Transformers: Alternators

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Transformers: Alternators (トランスフォーマー バイナルテック, Toransufāmā Bainarutekku^?, Transformers: Binaltech) is a toyline of the Transformers series produced by Hasbro in North America and Takara in Japan, the primary selling point of which is the use of 1:24 scale, accurate real-world vehicle modes officially licensed from car manufacturers. Typically for each vehicle there are two toys to go with it to match the base model and the sport model.

Contents 1 Binaltech Backstory 2 Trivia 3 List of Alternators 4 List of Binaltech 5 Contrary to Plans 6 External links

[edit] Binaltech Backstory

The fiction provided herein is a summary of the booklets accompanying the Binaltech toy releases. There has been no official storyline for Alternators on any Hasbro material, though the American Mazda website cited the Binaltech storyline and the Nemesis Prime exclusive had a story featuring Dr. Arkeville.

In the year 2003 the Autobots and humans have formed an alliance, leading to the formation of the Earth Defense Command, humanity's first step towards space with the creation of a lunar colony, and the construction of Autobot City, still in progress. Meanwhile, on Cybertron, Megatron had stepped up his campaign, and many Autobots had to return to their home planet to join the fight. However, a small group, led by Ultra Magnus, remained behind on Earth to defend the planet against the Decepticons forces still working there, led by Starscream.

When the Combaticon Swindle unleashed a modified version of the Cosmic Rust plague, many Autobots fell to it (including Smokescreen, Bluestreak (Silverstreak), Sideswipe, Tracks, Sunstreaker and Trailbreaker) and were damaged beyond repair. To revive the Autobots, the EDC initiated the Binaltech Project, which saw assorted human car manufacturers produce new bodies for the damaged Autobots, powered with electro-cells. Bluestreak was the first, but due to some instability problems with his personality, he was forced to undergo several tests before he was cleared. Subsequently, the project provided bodies for Smokescreen, Sideswipe (with a TORQ 3000 operating computer from Quantum Labs), Hound - who volunteered to undergo the BT process because of his love of earth and humans (his body co-built by Hybrid Technologies Corporation), and Tracks, able to switch his colouration from blue to yellow. These new Autobots were able to defeat the Decepticons, and force them off the planet.

However, in the shadows, a secret cabal known as the Concurrence had formed, with prominent members such as Count von Rani and General Garrison Kreiger, with financial backing from industrialist Shawn Berger Jr. and eccentric big gamer hunter, Lord Chumley. Another member of the group was former Decepticon ally, Doctor Arkeville, who was soon contacted by Starscream with the intent to form an alliance between the Decepticons and the Concurrence. Combining his Hypno-Chips with the Insecticon Bombshell's Cerebro-Shells, Arkeville took control of several workers in the Binaltech Project, thus providing some Decepticons with new, more powerful bodies that could take on the Binaltech Autobots. Hence, while Symultech Industries believed themselves to be building a new body for the Autobot, Sunstreaker, they actually created a new form for the Stunticon, Dead End. And while the Central City Institute of Technology thought they were constructing the new body for Trailbreaker, it was in fact occupied by Swindle (who had managed to pull some tricks and move himself to the top of the list, even though there were more injured Decepticons than he) Unable to access the electro-cell recharge facility, the Decepticons instead used stabilised exponential generators as their power sources.

To counteract this development, the Autobots launched a new offensive in the form of Project Genetronic Translink, headed by old Autobot ally, Chip Chase, which involved the displacement of a Transformer's Laser Core to subspace, from where it could control multiple bodies via Translink Ports. Smokescreen underwent this process, becoming Smokescreen GT, and now able to control up to four bodies at once. Also, despite having not been affected by Cosmic Rust, Jazz underwent this process, and in his new body can now control a red duplicate of himself nicknamed Zoom Zoom. Jazz then proceeded to participate in Operation Carwash, a secret project intended to uncover the depth of the Decepticons' involvement in the BT project.

Meanwhile, EDC top agent Dashiell Faireborn had infiltrated the Concurrence's headquarters in the Lunar Colony, learning the truth, and transmitting a message to Ultra Magnus before being forced to flee to escape capture.

At the same time, across the galaxy, the war was not going well on Cybertron. The Unleashers, a primitive telepathic alien lifeform, was turned on the Autobots by the Decepticons, and infected the minds of the Dinobots, driving them insane and turning them into rampaging savages, forcing the Autobots to take them out of commission. Afterward, Grimlock regained consciousness and vowed to do anything to return to the battle. Hence, Wheeljack took him to Earth, where his mind was implanted in the newest Binaltech body, combining the best aspects of all the previous bodies constructed. Grimlock hated it immediately, but made the best of it.

But elsewhere, the seeds of the past were beginning to bear fruit. Staffers of the defunct government program, I.I.I. (Triple I), unearthed a mysterious capsule from a prehistoric layer of the planet, and dubbed it Schrödinger's Box. In actuality, the capsule was the flight recorder from the craft of the Decepticon/Predacon, Ravage, who had travelled back into Earth's prehistoric past and been destroyed during his involvement in the Beast Wars. The flight recorder contained an encoded copy of Ravage's personality and memories, and when the I.I.I. staffers managed to communicate with this consciousness, they agreed to give him a new body in exchange for his future knowledge. A new body was constructed in a fake BT project, and the copy of Ravage's consciousness was implanted in it. To truly bring him to life, however, the present-day Ravage - currently in EDC custody - was stasis-locked into cassette mode and permanently implanted into the new body's cassette deck, thereby providing the body with a Spark. Ravage overcame the failsafes in his body and equipped himself with weapons and then, realising that his participation in the Beast Wars had failed to change history, he killed the I.I.I. staffers and set out on a mission to alter the future.

Meanwhile, the Binaltech Project continued. After the creation of several prototypes, a new body was constructed for the Omnibot, Overdrive, armed with his Omniblaster and a Durabyllium shield. As a result of restrictions imposed by his role of humanitarian support, however, Overdrive's body had its in-built weapons removed. Overdrive, having experiences in dimensional travel, soon began to notice reality fluxes that resulted from sabotages acts committed by Ravage, and warned the Autobots that someone from outside the timestream was attempting to alter history.

Ravage's next action saw him infiltrate the facility producing the thirteenth Binaltech body, which was attempting to utilise Transmuter technology to shape a new BT body based on Jazz's scanned data. Ravage, however, implanted Shockwave's personality component and redesigned data into the car, causing it to take his form and restore him to life. Subsequently, Ravage hijacked Wheeljack's shuttle as it returned to Cybertron and landed it in devastated Decepticon territory, where he located and reactivated the Kronosphere, a time-travel device previously developed by Shockwave. Ravage employed the Kronosphere in the midst of the deciding battle between Optimus Prime and Megatron's forces - whereas in the original timeline, Prime's forces withdrew to their bases on Cybertron's moons (thereby setting up the scenario at the beginning of Transformers: The Movie), Ravage, unthinkably, succeeded in altering history by using the Kronosphere to trap Megatron and his forces in a time-space rift, thereby changing the outcome of the battle. But Ravage knows that soon, a great darkness is coming which the Autobots must face alone. And when all is laid to rest, Megatron will return!

Unfortunately for Ravage, he is eventually captured by the Autobots thanks to efforts from Overdrive and Wheeljack, and is intensely interrogated until he finally reveals the details of his mission, including how all but Optimus are expendable, as the Autobot leader has the tool needed to defeat Unicron upon the Chaos Bringer's arrival. Despite Ravage's tempting explanation that his plan may allow some of those Autobots destined to die in the original timeline (dubbed 'Prime Time' by Wheeljack, with the current, altered timeline being classified as 'Ravage Time') to survive, his plan is deemed too audacious and dangerous to be allowed to happen, and with Unicron already making his way to Cybertron, Optimus goads Ultra Magnus to accompany him in a shuttle to take the planet-eater down, while he ordered Skids to initiate Operation: Distant Thunder, a plan to prevent Ravage's time manipulations by sending a copy of Wheeljack's memory tracks, using a time warp created from manipulating the energies of the Earth location known as Dinobot Island, to a point in history preceding Ravage's changes, alerting their past selves of the threat Ravage's plans pose to their future and hopefully stop him before he could proceed with them. With any luck, if their plan succeeded, Operation Body Shop (the Binaltech project) would be able to smooth over any bumps in future history and abort most of the tragedies in the original timeline, without anyone being the wiser. Just as Skids sent the datatracks, however, sensors indicated a massive Decepticon platoon headed their way, a platoon that could jeopardize this one, desperate attempt to set right what Ravage had disturbed.

Meanwhile, during the assault on Unicron, Optimus Prime is wounded and the Matrix passed on to Ultra Magnus. In his darkest hour, Ultra Magnus communicates with the Matrix and unleashes its power, destroying Unicron in the process. Even with Unicron out of the way, Shockwave has disappeared and the danger of freeing Megatron and his forces are greater than ever. Back on Operation: Distant Thunder, Skids and his team barely repel the Decepticon squadron and manage to send the datatracks into the past. Almost immediately, multiple warpholes open up around the Earth and it almost appears as though Skids failed until the silhouette of an Optimus Prime-looking robot extends his hands and a huge light orb engulfs the planet and dispels the warpholes. The Black Optimus informs Skids that he has succeeded, that is, succeeded in preserving one particular timeline. The incomprehensible powers of Black Optimus have preserved and detached the current timeline from the original, much to everyone's shock and dismay. Taken back to the EDC base in Antartica, the Black Optimus is questioned, answering every one of their queries with some reluctance. He informs the Autobots that within him is a spark from the future, bestowed to him by a being known only as the The Protector, in an effort to preserve this particular timeline. Furthermore, the Binaltechs will make their ascension into the Alternity and be the genesis of great beings who will oversee the safety of multi-dimensional galaxies. Surprising everyone, Optimus Prime awakens and confronts Black Optimus, who now reveals that he is tired of his guardian role and opens a portal, manifests a Decepticon insignia and ejects the spark, while automatically leaping into the portal of unknown destination. Overdrive, with his multi-dimensional capabilities, confirms the restoration of the parallel timeline, Prime Time, and reveals the many differences (among them, the death of Optimus Prime and the leadership of Rodimus Prime). Just then, Jazz detects numerous mobile fortresses on Cybertron, presumably heralding the return of Megatron. Optimus Prime vows that to obtain the future that the Protector seeks, they must defend the present and preserve the Binaltech project, spurring the Autobots to resume their duties. Meanwhile, in a secret lab, Dr. Arkeville, succeeds in using subspace translinking to transplant an ancient and ravenous spark into Black Optimus, birthing the being known only as Black Convoy!

[edit] Trivia

A lot of the Binaltech story contains references to many past Transformers concepts and series, as well as some in-jokes for fans and mentions to other series.

• The story takes place in the interim between the conclusion of the second season of the animated series and the movie. The movie is set in 2005, and features Autobot City, which is still being constructed during this story, set in 2003.
• The Earth Defence Command (EDC for short) was introduced in the season three episode, "Five Faces of Darkness," Part 1.
• The Lunar Colony is mentioned briefly in part 2 of "Five Faces of Darkness."
• Cosmic Rust previously appeared in the season two episode, "Cosmic Rust."
• Electro-cells previously appeared in the season two episode, "Traitor."
• "TORQ 3000" is a reference to the TORQ 3 supercomputer from the season two episode, "Day of the Machines," which also featured Quantum Labs.
• Hybrid Technologies Corporation - aka HyTech - appeared in the season two episode, "The Girl Who Loved Powerglide."
• Count von Rani is better known as Iron Klaw from G.I.Joe Extreme.
• General Krieger is better known as General Blitz from Sgt. Savage and his Screaming Eagles.
• Shawn Berger appeared in the two-part season two episode, "Megatron's Master Plan." However, he was not identified as a "Junior" in that episode, leading to speculation that this character may be his son.
• Lord Chumley appeared in the season two episode, "Prime Target."
• Doctor Arkeville and his Hypno-Chips played a major role in the season one trilogy, "The Ultimate Doom."
• Symultech Industries were mentioned in the season two episode, "Trans-Europe Express."
• Central City is the fictitious city in the immediate proximity of the Autobots' headquarters throughout the first two seasons of the cartoon series. It is identified as such in "Megatron's Master Plan."
• An exponential generator first appeared in the season one episode, "Countdown to Extinction," as an invention of Doctor Arkeville.
• Chip Chase appeared in several episodes across the first two seasons of the animated series.
• A laser core is the central component of a Transformer, mentioned in the G1 episodes "Divide and Conquer" and "The Autobot Run." The Beast Wars series replaced this piece of parlance with the term Spark, which is now in much wider use.
• Subspace is sub-dimensional space existing between realities, which has long been Transformer fans' preferred explanation for where items such as Optimus Prime's trailer disappear to, and where excess mass is shunted when Transformers change size.
• Dashiell Faireborn is better known as Flint from G.I. Joe. Additionally, in the third season episode, "The Killing Jar," he was established as the father of Marissa Faireborn, a high-ranking EDC captain.
• Although Hirofumi Ichikawa, writer of the Binaltech story, states that they are an original creation by him, the Unleashers bear a startling similarity to an unnamed race of aliens from the Transformers: Generation 2 Marvel comic, which were also primitive, telepathic beings that turn their victims into rampaging savages.
• I.I.I. (Intelligence Information Institute, aka "Triple I") was a government organisation featured in the Transformers Marvel comics, which disbanded prior to #68 of that series.
• In a non-Transformers related explanation, "Schrödinger's Box" is named for Erwin Schrödinger, a physician who formulated the popular paradox known as "Schrödinger's Cat." By sealing a cat in a box with a radioactive isotope, he claimed that it was impossible to know if the cat was alive or dead without opening the box. Therefore, technically, it was both alive and dead at the same time. The reference is employed here because the story deals with a "box" (the flight recorder) containing the essence of Ravage (who transforms into a cat), who is both alive (in that his mind is preserved) and dead (as his body was destroyed) at the same time.
  • Subsequently, both the file designation for Ravage's personality in the flight recorder (Jaguar X-9), and the model of the second Ravage figure's vehicle mode (Jaguar XK), are subtle references to Ravage's Japanese Beast Wars Metals figure.
• The existence of Overdrive's prototype bodies is a reference to, and explanation for, the fact that the toy was released as the Autobot, Windcharger, in the US.
• Durabyllium is a fictitious metal mentioned in the tech specs for the Transformers toys Nosecone and Catilla, and in the Transformers: Universe profile for Snap Trap.
• The removal of Overdrive's built-in weapons is a double reference. First, it is referencing the original 80's toy's ability to transform into a third, "attack" mode with deployed in-bulit weapons, which this version of the character cannot do. Secondly, it also refers to the fact that in the US, the toy's gun had its elongated barrel removed in order to, according to Hasbro's official statement on the matter, "keep it from looking like a weapon." Apparently, only Honda America had an issue with the gun barrel, therefore the Binaltech version got to keep the barrel weapon. Both Windcharger and its subsequent repaint/remold, Decepticharge, lack the barrel piece.
• Overdrive's alleged experience in dimensional travel is a reference to the advert for the original Omnibots toys, who were only available as mail-away exclusive figures. It encouraged readers to order them quickly, lest they "fight on in another universe".
• The Transmutor technology that restores Laserwave to life is apparently a reference to "matter transmuter" technology used in the G.I. Joe episode, "Worlds Without End".
• The Kronosphere appeared in the season 2 episode, "War Dawn."
• Dinobot Island was featured in the Season 2 episode Dinobot Island.

[edit] List of Alternators

1. Smokescreen - Subaru Impreza WRC
2. Side Swipe - Dodge Viper
3. Autobot Hound - Jeep Wrangler
4. Silverstreak - Subaru Impreza WRX
5. Autobot Tracks - Chevrolet Corvette C5 Z06
6. Dead End - Dodge Viper
7. Meister (aka Autobot Jazz) - Mazda RX-8
8. Swindle - Jeep Wrangler
9. Grimlock - Ford Mustang GT
10. Windcharger - Honda S2000
11. Battle Ravage - Chevrolet Corvette C5 Convertible
12. Shockblast - Mazda RX-8
13. Wheeljack - Ford Mustang GT
14. Decepticharge - Honda S2000
15. Swerve - Chevrolet Corvette C5 Z06
16. Prowl - Acura RSX
17. Autobot Skids - Scion xB
18. Sunstreaker - Dodge Viper
19. Rollbar - Jeep Wrangler
20. Ricochet - Subaru Impreza WRX
21. Optimus Prime - Dodge Ram SRT-10
22. Mirage - Ford GT
23. Autobot Camshaft - Acura RSX
24. Nemesis Prime - Dodge Ram SRT-10 (SDCC 2006/Hasbro Toy Shop exclusive)
25. Decepticon Rumble - Honda Civic Si (Mislabeled as No. 24 on package)
26. Ravage - Jaguar XK

[edit] List of Binaltech

Binaltech figures are essentially a collector-oriented version of Alternators, featuring fully painted car bodies and die-cast metal parts, in comparison to Alternators, which are entirely plastic and generally have unpainted car bodies in order to keep costs down. Additionally, various Binaltech figures had repainted variants that Hasbro did not release.

1. BT-01 Smokescreen - Subaru Impreza WRC 2003 (#7 & #8)
2. BT-02 Lambor - Dodge Viper SRT-10
3. BT-03 Streak - Subaru Impreza WRX
4. BT-04 Hound - Jeep Wrangler
5. BT-05 Dead End - Dodge Viper Competition Coupe
6. BT-06 Tracks - Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (Millennium Yellow & LeMans Blue Metallic)
7. BT-07 Smokescreen GT - Subaru Impreza WRC 2004 (#1 & #2)
8. BT-08 Meister - Mazda RX-8 (Crystal White Pearl & Velocity Red Mica)
9. BT-09 Swindle - Jeep Wrangler custom
10. BT-10 Grimlock - Ford Mustang GT
11. BT-11 Ravage - Chevrolet Corvette
12. BT-12 Overdrive - Honda S2000
13. BT-13 Laserwave - Mazda RX-8 Mazdaspeed Version
14. BT-14 Wheeljack - Mustang GT Street Tuning
15. BT-15 Prowl - Honda Integra Type-R (Patrol Type & Vivid Blue Pearl)
16. BT-16 Skids - Toyota bB
17. BT-17 Black Convoy - Dodge Ram SRT-10 (Wonderfest 2007/e-Hobby exclusive)
18. BT-18 Ligier Clear Version - Ford GT (announced e-Hobby exclusive)

Binaltech Asterisk

1. BTA-1 Alert meets Ai Kuruma - Subaru Impreza WRX Prefecture Police Type & Policewoman
2. BTA-2 Sunstreaker meets Junko Shirakami - Dodge Viper GTS & Race Queen
3. BTA-3 Broadblast meets Lumina Hoshi - Toyota bB TV Interview Vehicle & Scene News Reporter

Kiss Players

1. Convoy x Melissa - Dodge Ram SRT-10
2. Hot Rodimus x Syao Syao - Ford GT
3. Autorooper x Atari - Mazda RX-8 Patrol Car

Kiss Players Figure Collection

This line varies from the Kiss Players as the vehicles are done in a miniature scale while the PVC girls have been scaled up

1. Atari Hitotonari x Autorooper - Mazda RX-8 Patrol Car Micron

[edit] Contrary to Plans

The Alternators and Binaltech lines haven't always worked out quite like they were intended to.

• The very first car mold developed for the Alternators-Binaltech line was the Porsche 986 Boxster originally conceived as Autobot Jazz. Porsche rejected any involvement with "war machines," making it impossible to attain the license for the figure's release, although photographs of the original prototype do exist.
• Hasbro has also been actively seeking a license from Volkswagen in order to update the original Autobot, Bumblebee (who was a Volkswagen Beetle). Volkswagen declined, presumably due to their World War II history, claiming that, as with Porsche, they do not endorse "war toys" (all Alternators sport some manner of weaponry and thus Hasbro insisted that Bumblebee carry a gun). Concept drawings of the Bumblebee toy and a Cliffjumper remold still exist and the design made a cameo as a possible future Bumblebee in the Botcon 2005 comic, "Descent into Evil."
• Hasbro and Takara tried to get a license for a MINI Cooper from BMW, the owners of the MINI brand. BMW said that as long as the figure did not have a gun, they would approve it. The problem was that Hasbro-Takara had already started creating the prototype, prompting BMW to revoke the license.
• Dead End - based quite clearly on his sculpt - was originally intended to be Sunstreaker. For unexplained reasons (theories include that Hasbro may not have wanted two yellow cars on the market at the same time (Tracks was originally intended to be yellow) and that fans wanted a Decepticon, prompting Hasbro to change one of their characters) the toy was renamed and recolored as Dead End. The Binaltech story explains that the Decepticons stole and used the body for their own purposes. The Dead End mold was later repainted and released by Takara in their Binaltech Asterisk line as Sunstreaker and Hasbro repainted it as Sunstreaker as well during their second Alternators packaging reset (commonly called "fish bowl" packaging) in early 2006.
• Chevrolet originally rejected Hasbro's proposal to make a figure based on their car and so a new Dodge Viper body was designed for Tracks. Chevrolet afterward changed their minds and the Viper body was given a new head and released as Sideswipe. Additionally, Tracks was originally intended to be yellow, but alleged problems resulting from the transparency of the yellow plastic saw the toy switched to blue, matching the character's iconic appearance and delaying the release of the toy. In the Binaltech line however the yellow version was released first, while a blue version saw a later release along with an additional flame sticker to further match Tracks' classic look. The Binaltech storyline explains that the color switching is one of Tracks' abilities.
• Swindle was originally intended to be Trailbreaker (based on the head design), but due to Hasbro's lack of the "Trailbreaker" trademark, the figure was repainted as Swindle (Swindle originally turned into a jeep type vehicle; Trailbreaker did not). As with Dead End, the Binaltech story hints at the original character behind the Swindle toy and even references Trailbreaker's "Force Field."
• Windcharger was originally intended to be the name given to the second Ford Mustang figure, with a head designed to evoke the classic Generation One character. However, when complications with the Honda S2000 Overdrive toy occurred (currently unidentified, but presumably either resulting from a rejection of the name Overdrive by Honda, or lack of trademark possession), the Windcharger name was applied to the Honda S2000 figure (only in the Alternators line; the Binaltech S2000 is still named Overdrive and there is no figure named "Windcharger"), and the second Mustang became Wheeljack.
• The original headsculpt design for Windcharger was subsequently used by Hasbro as a Decepticon remold/repaint of the Honda S2000 toy called "Decepticharge" (a composite of Decepticon and Windcharger) and was given a fictional racing color scheme. In Japan, Takara originally planned to release the toy as Wildrider, one of the Generation One Stunticons, and although the headsculpt bore no resemblance to the character, the color scheme and racing decals bore some degree of similarity to the unreleased Generation 2 repaint of the Wildrider toy. However plans were changed, turning Wildrider into Black Widow, the Japanese name for the Beast Wars era Predacon, Blackarachnia. Black Widow was delayed continuously, despite a finished Binaltech storyline for it. Due to the cancellation/delay of Black Widow, Autobot Skids' ID number was moved up from from BT-17 to BT-16. Since then the Binaltech line and the Black Widow figure have been cancelled.^{[citation needed]}
• Recently in Takara's Kiss Player manga, fans were shown a modified Honda S2000 that was stalking Kiss Player Atari and transformed into what at first appeared to have a very Generation 2-like Megatron head, but with a slobbering, phallic tongue. It was later revealed that the character was not Megatron, but a new character called Legion. Legion is destroyed at the end of the story by the combined power of Atari and Autolooper and it is unclear at this time whether Legion will reappear or be transferred into toy form.
• The Dodge Ram SRT-10 figure is considered to be the original Optimus Prime in the Hasbro's Alternators line. Originally, the Dodge Ram was to be a character other than Optimus Prime (though precisely who is unknown), but due to the obscurity of pick-up trucks in Japan and out of fear that the figure would not sell, Takara insisted that the figure be made into a famous and well-recognizable character, namely Optimus Prime (called Convoy in Japan). As the Dodge Ram figure was reportedly more expensive to make than the other figures in the line, Hasbro consented so that Takara could continue to front part of the cost of making the figure. Ironically, when Takara then solicited the figure for their Binaltech Asterisk line, it was not called Convoy, but Ginrai, the Prime look-a-like from Transformers: Masterforce. However, for a great many months, BTA Ginrai was put on indefinite hiatus, prompting speculation that Takara had actually cancelled the release of the figure. When the die-cast Binaltech and Binaltech Asterisk lines were cancelled, the figure was later resolicited as part of Takara's new all-plastic Kiss Player line, this time as Convoy, featuring: himself, a PVC figurine (Melissa, in this case), a surf board and a CD. The die-cast plates were presumably used later in the development of the BT-17 Japanese exclusive figure, Black Convoy.
• According to Hasbro at BotCon 2006, the final two Alternators that will see release before the movie are Ravage, the Jaguar XK, and Rumble, the Honda Civic Si. There was a third rumored Alternator, first referenced in store listings as a Cadillac XLR. Hasbro confirmed that the figure was intended to be Megatron, but has been canceled and the Alternators line itself postponed for the duration of the live action Transformers movie. Hasbro followed up by stating that they would consider continuing the line after the movie has had its run. Ravage and Rumble were originally released only in Europe, but were released as Wal*Mart exclusives in early April, 2007.
• The appearance of a second Ravage figure may have had its roots in the search for a more conventional alternate mode for the original Generation 1 Ravage. The Corvette remold Ravage was a departure for most fans being that it was a Corvette as well as it having a humanoid robot form in a storyline that takes place in the middle of G1 continuity (although according to the Binaltech story, the Corvette Ravage was not technically a transplanted G1 Ravage, but his future, more humanoid, self from the Beast Wars continuity, powered by the dormant spark of the original G1 Ravage to bring the BW Ravage back to life); thus, fan demand might have been the spark that set about the creation of a more traditional panther mode, as well as sporting a Jaguar vehicle mode (as a nod to his Japanese name), both of which were integrated into the second figure.
• In a similar fashion to the San Diego Comic-Con exclusive Alternator, Nemesis Prime, a year before, Takara-Tomy released a Wonderfest exclusive Binaltech in late February 2007. Previously thought to be cancelled, Binaltech returned with one more figure, surprising fans everywhere. The numbered figure, BT-17 Black Convoy, was packaged in a retrofit Alternators-style "fishbowl" box, saw the return of die-cast (presumably from the developed but previously unused plates from the cancelled BTA Ginrai figure) and gave a degree of closure to the Binaltech storyline. After the quick sell-out at Wonderfest, the highly sought after Black Convoy was later briefly available on Takara-Tomy's affiliate site, e-Hobby, where it quickly sold out as well, overwhelming the e-Hobby servers in the process.
• Following on the heels of BT-17 Black Convoy, BT-18 Mirage (Ligier in Japan) Clear Version was announced at the end of March 2007 as an e-Hobby exclusive. As die-cast plates were presumably never developed for the Ford GT mold and given that the figure will be made of clear plastic, it will probably be the first official Binaltech to be all plastic. Given these turn of events, it may be possible for Alternators Ravage and Rumble to see a limited/exclusive release, but unless they see mass release, they will be unlikely to sport die-cast metal. It is unclear whether Binaltech will continue to be developed at this point, especially given the end of Alternators. Whether or not it will continue will depend completely on if and where Hasbro and Takara want to take Alternators and Binaltech.

[edit] External links

• Alternators official website
• BINALTECH official website
• Kiss Players official website
• English translation of the Binaltech story

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