Rapido (Transformers)

From WikiAlpha
Jump to: navigation, search
The below content is licensed according to Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License contrary to the public domain logo at the foot of the page. It originally appeared on http://en.wikipedia.org. The original article might still be accessible here. You may be able to find a list of the article's previous contributors on the talk page.

Rapido
Transformers character
Rapido-carded.jpg
Generation 1 Rapido on card
Created by

Hasbro
Information
Species Transformer
Abilities

Affiliation

Autobot
Alternate mode

Car
Function

Platoon Commander
Motto

"The deadliest weapon you can have is a sharp mind."
Series

Transformers: Generation 1
Transformers: Timelines
United Ex
Sub-group

Axelerators, Botcon exclusives, Deluxe Vehicles
Tech specs

ST09 IN10 SP10 EN08

RN10 CO09 FB09 SK08

Rapido is a fictional character in the Transformers series. He was introduced in 1993 and is the commander of the Autobot Axelerators.

Transformers: Generation 1

Fictional biography

Generation 1: Masterminds and executes battle plans of mind-boggling complexity. His brilliance at planning down to the last detail makes him one of the most respected Autobot platoon leaders. As a smooth, sleek vehicle, his rear-mounted engine is also a powerful weapon. Converts to a mighty fighting robot!
Timelines: Though he is a natural-born leader, expert tactician and master of battlefield improvisation, the suave and level-headed Rapido has no desire to lead. He would rather be living the high life on the international racing circuit again, but so long as someone threatens his home planet Earth, Rpido will step up to defend it with his life. He defers leadership of the Earth-based Autobots to his friend Autobots Spark, but has been authorized by Optimus Prime to assume command of any unit functioning on Earth as required. His Axcelerator Cannon launches a barrage of lead slugs at hypervelocity, plus he carries twin low-yield photon missile launchers. Accidental exposure to Forestonite gas has given him a body that matches his mind for speed; he can instantly launch into a 750mph run for bursts up to 15 seconds long.

Comics

Dreamwave Productions

Rapido made a brief cameo appearance in a crowd of Autobots on Cybertron listening to Prowl speak during the third issue of the third volume of the Dreamwave Generation One comic. He did not have any lines.

Fun Publications

Rapido was among the troops under the command of Spark on Earth. During a battle outside of the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland, Rapido ordered a fall back after Pyro was captured. Minutes later, when Scorch and Streetwise tried to take over, Rapido balked at being treated like a child, despite only being a minor in Earth years. When Scorch objected to his formulating a rescue plan, Rapido reminded him that he technically outranked all Autobots on Earth in emergency situation, as authorized by Optimus Prime himself. Eventually the Autobots went on the counterattack to stop the Decepticons from seizing the power of the Collider and to save Pyro. While most the Autobots kept the Decepticons busy, Rapido took Meanstreak and Streetwise to the back entrance. While his low-yield photo missiles were unable to crack the door, Streetwise's knock caused it to tumble. Once inside they met with a duo of Sharkticon guards and attempted to use the universal greeting to quell them. When this proved fruitless, Rapido transformed and crashed the guards through the door they were guarding, right into the room where Pyro was being held! The rescue team began getting pummeled by the Forestonite-infused Decepticons. Rapido shot his missiles to free Pyro, evening the odds a little. When Breakdown saw this, he shot the rest of the Forestonite, resulting in its gaseous form filling the building and powering up all the Transformers within. Rapido found he now had the power of super speed, and used it to outrun Sky-Byte's missiles, leading them into the main skirmish and having them hit Cindersaur instead. When the Decepticons retreated, Rapido attended to the humans and later enjoyed a drink of energon.[1]

Rapido appears in "A Flash Forward" by Fun Publications. In this story Ultra Magnus travels to Autobot City an assigns Spark, Rapido and Sizzle to investigate a theft from Quantum Laboratories.[2]

United Ex

A young Autobot created on Earth, "Racemaster" was trained by a previous Autobot commander while stationed in Spain. He was assigned a set of specialized Drones as part of the Power Core Combiners program, and sent on a transport mission, where he began to chafe under having to maintain the highway speed limit. He began to wonder what had happened to the missing Choppermaster, and quickly realized that if the Decepticons had gotten their hands on his comrade's Drones, odds were he was the next target.

His flash of insight saved him from a hail of missiles launched by Combatmaster, who had set up the purloined Drones along the road in an ambush. Combatmaster demanded the surrender of the Autobot Drones, but a sudden burst of super-speed from both Racemaster and his convoy had them quickly and safely beyond the Decepticon's range

Other media

The Axelerators are among the characters appearing in the unlicensed comic book Transformers Chronicles Book One by Hirofumi Ichikawa. This story has them work with Smokescreen and fight the Skyscorchers.

Toys

  • Generation 1 Axelerator Rapido (1993)
The Axelerators were originally released in 1993 as Generation 1 European exclusive toys, then in the U.S. and Europe as part of the Generation 2 line. European versions had pink windows, while U.S. versions had smoke colored windows. Like all Axelerators, his vehicle mode engine became his robot mode gun.[3]
  • Timelines Deluxe Rapido (2010)
A BotCon 2010 exclusive red remold of Universe Silverstreak with a new head sculpt and decals inspired by the original Axelerator toy. As a running gag of the figure's name, his tech specs were printed in Spanish; the English tech specs were later on posted on the BotCon homepage. Bundled with Cindersaur.[4][5]
  • United EX Racemaster (2012)
A recolor of Power Core Combiners Double Clutch.

References

  1. Greg Sepelak & Trent Troop (w), Robby Musso (p), Robby Musso & Frank Milkovich (i). "Generation 2: Redux" Transformers Timelines v2, 5 (Summer, 2010), Fort Worth, Texas: Fun Publications
  2. Jesse Wittenrich & Pete Sinclair (w), Thomas Deer (p), Matt Frank (i), Thomas Deer (col), Jesse Wittenrich (let), Pete Sinclair (ed). "A Flash Forward Part 2" The Transformers Collectors Club 44 (April/May 2012), Fun Publications
  3. Brereton, Erin (2006). Transformers: The Fantasy, The Fun, The Future. Triumph Books. p. 22. ISBN 1-57243-983-1. 
  4. http://www.bwtf.com/toyreviews/timelines/botcon2010/rapido
  5. http://fallenempiretoys.com/2010/08/12/timelines-rapido-botcon-2010-exclusive/