Hardtop (Transformers)
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Hardtop is the name of two fictional characters from Transformers series. The original Hardtop introduced in 2005 as part of the supporting toy line for Transformers: Cybertron. A second Hardtop was introduced in 2007 supporting the Transformers film of that year.
Contents
Transformers: Cybertron
Hardtop if a Decepticon from the Cybertron toy line.
Fictional biography
Hardtop is a spy, tracker and ground-based spotter for the aerial team of Starscream and Thundercracker on Earth. He uses an array of sensors to pinpoint Autobot targets up to 7,000 miles away and listen to and record Starscream. Prefers to hang back from the front lines of a fight, he finds pleasure in taking pot shots at Autobots with his long-range laser rifle. Hardtop is a Cybertronian comic book collector! If you were to go into his room in the Decepticon home base, you'd find thousands of comic books from all over the galaxy! From 3-D ones to ones made of leaves - he just loves them! If he's not blasting Autobots on the battlefield, he's racing around the universe looking for the missing issue of the Galactic Guardians.
Fun Publications
In the Fun Publications story Force of Habit Brushguard lead a small team of Decepticons to the planet Combatron looking the Cyber Planet Keys. Among his troops were Buzzsaw, Hardtop, Runamuck and Swindle. On the planet they discovered a long lost weapons cache and attempt to bring it back to Megatron but they are opposed by Autobots led by Longrack.[1][2]
Toys
- Cybertron Scout Hardtop (2005)
- Cybertron Leader Megatron with Scout Hardtop (2006)
- A Walmart exclusive bundle of Megatron with a bonus Hardtop figure, identical to the 2006 toy.
- Universe Cybertron Series Scout Hardtop (2009)
- A repackage of the 2007 Transformers film Hardtop sold as a Walmart store exclusive in a two-pack with the Autobot Clocker called The Data War.[4]
Transformers
The biography for the Decepticon Hardtop toy states that Hardtop and Bumblebee are old rivals and it was not Megatron which destroyed Bumblebee's ability to speak, but a shot from Hardtop's gun. This, however, is not supported in any given fiction.
According to his extended biography from the Target store exclusive Robo-Vision web site Hardtop came to Earth and uncovered the Witwicky home before any of the other Decepticons, but was unable to attack the Witwickys because Bumblebee found him first and buried under a hundred tons of rubble in the Rocky Mountains.
IDW Publishing
In the Reign of Starscream story it was shown that Hardtop was a member of the crew of the Nemesis; Thundercracker and several drones remained with the ship on Mars while the rest of the Decepticons continued to Earth.
Note - The appearance of Hardtop is modified in the IDW Publishing stories so that his head more resembles movie's alien-bug style than the movie toy and (presumably) he has a Cybertronian alternate mode.
Toys
- Transformers Scout Hardtop (2007)
- The scout toy is basically a grey and olive green repaint of the Cybertron Hardtop toy, with the blaster being repainted black. He was a Target store exclusive. This toy was later repackaged as a Walmart store exclusive and portrayed as the Cybertron character. [5]
References
- ↑ Greg Sepelak and Trent Troop (2008). Force of Habit. Fun Publications. p. 25.
- ↑ http://www.transformersclub.com/force-of-habitv3.pdf
- ↑ http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_GB/default.cfm?page=Products/Detail&product_id=16551
- ↑ http://www.kotoys.com/forum/index.php?topic=311.0;prev_next=prev
- ↑ "Lee's Guide To: Transformers Movie Toys". Lee's Action Figure News & Toy Review 1 (188): 44-54. June 2008.
