Defender (FansProject)

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Defender
FansProject character
Warbotdefenderbox.jpg
Warbot Defender box
Created by

FansProject
Release number

WB001
Information
Species Transformer
Abilities

Affiliation

Alpha Core
Alternate mode

Armored car/combat helicopter

Defender is a fictional character and third-party Transformer homage to Generation 1 Springer made by FansProject in 2010.

FansProject

Defender is a third-party Transformer that has a three stage transform. He is an homage to the 1986 Transformers Autobot Springer. The original Springer's function was defender.

Other third-party Transformer homages to Springer include Alteration Man Green Ghost.

Development

Defender was announced by FansProject at TFcon 2009.[1]

Prototype images of Defender were posted to the internet in October 2009.[2]

Preorders for Defender went up in December of 2009.[3]

Defender was released in March 2010.

Defender appeared in promotional photos with Steelcore and Assaulter.

On October 4th, 2012 FansProject Core offered orders for a limited number of Warbot three-packs that included Defender, Steel Core and Assaulter. They sold out by the next day.[4]

In February 2014 FPCore posted an online biography for Defender.[5]

Reception

The TFWire podcast episode 199 for October 24th, 2009 had a segment devoted FansProject. Spada was looking forward to Defender. Ryan thought it looked fantastic.[6]

The WTF@TFW podcast for December 12th, 2009 selected a picture of Defender as one of the New Picture Picks.[7]

The WTF@TFW podcast for December 23rd, 2009 selected a picture of Defender as one of the New Picture Picks.[8]

In the moonbase2 podcast for January 9th, 2011 Dave said he was put off full third-party Transformer toys by Defender.[9]

Defender was featured in the 2013 toy reference book Transforming Collections by Philip Reed.[10]

Fictional biography

After the fall of the old Warbot leadership at the hands of Skycrow there were no nominations, no arguments, not even a debate as to who would provide the temporary security detail for the Warbot legions. There was only one choice... Defender.

Outwardly, there is nothing “special” about Defender. His crystal output is average, his strength is within the normal range, and none of his forms are anything exceptional amongst the legion. However, his ability to outsmart and outmaneuver his opponents is second to none. Defender rose through the ranks quickly by volunteering for “A” ranked assignments, accumulating more than double that of any other Warbot. Recognized for his repeated success, he was offered a full frame conversion by the Special Projects Division. Under the watchful eye of City Commander and his fellow officer Protector, Defender was successfully given a third, fully functional, flight based shift mode (See: Project Triplex).

The counsel would hold Defender up as a beacon of all the things an alpha is meant to be: honest, loyal, selfless, courageous, and humble. While he may indeed be all of those things, perhaps his greatest asset that has had such a dramatic effect on the conflict and the reason for his promotion within the Warbot ranks is simply his practicality. Defender, seeing the advantages his upgrade had given him, and taking a queue from the original Soleron Alpha Project, began the “uplift initiative”, the mandate for this project was very simple, essentially “make them better”. Being a true alpha, Defender was extremely selective about who was chosen for the projects and insisted that all safety precautions be taken. Eventually a great number of successes were recorded, such as Project Red Shift and Project Corer.

For a short time it was whispered that Defender had lost his mind and was murdering alphas on the fringe outposts. For anyone with classified level access, it was simple enough to compare the attacks against his whereabouts, and determine that it could not have been him. But for the general populace, the rumors were only truly debunked when the Warbots brought back proof of his “Doppelgangers” existence. Given the code name Nega-Defender this double has become a dark shadow in Defenders life, one of which he is determined to discover the origins of and wipe from the universe.

The process behind choosing a shift mode has always been straightforward. Taking power output of a given crystal, plus the occupation and skillset of the one receiving it, would dictate the appropriate alternate form. But in a war things are rarely that simple. The question was raised that if the engineering issues could be solved why not provide a third optional form? The task was handed over to the Special Projects Division and eventually they came up with what is now called the "DEFENDER" frame, it contains two primary modes: Standard and All-terrain armored transport. The third form was selected for its tactical advantage – flight. Flight was often overlooked as a shift choice because of the heavy power draw but a third limited use rotary flight form provided an incredible array of tactical options.

As the first three-form Warbot, Defender has proven the viability of the triplex process and paved the way for others. With recent developments to engineering and weapons technology, it has been suggested that after all this time he may need another upgrade.

Comics

In the Aerial Team Appendage Add-On Kit Snowman comic "Zero Hour" Defender is found guilty of being a traitor and frozen.

Defender appears in the story "Reflection" where he cheers Protector becoming the new leader.

Defender appears in the story "Destroyer" by FansProject, a comic included with his toy. In this comic he goes into battle beside his ally Revolver, and ends up fighting his own enhanced clone Destroyer.

In the instruction comic called "Corelation" Steel and two of his small friends help Defender against the attacks of his enhanced clone. Steel calls in Corer for the fight and defeats the clone. The story directly follows the story of comic that came with Defender.

The story "Alpha Incorporated" features Assaulter, Defender and Steel Core.

The biography for Warcry is a log entry written by Defender, where he is described as the Warbot leader.

Toys

  • Reprolabels Wreckers Symbols (2009)
A set of Wreckers themed Autobot faction symbols.[11]
  • FansProject WB001 Warbot Defender (2010)
A third-party Transformer homage to Springer was created by FansProject in 2010. This toy features three forms just like the Generation 1 Springer toy. His instructions include a short comic story.[12]
  • Reprolabels Classic/Universe Springer
A third-party set of labels by Reprolabels for Warbot Defender to make it look more like Springer. These include Autobot symbols.[13]
Aan homage to Generation 1 Broadside was created by FansProject in 2012. This toy features three forms just like the original Broadside toy.
Assaulter shipped with a sprue of small non-transforming vehicles that resembled other FansProject characters, including Steel Core and his trailer, and Defender in both car and helicopter modes.

Gallery

References

  1. http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/tfcon-2009-update-new-products-from-fansproject-announced-springer-broadside-and-a-combiner-167418/
  2. http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/3rd-party-unlicensed-41/first-prototype-images-of-fansproject-tfx-defender-168633/?catid=searchresults&searchid=13227
  3. http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/3rd-party-unlicensed-41/new-warbot-defender-pre-order-at-bigbadtoystorecom-168909/?catid=searchresults&searchid=13227
  4. http://tformers.com/transformers--warbot-defender-3-pack/18568/news.html
  5. https://www.fpcore.com/news/2014/02/24/project-triplex
  6. Jesse (October 24th, 2009). "WTF@TFW". http://www.tfwire.com/ (Podcast). TFWire. http://tfwire.com/blog/?p=513. 
  7. Vangelus (December 12th, 2009). "WTF@TFW". http://www.tfw2005.com/ (Podcast). TFW2005. http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/wtf-tfw-transformers-podcast/283223-wtf-tfw-73-december-12-2009-a.html. 
  8. Vangelus (December 23rd, 2009). "WTF@TFW". http://www.tfw2005.com/ (Podcast). TFW2005. http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/wtf-tfw-transformers-podcast/284594-wtf-tfw-75-december-23-2009-a.html. 
  9. Dave (January 9th, 2011). "moonbase2". http://moonbase2.libsyn.com (Podcast). moonbase2. http://moonbase2.libsyn.com/episode-137. 
  10. Reed, Philip (2013). Transforming Collections. ISBN 978-1-62620-496-6. 
  11. http://www.reprolabels.com/Symbols/fswrksil.php
  12. http://www.tfw2005.com/resources/third-party-transformers-434/warbot-defender-5051/
  13. http://www.reprolabels.com/Classics/springer.php

External links