been working with other people, and took a few products that looked right for our line"[1]. The Super Valkyrie, then, must have met their criteria for inclusion.
  • As a larger toy, it would follow that Hasbro would want to sell Jetfire by including him in the Transformers animated series. However, even though Hasbro had the rights to release Takatoku's Super Valkyrie in the US Transformers toyline, Hasbro's chief collaborator on Transformers was still Takara. It may have been that Takara always had plans to air the Transformer animated series in their own market (as it featured a majority of their products), and objected to the inclusion of a competitor's product on the show. This may also be why no other Takatoku-designed toys appeared in the series, although their relatively smaller sizes as compared to Jetfire may have been a factor in Hasbro not including them.
  • As the theory goes, the Jetfire animation model was adjusted to look less like the toy as a compromise to Takara. However - perhaps because it now failed to look like the product it was supposed to be advertising - the character became "Skyfire".
  • Conversely, it is possible that licensing issues played in to the decisions to change Jetfire to Skyfire; the story bible for G1 writers mentions how Jetfire had been "transformed" into Skyfire for "legal reasons". See also Trivia.
  • The evidence of Robotech influencing Jetfire-related decisions is murky. That show began airing in syndication in March 1985, whereas "Fire In The Sky", the first episode with Skyfire, aired December 8, 1984 - and would have had to have been written and animated much before then. Statements indicate that it took nine months to edit Robotech together, placing the start of production somewhere around July 1984. So... who knows. All that's certain is that Hasbro licensing the Super Valkyrie seemingly did prevent the use of that toy in Matchbox's Robotech toyline.

Beyond Prupis's statement and the notes in the story bible, however, nothing supporting (or denying) any of the previous statements have come out.

  • However, there is also the possibility that legal troubles were the reason, as evidenced by FASA Corporation's problems with a large selection of their products in the BattleTech line that required (initially) the art to be removed. Over half of the removed designs were of RoboTech/Macross origin (29/57). After FASA's bankruptcy and the subsequent sale of the BattleTech rights to FanPro/WhizKids/Catalyst Game Labs, some of "The Unseen" designs were recreated with new art and released, and eventually a deal was reached that allowed the original art from all of the removed designs. Unfortunately, however, Harmony Gold (US owners of the licenses to the RoboTech components (originally three separate and unrelated shows)) ultimately backed out of the deal, and most of their portion of the designs are still forbidden. BattleTech was also published in 1984, and although FASA's legal issue did not occur until sometime later, and there is some legal dispute over how much (if any) control Harmony Gold actually has, there remains the obvious conclusion that Harmony Gold-related properties are tricky to deal with.

Notes[]

Jetfireg1commercial

Lawsuit!

  • The story bible for the original animated series contains a different character model for Jetfire, one clearly based on the actual toy. This model did appear twice "fictionally," once as a miscolored, partially-obscured background character in the fourth Marvel Comics issue, and again in the animated portion of the commercial for Jetfire and Shockwave. It would also occasionally crop up in secondary media, such as coloring books.
  • In fact, the Transformers story bible offers seemingly contradictory statements on Jetfire. An early page notes how "JETFIRE has been "transformed" into SKYFIRE -- with a different model -- due to legal reasons. Do not use this character unless necessary" [2], whereas a subsequent page on new Season 2 characters notes that "Although Reflector should no longer be used as a character in the series, JETFIRE will be redesigned and reintroduced in the near future"[3]. As the Valkyrie-derived animation model never appeared in the cartoon, and Skyfire was never redesigned, it's uncertain just what these notes refer to.
  • According to the letter page of Marvel UK issue #282, Shut Up!, Jetfire is the fastest of the Autobot jets, capable of reaching speeds of Mach 29 in a dive.
  • In the aforementioned Jetfire commercial, it claims that the Autobots created Jetfire, the "ultimate robot jet," to counter the Decepticon planes. As Sunstreaker, Hound, and Prowl are under attack, the trio release Jetfire from within an opening cliffside, revealing their new creation. Jetfire's robot mode was roughly the size of Omega Supreme or combiners, and his vehicle mode was equally big. (See image above.)
Jetfire-Dutch

Crazy moonman language!

  • It's believed that there were some trademark issues with the name "Optimus Prime" in the Netherlands due to a manufacturer of kitchen utensils named "Optimus"[4]. Whether or not this was actually the case, Milton Bradley did not initially release Optimus Prime's toy, referred to Jetfire as the Autobot leader, and called Optimus "Jetfire" in the Dutch translation of the Marvel comic! Whatever the problem was, it was later rectified, as the Optimus Prime toy was later released and they stopped calling him "Jetfire" in the comic.
  • The Energon Omnicon Skyblast was created as an homage to Skyfire. He would have been given the name "Skyfire" as well, but the trademark had been secured (and Registered) by Hasbro rival Mattel. Also on the homage front, Robot Masters R-Blade features a very Jetfirey deco.

External links[]

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