Motormaster

Motormaster is the name of several fictional characters in the many continuities in the Transformers franchise. Motormaster made his first appearance in the Marvel Transformers comic before appearing in the 1980s animated series. Other than in Transformers: War for Cybertron, Motormaster is the leader of the Stunticons, an all-car group created by Megatron to counter the dominance of the Autobots on the road. Due to difficulties Hasbro had in trademarking the name Motormaster since his original incarnation, toys originally intended to be Motormaster have been released as Menasor instead, despite looking like Motormaster.
Transformers: Generation 1
Motormaster is depicted as a semi-trailer, similar in appearance in vehicle mode to Optimus Prime; however, unlike the Autobot leader, whose body is formed solely by the tractor unit, Motormaster's robot mode comes from the entire tractor-trailer, with the tractor unit forming his feet. Motormaster is able to reach a top speed of 140 mph in vehicle mode, while in robot mode he is armed with a sword and a cyclone rifle that can produce winds of up to 400 mph. Motormaster combines with the rest of the Stunticons into Menasor, of which he forms the main component. When fighting, Menasor's weapon choice is Motormaster's sword.
Motormaster commands his troops with fear rather than respect, and although his fellow Stunticons hate him, they are too terrified of him to dare disobey his orders. A brutal and merciless tyrant, he considers himself the true "King of the Road." He longs to one day prove his claim by destroying Optimus Prime in a head-on collision, though he fears that someone else might kill Prime before he can.
Marvel Comics
In the original Marvel Comics Transformers comic Motormaster was born when Megatron was able to tap into the Creation Matrix to give life to the Stunticons in issue #22. Motormaster last appeared in the first Transformers series in issue #41, called "Totaled!" Motormaster's biography was printed in issue #2 of the Transformers: Universe title by Marvel.
Animated series
Motormaster first appeared in animated form with the other Stunticons in the episode "The Key To Vector Sigma Part 1". After the Decepticons were defeated by the Autobots on the road again, an envious Megatron ordered Rumble the theft of five cars, so that he could create a group of Decepticon warriors who could effectively combat the Autobots on the road. Rumble followed the commands and brought the cars to Megatron. The vehicles got reformatted, and extensively modified by Megatron to become almost impervious to collision damage. They were also able to transform into robot mode after being tested and controlled by a remote control. Megatron, Soundwave, and Rumble then took the robots—named the Stunticons by Megatron for their stunt driving ability—to Cybertron, where Megatron stole a key to Vector Sigma, where robots receive personalities of their own. One of the Stunticons could transform into a vehicle similar to Optimus Prime's truck mode, and his name was Motormaster, the leader of the Stunticons.
After learning what Megatron was up to, Optimus Prime and Autobot troops traveled to Cybertron, where they created the Aerialbots also with Vector Sigma. Back on Earth they were suddenly encountered by Megatron with his new army of Stunticons. In their second battle the Aerialbots and the Stunticons fought each other as combiners. Eventually, the Autobots are victorious and the Decepticons retreat. Ever since, Menasor has been mortal enemies with Superion.
Motormaster and the rest of the Stunticons would still appear in three more additional episodes in the second season: "Trans-Europe Express", when Megatron became aware of the Autobots' involvement in the cross-country Europa 2000 and commissioned Motormaster and the Stunticons to prevent any Autobots from making it to the finish line; "Cosmic Rust", when they were sent again by Megatron, who had been infected with cosmic rust, to capture the Autobot scientist Perceptor, who had recently invented Corrostop, a cure for the disease, and have him cure it for the Decepticon leader; And "Starscream's Brigade", when the Stunticons were called to defeat the treacherous Starscream and the Combaticons. However, they did not go, and only at last did they defeat Bruticus.
The Stunticons had a major appearance in the season 2 episode "Masquerade", where they were on a mission to find components and bring them to Megatron so that he could use them to create a new, powerful weapon. Motormaster alone stole the world's largest, most perfect ruby from a museum, while Breakdown and Wildrider went together to steal laser lenses from a scientist and Dead End and Drag Strip went together to steal an experimental generator from the Army. While en route to a crater where Megatron was waiting, Motormaster was intercepted by Optimus Prime who along with the other Autobots had discovered the Decepticons' plots. Prime defeated Motormaster in a head-on collision and captured him, taking him to the Ark. The same happened to the other Stunticons—they too were confronted by Autobots on the way to the crater, defeated as well, now being towed back and imprisoned behind Energon bars. Masquerading himself as Motormaster, Optimus led a group of Autobots disguising themselves as each of the Stunticons with advanced paint, planning to infiltrate the Decepticons' camp, learn about Megatron's plan and foil it. When the real Stunticons broke out, they arrived at the crater as Menasor in order to prove their identities. With a combination of Windcharger's magnetic powers and Mirage's illusion-creating ability, the Autobots were able to appear as Menasor too. When the two Menasors fought each other, the impostor was defeated and the paint went off, revealing the Autobots' true identities. When Autobot forces then arrived, they outnumbered the Decepticons, forcing them to retreat.
In the third season, Motormaster first appeared in "Five Faces of Darkness", seen on the planet Chaar with the weakened Decepticons, and being shot by an insane Galvatron, the new Decepticon leader. He was also seen in the episode "Webworld", where he was feeling so strongly about Galvatron's inadequacy as Decepticon leader. He, Swindle, and Laserbeak confronted Cyclonus and demanded that something had to be done or there would be mutiny. Cyclonus then tricked Galvatron into going to an alien planet.
Motormaster's last appearance in the U.S. cartoon was as part of Menasor in the third-season episode "The Return of Optimus Prime Part 2" as he was seen in a flashback fighting Wildrider when Sky Lynx mentioned the Decepticons got infected by the Hate Plague to Optimus Prime and was one of the infected Transformers arriving on Metroplex trying to destroy Optimus Prime until Prime used the Matrix of Leadership to cure them. His last individual appearance in the cartoon was in episode 26 of the Japanese Headmasters series. He continued to be shown in later Japanese series as part of Menasor, for example in Transformers: Zone.
IDW Publishing
In IDW Publishing's adaptation of Generation 1, as with Dreamwave's, Motormaster first appeared as a pre-existing character rather than a recent creation. Motormaster first appeared amongst Megatron's gathering of gladiators that would eventually become the Decepticons in IDW Publishing's The Transformers: Megatron Origin. Motormaster is later run over by Sentinel Prime during the revolution in Kaon.
Devil's Due Publishing
Motormaster in Devil's Due comics appeared in G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers, where he and the rest of the Stunticons where accidentally sent back to 1930s Chicago. Motormaster also appeared in G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers: The Art of War, where he was one of the Decepticon troops of Serpent O.R.
Fun Publications
As part of Fun Publications, although not appearing in the fiction, Motormaster is mentioned in the Fun Publications biography for the Timelines character Breakdown. This biography states that the other Stunticons were left in stasis lock after a pitched battle with Defensor.
Dreamwave Productions
In Dreamwave Productions Generation 1 continuity, Motormaster and the other Stunticons were not portrayed as recently created characters, but as Decepticons from Cybertron. Initially just five individuals, they were chosen to become part of a new group termed the Stunticons - an experiment to improve on the combination process which had created Devastator. Their combined form was called Menasor. In the War Within story, Motormaster was a member of Starscream's Predacon team. Motormaster would also appear along with the rest of the Stunticons in the second Generation 1 mini-series.
Toys
* Generation 1 Motormaster (1986)
:Motormaster changes from a semi-cab truck and trailer to a robot, as well as a base that can connect to Trypticon in base mode. He can combine with his fellow Stunticons to form Menasor, and included the accessories for Menasor, such as his feet, fists, waist piece, chest piece and face. He also came with a sword and a gun which are also Menasor's weapons.
* Generation 2 Motormaster (Unreleased)
:During the final wave of the Generation 2 toyline, Hasbro had intended to release a Generation 2 redeco of the original Stunticons. Instead due to the attention directed towards the upcoming Beast Wars toyline, the toys were never released; however, a few packaged examples do exist. In April 2008, rare prototypes of this toy were sold on eBay and garnered bidding of over US$2,000.
* Universe Spy Changer Motormaster (Unreleased)
:First announced in Previews magazine for January 2003, they were a set of 5 Stunticon Spy Changers - Breakdown, Drag Strip, Motormaster, Dead End, and Wildracer.
Transformers Aligned Universe
Motormaster is a Decepticon who regularly boasts that he is the king of the road and is itching for a good head-on collision. Only a fool stands against him. Stay out of his way! It's his road; no Autobots are allowed! When he really needs to lay down the law, he can combine into Menasor together with Drag Strip, Wildbreak, Heatseeker and Slashmark!
Animated series
Motormaster together with the other Stunticons, form Menasor, who Optimus Prime says caused the destruction of an entire planetary system. They appear in the final season of Robots in Disguise as the major antagonist for the first half of the season. He is voiced by Travis Willingham.
Games
Motormaster is the name of a playable character exclusive to the Nintendo DS version of the 2010 video game Transformers: War for Cybertron (Decepticon version). Once defeated in the sewer levels of the game he becomes a playable character. His vehicle mode is a Futuristic Cybertronian truck, and he is voiced by Fred Tatasciore.
Toys
*Robots in Disguise (2015) Motormaster (Team Combiner) (2017)
Transformers: Timelines
Appearing in Fun Publications Transformers: Timelines comic produced for the Transformers convention BotCon, Motormaster is a Decepticon and part of the Stunticons sub-group. He transforms into a fire truck.
Fun Publications
A younger version of Motormaster was killed in the Transformers Animated story "Bots of Science".
Motormaster appeared in the Transformers: Timelines story "The Stunt-Con Job". After the events of Transformers Animated, the Stunticons set up a Stunt Convoy show in the city of Kaon and used it as cover to attempt to break out of his detention at Trypticon. Their efforts were thwarted thanks to the efforts of Cheetor, Optimus Prime and . The Stunticons were placed in detention with Megatron and an attempt to rescue them was made by the Decepticons Blot, Mindwipe, Oil Slick, Scalpel, Sky-Byte and Strika.
Toys
*Animated Motormaster (2011)
:A black and purple recolour of the Animated Voyager toy with a new head sculpt is being released along with the rest of the Stunticons as a BotCon exclusive. According to the designers the head of this toy was designed to look like Hulk Hogan, and have the personality of the late Randy "Macho Man" Savage.

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