| Red Alert | |
| Transformers character | |
| https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8b/Armadaredalert.jpg/290px-Armadaredalert.jpg | |
| First appearance | Transformers Generation 1 |
| Voiced by | Michael Chain Brian Dobson Tara Strong |
| (Japanese) | Yoku Shioya (Television Series) Kōki Kataoka ("Dinobot Island, Part 1") Keiichi Nanba ("Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1") Shō Hayami ("Blaster Blues") Kōsuke Toriumi (Q Transformers: Mystery of Convoy) Yasuyuki Kase Rikako Aikawa |
| Information | |
|---|---|
| Aliases | Alert, Ratchet, First Aid First Gunner, Discharge |
| Affiliation | Autobot Decepticon |
| Partners | Inferno Mirage Optimus Prime Longarm (Armada) Dirt Boss (Cybertron) Hot Shot Scattorshot |
| Alternate modes | 1977 Lamborghini Countach LP500S fire chief car, Cybertronian car, Chrysler ME Four-Twelve, Lamborghini Gallardo fire chief car 2000 BMW X5 Emergency SUV, 2005 Dodge Magnum Emergency Vehicle, Missile Truck Fire Truck Cybetronian ambulance van |
Red Alert is the name of several characters in the various fictional Transformers series in the Transformers robot superhero franchise.
Transformers Generation 1
Red Alert (Alert in Japan) is the Autobot security director. He is paranoid, which makes him good at his job, as it is not a bad trait in a security director if it's kept in check by reason, logic, and common sense. He has enhanced senses and is usually depicted as a friend of the Autobot Inferno. Carries a high-energy particle beam rifle and 25-mile range rocket launcher.
Animated series
Red Alert first appeared in the episode "Dinobot Island, Part 1".
His most prominent appearance came in "Auto-Berserk" alongside Inferno. After a battle with the Decepticons ended with Red Alert being damaged by one of Rumble's missiles, the Autobot became paranoid that Inferno and the others were out to get him. Red Alert deserted and teamed up with Starscream (who had been abandoned by the Decepticons on the battlefield and decided to take revenge on Megatron) to steal an Autobot device called the Negavator. The conspirators succeeded in sneaking in the secret bunker where the Negavator was placed. But then the alarm system had snapped into action, and the Autobots, led by Optimus Prime, appeared in the bunker just in the moment when the two chums tried to move the weapon away. But the Decepticons, headed by Megatron, arrived there, too. Megatron demanded Starscream to hand over the Negavator to him, and the latter agreed hastily, with the purpose of avoiding his leader's wrath. But Red Alert refused to give up the weapon, and the recent allies began to fight. After a blast in the abdomen by Starscream's Null Ray cured his paranoia glitch, Red Alert realized what he had done and destroyed the Negavator, setting fire to the cavern they were in - and a guilty Inferno rushed into the fire to save Red Alert's life. After this, Red Alert realized who his true friends were.
Red Alert made his last appearance in the TV series in "The Revenge of Bruticus", appearing alongside Inferno as usual. He was never seen in the cartoon again, after the movie, but later made one appearance in the first episode of the Japanese exclusive series Transformers: The Headmasters.
Unicron Trilogy
Although called Red Alert in the U.S., the character was called Ratchet in Japan, the name of Generation 1 character he more closely resembled. Armada Red Alert came packaged with a Mini-Con partner named Longarm. In the Japanese Galaxy Force the character was called First Aid, the name of one of the Protectobots, who was also a medic who could transform into an ambulance and he was depicted as a new character, but in the U.S. Cybertron line he was depicted as merely an upgraded Red Alert.
Animated series
Transformers: Armada
Red Alert was one of the Autobots who originally came to Earth with Optimus Prime. His character was serious and extremely quiet. Almost nothing and nobody could make him to lose patience excepting Hot Shot who Red Alert often vainly asked to help him in his never-ending 'housekeeping' job on the Autobots' base. He was a brave and experienced warrior during the Cybertronian war, so that Optimus Prime himself gave him his due. But when on Earth, Red Alert hadn't many chances to show his fighting skill because his principal duty turned out to stay on the A-Base and to keep an eye on the kids (Rad, Carlos and Alexis) while the other 'Bots sought the Mini-Cons or fought the Decepticons. He acted mainly as the Autobots' chief supply manager, engineer and doctor, and was primarily responsible for rebuilding Smokescreen into Hoist, when the latter's body was nearly melted away after Megatron had fired the Requiem Blaster at him. He was unable to save Prime when he was blasted by the Hydra Cannon, however.
Red Alert was armed with the blaster installed in his left hand and with the power lasso. Also he could eject a power ring from his chest. His Mini-Con partner's name was Longarm.
Red Alert would be badly injured by the ominous Nemesis Prime on a distant planet, and was reformatted by Longarm's power into a new Powerlinking body. After this, he went on to fight in the final battle against Unicron.
Transformers: Cybertron
Red Alert (the same character as Armada Red Alert, but a completely different character, First Aid, in Japan) reappeared in Transformers: Cybertron as one of those trying to contain the black hole created by the collapse of the energon sun, and for whatever reason, gained a British accent. He failed, and joined Prime's team of Autobots on Earth (picking up a slight English accent in the process), where he battled Megatron's Decepticons on numerous occasions. Prime sent him to the Speed Planet Velocitron to locate the planet's Cyber Planet Key. Much to Red Alert's displeasure, Hot Shot got increasingly involved in the planet's affairs, rescuing Brakedown from Ransack and Crumplezone. Red Alert eventually called in Prime when the two of them were nearly destroyed in a sneak attack by Ransack, Crumplezone and Dirt Boss. However, despite Prime's initial displeasure, Hot Shot went on to win the Key in a race.
Red Alert participated in many other battles against both Megatron's forces and Starscream's army of ancient Decepticons. However, he paid a heavy price when he, Hot Shot and Scattorshot were gunned down by Megatron's death machine gun power. The three were resurrected and reformatted by Primus, and became the Cybertron Defense Team (Vanguard Team), with Red Alert (now known as First Gunner in Japan) now transforming into a missile truck. They went on to battle Soundwave, the now giant-sized Starscream and Galvatron (Megatron's powered up form).
In the episode "Unfinished", when the Autobots attempted to use a gigantic rocket to move the Animatros back into its orbit, Galvatron attacked and damaged the rocket. The jungle planet threatened to crash into Cybertron. Scourge, the Autobots, the former Decepticons, and their allies from the various planets were able to combine their strength and move the rocket back into place.
After Galvatron's final defeat, Red Alert joined Optimus Prime's new Space Bridge Project.
Although named Red Alert in the U.S., this character is named First Aid in Japan, yet another homage to another Generation 1 Autobot ambulance. In Japan he is an original character, but in the U.S., the toy's identity follows the original plan of being the Armada character upgraded.
Transformers: Universe
Red Alert was the name of one of a member of the Micromaster team which formed Universe Defensor.
Lacking any tech spec for or appearances individually, it's impossible to tell how this character is related, if at all, to other characters named Red Alert, however, the character of Discharge was a female Autobot firefighter.
Discharge's bio painted her as dedicating herself to the purpose of her alternate mode - putting out fires and rescuing people. Few have ever seen her true appearance. She hates fighting, but is fearsome when provoked.
According to the story for Reverse Evolution Sixturbo, a computer virus briefly turned the Sixturbo team into Decepticons.
Transformers Animated
Red Alert for Transformers Animated is a female medic, inspired by the Armada version of the character. Because of the design, Red Alert closely resembles Minerva from Transformers: Super-God Masterforce. She is one of the top surgeons on Cybertron, but she has a brusque bedside manner. Her left hand tool (which is identical to Armada Red Alert's) can be used for a variety of functions, including making hard light constructs. She helped Wheeljack and Perceptor create Jetfire and Jetstorm. Red Alert was originally set to be part of the main Autobot cast, but was later replaced by Ratchet.
Animated series
In the episode "Transwarped" Red Alert is a member of Rodimus Prime's team. She attempted to help the injured Autobot Hot Shot, whose leg had been damaged during a Decepticon attack. She was interrupted by the Decepticon Spittor, who swallowed her, and then spat her back out, coated in an explosive slime as she is flung at Brawn and Ironhide, knocking the two out in the resulting explosion. She survived the explosion and is later present when Sentinel Prime returns to Cybertron.