Red Alert (G1)
From Transformers Wiki
The name or term "Red Alert" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Red Alert (disambiguation). |
- Red Alert is an Autobot from the Generation 1 continuity family.
Red Alert is paranoid, which is not a bad trait in a Security Director if it's kept in check by reason, logic, and common sense. Red Alert is... not always so good with those other traits. The Autobots appreciate his discriminating eye for detail as well as his all-consuming dedication to safety, but his ratio of false alarms to real emergencies leaves something to be desired. And thanks to the "bot who cried wolf" effect, it makes them less likely to take Red Alert seriously when his sensors detect a genuine threat.
Red Alert is close friends with Inferno despite their polarized personalities mixing about as well as oil and vinegar. Incidentally, both Autobots feel obligated to keep the other out of trouble and this concern melds them into a reasonably effective duo.
"You always say there's trouble, Red."Red Alert and Hoist, "Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1"
Fiction
Marvel Comics continuity
Marvel US The Transformers comics
Red Alert was present during Optimus Prime's funeral and later during Cobra's attack on the Ark, where he and Blaster joined in the fight alongside Omega Supreme who had been heading the defense operation. Ashes, Ashes...
Marvel UK The Transformers comics
When the Autobot warrior Brawn went on a temporarily mad rampage within the Ark, Red Alert attempted to restrain him. His efforts failed, and Brawn escape to menace the nearby town of St. Petersburg. The Autobots gave chase, and just when Brawn though he had defeated them all, Red leapt out in ambush to deck Brawn with one punch, and then vanished into the night as if he had never been there. The Enemy Within!
Marvel UK future timelines
In 2009, Red Alert was one of the few Autobots available on Earth to help Kup and Arcee assault the new energy leech being constructed by the Decepticons. After destroying the work Soundwave and the Terrorcons had done, Red Alert and the others were immediately drafted by Rodimus Prime into leaping through the trans-time dimensional portal back to 1989. It seemed the extended time-jump of former Decepticon leader Galvatron was causing heavy stress on the timestream at both ends. 20 years in the past, Red Alert and his future Autobots joined forces with several different factions of Autobots and Decepticons on Earth to confront the menace of Galvatron and the resultant time storm. Red Alert took some flak from Galvatron's particle cannon during the battle, but ultimately the time rift was abated when Galvatron himself was cast into its maw, and the timestream restabilized itself. Red Alert, Rodimus and the other future Autobots then returned to their own time. Time Wars
Or did they? Upon returning to 2009, Red Alert and his comrades found Galvatron already there waiting for them. It seemed their actions in the past had reconstructed the timeline to such a degree that their present was now radically changed—Galvatron and his Decepticons now ruled Cybertron. The Autobots tried to adjust to these new events and created a token resistance movement on Cybertron, but it was soon crushed and they were chased off their home planet and back to Autobot City on Earth. During the trip, Red Alert was serving as chief bridge officer of their starship when the Autobots were assaulted with sabotage. The Void! While Kup and a security team attempted to ferret out the traitor, Red Alert did his level best to keep the Autobots from crashing into Earth uncontrollably at sub-light speeds. Battered and bruised, most of the Autobots survived thanks to Arcee's efforts to reactivate the retro-rockets at the last minute. Edge of Impact They still had to face the saboteur, however: an insane Rodimus Prime, corrupted from within by the essence of Unicron that he had unknowingly been carrying inside himself. On the ground, Red Alert joined Kup, Arcee, and the others in fighting their mad leader, Shadow of Evil but Kup advised the others against destroying Rodimus. Instead, Red Alert and the others were made to stand back as Kup managed to tackle down Rodimus, and rip the Matrix from his chest, severing Unicron's link to the Autobot commander. White Fire
Marvel Generation 2 comic
Grimlock planned a raid on Jhiaxus's ship Twilight against Optimus Prime's orders. Unfortunately, Jhiaxus was expecting this move and had Grimlock's troops surrounded. Red Alert attacked Jhiaxus anyhow, and was blown to pieces. Red Alert's death hinted to Grimlock that this may have been a bad idea. Devices and Desires!
Regeneration One
In 2012, alerted to Megatron's devastation of planet Earth, Optimus Prime travelled there with a detachment of Autobots, including Red Alert. Loose Ends, Part 3 They faced Megatron and his zombie troops to finally put an end to his tyranny. Loose Ends, Part 5
After Megatron and his zombie army had been defeated, Red Alert, Wheeljack, Cosmos and Smokescreen were given the unenviable task of clearing away the fallen zombies, tossing them into a huge pit in West Virginia to be vaporized from orbit. Natural Selection, Part One Returning to Cybertron aboard the Valiant, Red Alert and the other Autobots were unwittingly targeted by surface-to-air missiles from the Civil Defense Hub which had been overtaken by the Decepticon Clones Pounce and Wingspan, under the command of the resurrected Scorponok. Natural Selection, Part Four Though the missiles were called off at the last moment, the Autobots aboard the Valiant were now alerted to the threat and prepared for immediate deployment. Natural Selection, Part Five
Not long afterwards, Red Alert provided security for Hot Rod's speech at Eugenesis Plaza alongside Prowl and the Wreckers. When the crowd—agitated up by Neo-Decepticon agents—turned violent, he and Streetwise contained a breach in the security cordon while Kup ushered their leader to safety. Destiny, Part One When Blaster and the other former Nucleon victims defeated the Mayhem Attack Squad, Red Alert led the Decepticon infiltrators away to custody. Destiny, Part Two Later, Prowl, Streetwise and Red Alert arrested the Decepticon "small fry" Runamuck Destiny, Part Three
Red Alert took part in Rodimus Prime's assault on the Hub Network and survived, returning to Cybertron to find it a barren wasteland populated only by shadow-leeches. Fighting through them to reach the Star Chamber, the Autobots split into three teams—one to go to Earth, one to hold the line on Cybertron and the third, including Red Alert, to travel to the Clar Macro-jungle on Nebulos. There, they finally defeated the insane, Dark Matrix-possessed, time-displaced Galvatron before coming under attack from the similarly Dark Matrix-possessed Fortress Maximus. Fortunately a combined team of Autobots and humans arrived from Earth to save the day.
While Earth and Nebulos thrived, Cybertron was cut off from Primus, rendering all Transformers decidedly mortal. Like all the rest, Red Alert abandoned his homeworld to travel the galaxy until he eventually died. The War to End All Wars, Part 5
Transformers '84
Shortly before the launch of the Ark, Red Alert was part of a crew recruited by Perceptor to retrieve the injured Dynobots following a battle with Shockwave. Secrets & Lies #1
Generation 1 cartoon continuity
The Transformers cartoon
- Voice actor: Michael Chain (English), Yoku Shioya (Japanese), Kōki Kataoka (Japanese, "Dinobot Island, Part 1"), Keiichi Nanba (Japanese, "Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1"), Show Hayami (Japanese, "Blaster Blues"), Yao Huang (Chinese, season 1), Xia Zhiqing (Chinese, season 2), Roberto Alexander (Latin American), Arnim André (German, "Auto Berserk"), François Leccia (European French), Georges Atlas (European French, "Dinobot Island, Part 2" & "Auto Berserk"), Francis Lax (European French, "The Revenge of Bruticus"), Luiz Feier Motta (Portuguese, "Dinobot Island, Part 1"), Júlio César (Portuguese, "Dinobot Island, Part 2"), Nilton Valério (Portuguese, "Auto Berserk"), Francisco José (Portuguese, "Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1 - 2"), Dario de Castro (Portuguese, "Blaster Blues" & "The God Gambit"), Júlio Chaves (Portuguese, "The Revenge of Bruticus")
Red Alert assisted Inferno when the Dinobots accidentally set Autobot headquarters on fire. Dinobot Island, Part 1 He and Inferno later helped Prowl and Jazz corral some motorcycle rustlers who got transported into the future by a time warp. Dinobot Island, Part 2
The Autobots were testing the powerful Negavator superweapon they had built in cooperation with the United States military when the Decepticons attacked, intent on stealing the weapon. Optimus Prime ordered Red Alert and Inferno to stay inside and guard the bunker as the rest of the Autobots took the fight to the Decepticons. Inferno chafed to fight the Decepticons and left Red on his own despite the latter's pleas for him to stay. During the battle, Decepticon attacks caused the bunker to catch fire and become damaged (much to Grapple's dismay), knocking Red Alert on the head and burying him under rubble. Realizing what happened, Inferno and the other Autobots returned to rescue Red. Unfortunately, the blow to his head damaged Red's logic circuits, making him more paranoid than usual, and caused him to flee the other Autobots in fear that they would take him apart and use him for spare parts. He also became thoroughly convinced that his pal Inferno was after his job and so he escaped the Autobots. Red Alert's damage was such that if he was left untreated, his circuits would eventually explode, and so the Autobots immediately left to find him.
Meanwhile, Starscream (who had been abandoned by the Decepticons on the battlefield by Megatron's order) witnessed this happening. He decided to use Red's paranoia to his own advantage by pretending to form a partnership with the Autobot, feeding his paranoid state, encouraging him to steal the Negavator and use it to destroy both the Autobots and Decepticons. With Red Alert's knowledge, the pair infiltrated the bunker and stole the Negavator, just in time for Megatron to seize the weapon and for Starscream to reveal his true cowardly ways. Fortunately, Inferno saved Red Alert from himself and his Decepticon 'allies'. Auto Berserk
After Megatron managed to frame the Autobots, the entire Autobot contingent, including Red Alert, were banished from Earth on a rocket supplied by Shawn Berger. Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1 The ship was locked on course for the Sun, but the Autobots managed to get clear and return to Earth with the help of Cosmos and Trailbreaker's force field. There they confronted and defeated the Decepticons, who had already been exposed. Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2 Red Alert was on the squad that intercepted the Decepticons at a power plant, however during the fight, it became apparent that both sides were suffering strange malfunctions. The Autobots returned to base, where Perceptor worked out they were all suffering from Cybertonium depletion. Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1 Spike, Carly, and the Dinobots managed to get more Cybertonium from Cybertron, and the Autobots were all repaired. Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2
When Megatron used the Voltronic Galaxer to block Earth's radio transmissions, the survivors of a train crash were unable to radio the fire service. Luckily Red Alert and Inferno were patrolling in the area and spotted the fire. Red Alert created a fire break with his gun while Inferno attacked the main part of the fire, and eventually it was out. Red Alert's sensors still tingled though, alerting them to an incoming attack by Thundercracker and Ramjet. Blaster Blues
Once, Cosmos radioed in to Teletraan I to inform the Autobots he had uncovered data on a new source of energy upon Saturn's moon of Titan, but was under heavy fire from Astrotrain. Optimus Prime began to order Cosmos to transmit the data, but Red Alert overruled his commander, saying it was too risky as the Decepticons might monitor and intercept the transmission. Prime acknowledged Red's caution, and instead sent a team of Autobots out aboard Omega Supreme to meet Cosmos. The God Gambit
Red Alert helped coat the Statue of Liberty in Corrostop, Perceptor's latest invention. Unfortunately while they were doing so, the Stunticons cruised up and kidnapped Perceptor. Great security work there, Red. He and the rest of the Autobots were infected with Cosmic Rust by the Decepticons, and it was only some clever work by Perceptor that saved them. Cosmic Rust As the Earth moved closer and closer to the Sun as part of a Combaticon plan, Red Alert and Inferno fought to extinguish the many fires that started as a result, though they found that once put out, the fires would promptly start again. The Revenge of Bruticus
The Transformers public service announcements
Red Alert came speeding up behind a pair of kids on bicycles. Due to the darkness, neither he nor they could see each other and they all swerved to avoid a collision at the last moment. Transforming, Red Alert warned them about riding bikes at night, reminding them to always bring reflectors or wear bright clothing so that drivers can see them more clearly. Transformers Public service announcement
Japanese cartoon continuity
Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers story pages
Red Alert was a participant in a battle in New York City, early in the Autobot/Decepticon war taking place on Earth. The Autobots were victorious that day. Broadcasting on TV! Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers
Later, Red Alert and Sideswipe battled Thundercracker and Skywarp over a human space shuttle. Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers Part 3
Legends comic
Red Alert defended the Autobots' base when the Decepticons came for their Transform Super Cog, only to be sent flying by Runabout and Runamuck. Slugslinger's Ambition At one point he found Twin Twist drilling holes in the base, G1 Warrior Twin Twist and his ensuing rage sent Twin Twist and Topspin running. G1 Warrior Topspin
Asterisk Story
As a member of Officer Clampdown's Interplanetary Personnel Exchange Program, Red Alert was paired with Officer Ai Kuruma to promote goodwill and cooperation between the races.
After shooing the kitty Cher off of him, Officer Kuruma received a call about a little boy who'd gotten lost on his way to the market. Ai (dreaming of a commendation for finding the boy) followed the sound of crying, only to find it was Cher again, up in a tree. She climbed up the tree to rescue it, but fell from the high branches... but Red Alert caught her and the cat in time.
The cat scampered off, and the pair followed him... and ran across the lost little boy. But then Cher stole a fish from the boy's grocery bag. Red Alert set his detector from "little boy" to "fish", and the two gave chase... The Cat and the Medal
Controverse
Red Alert was present with the Autobots while watching the latest reports on the Galactic Courts, and the preparation for the trial of Primacron. Controverse
The Headmasters cartoon
Some time before the Transformers' war left Cybertron, Red Alert engaged the Decepticons with his comrades. Later, on Earth, Red Alert was present for a suspiciously similar battle with the Decepticons that resulted in the death of Optimus Prime. In 2011, Kup recalled the Cybertronian skirmish that Red Alert took part in—or another one very much like it. Four Warriors Come out of the Sky
e-HOBBY comics
Red Alert disappeared after the Unicron War, his fate unknown to his Autobot comrades, but he later returned to them a changed 'bot: in his absence, his life had been saved by a Decepticon. With the realization that not all Decepticons were without compassion, Red Alert's paranoid personality underwent a transformation, and he became far less aggressive in battle, prompting strategies of defensive engagement. He went on to train younger security officers for the Autobots, showing a new, caring side that made him a well-liked member of the team.[2]
Generations Selects Special Comic
In 2050, the Autobots stood alongside the Earth-born race of robot Selectors to defend their freedom. However, they were assaulted by the Terrorcons, who wanted to feed off of the Angolmois Energy that powered the Selectors. Red Alert was shot down by Rippersnapper, and Inferno tried to tend to his fallen friend. A squad of Doublecrosser Selectors assembled as a shield to protect their Autobot comrades. Abominus comic 1
Full Throttle Scramble Power!
Red Alert accompanied the massive Autobot reinforcements called in to counter Megatron's nefarious Omega Wave Cannon. Full Throttle Scramble Power!
Wings Universe
Nine million years ago, Red Alert was present at the first "meeting" of Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus. Five million years later, following the Ark's disappearance, he and several other Autobots entered stasis hibernation pods to await the energy rejuvenation of Cybertron. Battle Lines, Part 6
During the Battle of Autobot City, Red Alert was part of a team which took down Devastator after the Decepticon breached Autobot City. As they retreated under fire from the Constructicons, Red Alert tried to keep them occupied to help the others escape and was shot down. A Flash Forward A statue in memory of Red Alert was erected in Autobot City, along with those of the other fallen. A Flash Forward, Part 2
Marvel Storybooks continuity
When the Autobots went to confront the Decepticons at their headquarters, Megatron allowed them to come in unmolested. Optimus Prime warned his Autobots that they may be walking into a trap, and told them to be on their guard. Red Alert, nonetheless, still insisted on telling everyone he thought the acknowledged trap was suspicious. Battle for Earth
Big Looker Story Books
After a fierce battle with the Decepticons, Red Alert and the rest of the Autobots were busy repairing themselves. Unexpectedly, Starscream, Skywarp and Thundercracker came flying over the Autobots’ headquarters, despite the Decepticons having been just as damaged as they had been during the fight. Red Alert rang an “Autobot Alert” upon seeing the seekers. Decepticon Hijack
Find Your Fate Junior
Earthquake
In one possible sequence of events, Beachcomber, Windcharger and Powerglide uncovered a Decepticon ploy to destroy Center City. When splitting up the Autobot forces to combat the Decepticons on two fronts, one at their headquarters and the other at Center City, Optimus assigned Red Alert to the secondary team.
In the event that the secondary team was sent to the Decepticons’ fortress, the Autobots stealthily infiltrated the Decepticons’ fortress, and discovered the laboratory within.
In one version of what happened next, the Autobots met up with Cosmos and were then able to redirect the Destruction Beam back to its source, destroying the Decepticons and their base.
In another version of what happened next, Megatron called his troops to him so that they could all partake in Cosmos's dismemberment. Before the Decepticons were able to begin, Cosmos spotted Red Alert and the rest of the secondary team hiding nearby. Surrounding the Decepticons, the secondary team engaged their enemies. Though the Autobots defeated the Decepticons, they were unable to interfere with the Destruction beam. The Destruction beam then reached its target, and Center City was destroyed. Though the Autobots were able to gain control of the Decepticon fortress and destroyed the lab, they were not able to wipe out all of the evil robots, and enjoyed a pyrrhic victory at best.Earthquake
Decepticon Poison
While on patrol around the Autobot headquarters, Red Alert spotted Ramjet flying nearby. Troubled by this sighting, he immediately rushed to warn his fellow Autobots. Red Alert's warning came just in time, as Ramjet had poisoned the Autobots’ fuel supply, leaving any Autobot who had ingested any amount of the latest batch unable to transform. Optimus, as well as about half of the Autobots retained their ability to transform thanks to Red Alert's timely intervention. Red Alert then returned to his post, ready to report any new enemy activity as it arose.
If the Autobots decided to assume a defensive strategy in light of these events, Red Alert was soon to report Decepticon activity once more; this time a whole Decepticon attack force moving in quickly towards them.
In one possible scenario, the Autobots were cured from the Decepticons’ poison thanks to a cure concocted by Perceptor. The cured Autobots then charged headlong into battle against the incoming Decepticons, only to be quickly overpowered. The second wave of Autobots, those who were running low on fuel, were able to fight back and bring their injured within the base before being forced into a retreat. Red Alert then reported that the Decepticons were retreating as well, the Autobots having injured them throughout the course of battle to allow them a temporary reprieve.
In another possible scenario, where Optimus followed a plan courtesy of Prowl, the Autobot leader instructed his troops to transform into vehicle mode and play dead. The Decepticons, believing the Autobots’ ruse, disarmed themselves in order to carry out the Autobots’ “carcasses.” Now with the element of surprise against unarmed opponent, the Autobots Transformed and were able to easily defeat the evil robots.
In another possible turn of events, Red Alert reported a full-scale Decepticon assault as Perceptor finished giving out his antidote... only for the Autobot to realize too late that he had given too much of the stuff to his comrades. The Autobots who received the antidote soon found themselves falling apart, leaving Red Alert and the rest outmatched against the greater number of Decepticons.
In yet another possible sequence of events, the Autobots decided to use the tainted fuel as a weapon against the Decepticons. Red Alert warned his fellow Autobots that they had a mere ten minutes to execute their plan before the Decepticons were upon them. Lighting the fuel to create a toxic cloud allowed the Autobots to ward off the Decepticons, allowing them the time to cure the poisoned Autobots.
Alternatively, in an alternate path wherein Optimus returned from the Decepticons’ lab with the antidote to the poison, the Autobot leader informed his troops of the Decepticons’ next plot. The evil robots were planning poison a nearby water reservoir in order to turn humans into mindless slaves. If Optimus decided to end his troops to the water reservoir to prevent this attack, Red Alert was amongst the group of Autobots that found the reservoir swarmed by Decepticons upon their arrival. Whether or not the Autobots succeeded in defeating the Decepticons depended on which decisions the other Autobots made. Decepticon Poison
The Invisibility Factor
In one possible scenario, the Decepticons gained control of an Invisibility Device. When the invisible Decepticons attacked Metroplex city, Red Alert and the rest of the Autobots were reduced to scrap metal, unable to fight the unseen enemy.
In another scenario, where the Autobots gave up searching for a ship with invisibility capabilities, Red Alert and the rest of the Autobots within Metroplex were caught by surprise by a fleet of identical ships swooping down upon them. The Autobots were all destroyed as Galvatron gloated of his victory.
In yet another possible scenario, Red Alert participated in a battle against the Decepticons when the evil robots attacked Metroplex while using Invisibility Devices. Thanks to the Invisibility Device's inventor, Sarah Sanders, the Autobots were in possession of an Invisibility Scrambler to counteract the Decepticons’ Invisibility Device. Anticipating the Decepticons’ attack, the Autobots successfully defeated the evil robots when they came. The Invisibility Factor
Dreamwave Generation One continuity
Red Alert was serving the Autobot cause in Iacon when Sentinel Prime was destroyed, and Optronix first rose to become Optimus Prime at the request of Council of Ancients. When the Forum of Enlightenment suddenly went up in flames, he came with Optimus, Ratchet, and Prowl to investigate the ruins. The War Within #2
After the Great Shutdown, Red Alert was one of the first Autobots resurrected by the new alliance of Ultra Magnus and Shockwave, and was chosen to lead the united Cybertronians alongside Shockwave and an Autobot High Council. Cold War The council proved incapable of adequately leading on their own, though, and began gradually giving more and more power to Shockwave over time, until their role was as little more than figureheads. Revelation
An erroneous account placed Red Alert among the Autobots who crashed on Earth aboard the Ark. After being revived, he helped contain the cyber-virus unleashed by Megatron. Prime Directive issue 5 When the Canadian military arrived and attacked the weakened Autobots, Red Alert advised that they retreat for the time being and focus on recovering their energy. Prime Directive issue 6
The return of Optimus Prime and the Ark's crew to Cybertron threw the Autobot High Council into disarray, with Ultra Magnus expressing doubt in the alliance with Shockwave. Red Alert soon received word of Menasor being released from imprisonment and rampaging in Iacon. Cold War Ultimately, Red Alert and the council finally severed their ties with Shockwave and helped bring down his empire. Revelation
Red Alert was seen tutoring several new Autobot cadets in combat as Cybertron settled down after the uprising. Black Sunshine He was last seen among the Autobots who traveled to Earth to work on the construction of the new Autobot City. The Route of All Evil
The Beast Within
Red Alert participated in a savage battle against the Decepticons, though he did not fare too well, and lay collapsed on the ground as Astrotrain towered over him. The Beast Within
Transformers Legends anthology
While Ratchet and Wheeljack worked to repair Starscream, Red Alert handled the security arrangements. He did sound an alarm when the Decepticons turned up later to try to reclaim their comrade, but that was about it. Redemption Center
2005 IDW continuity
- First appearance: Megatron Origin #2; The Transformers vol. 1 #2 (modern era)
Red Alert was constructed cold. Arm the Lonely Before the war, he was the warden of Translucentica Heights. He became a regular informant for the police, often spending his time collecting information on Triple M and the growing Decepticon movement and passing it on to the Cybertronian security services. Post Hoc Red Alert also worked as an informant to Sentinel, the chief of security for the Senate. Red Alert and other informants were subjected to a proto-shadowplay form of reconditioning, making them into sleeper agents for Sentinel who would serve as a secret militia whenever necessary. Last Light
Perhaps because of this, Red Alert suffered from acute paranoia. Beginning six months before the war and continuing for six centuries, Red Alert was a patient of the psychiatrist Rung: he'd come to Rung at Sherma Bridge where "they" wouldn't hear, babbling about mistakes he'd made and how he was at a crossroads. His crippling paranoia meant it took him 288 sessions to tell the analyst his real name. One of the things he was worried about was "the Institute"; Rung thought this, and the fears of "them" listening in, was just paranoia. How to Say Goodbye and Mean It How Ratchet Got His Hands Back
He was brought in during Prowl and Tumbler's investigation of Senator Momus's murder and informed the two cops that the murderer couldn't have been a Decepticon—he'd found evidence that Momus himself was one of the Decepticons. However, this information was almost certainly planted in his head by the Institute as part of a Senate plot to prove the Decepticons' innocence before turning on them later. Patternism
Only a short time later, Red Alert had become a member of the Autobot Security Services in Kaon, under Prowl and Sentinel Prime's command. The Security Services were investigating the rise of the violent illegal bloodsport, led by the combatant known as Megatron. Megatron Origin #2
On Earth centuries later, Red Alert joined Hot Rod as they attempted to find a way off world. Following an "attack" by Swindle's team of Decepticons, he was very much against any attempt at negotiation. New Arrivals, Old Encounters However, Hot Rod decided that they needed all the help they could get in getting off Earth, and let the Decepticons join them. Red Alert grumbled about this alongside Mirage. A Rude Awakening Red Alert was working on their rocket when Ultra Magnus turned up to investigate Ironhide's death. Seasons in Flight
While Red Alert's suspicions were proven correct when Swindle betrayed the Autobots, they managed to defeat him and Menasor thanks to the return of Optimus Prime. Red Alert was hoping that he would retake his place as leader of the Autobots, but Prime told him that they couldn't return to how things used to be, and that Bumblebee was their leader now. Earthworks Later, he wasn't one of the Autobots picked for the mission to stop the Combaticons in North Korea, and ended up relaxing in a Skywatch hangar with Silverstreak and a glass of energy instead. Hawk Among the Sparrows
When the Decepticons showed up and devastated the Skywatch base a day or two later, Red Alert apparently went off and rejoined the North Korea team, who had recently returned to the United States. The Autobots rolled out to confront Megatron near Albuquerque, but Optimus Prime ordered them to stay back while he went ahead alone to confirm what was going on. Burning Chrome
Red Alert was one of the many Autobots who boarded Omega Supreme to return to Cybertron and vanquish Galvatron. Sunstreaker's pet made him uneasy. Orphans of the Helix In the middle of the Autobots' battle against Galvatron's army, the Decepticons showed up and attacked them. Faced with the might of Devastator, Red Alert called for the Autobots to fall back. Kings
Once the battle was over, Cybertron was finally at peace... until non-affiliated Transformers began returning and protesting against Autobot rule. When a major riot took place, Red Alert was among the Autobots who tried to suppress it. The Death of Optimus Prime He later became Head of Security on the Lost Light when Rodimus announced that he'd go searching for the legendary Knights of Cybertron, and was in charge of running security checks on everyone who boarded. He didn't enjoy having to deal with the likes of Brainstorm and Swerve and had forgotten about Rung. How to Say Goodbye and Mean It
Shortly after the Lost Light was lost in space due to a quantum jump accident at launch, Red Alert was sent to investigate some noises on the lower decks. Upon discovering the sparkless corpse of Shock, he panicked and called Rodimus to tell him there was a Sparkeater on board. Hangers On He then participated in the investigation of the body and the hunt for the Sparkeater. The Chaos of Warm Things Unfortunately for Red Alert, his habitation suite on the Lost Light was shared with Swerve, who kept fueling his paranoia by playing practical jokes on him while he was recharging. Life After the Big Bang
Red Alert later told Rung that he was hearing noises coming from the crack in the floor of the cell where they had found the Sparkeater. Red Alert showed him a recording of the noise and Rung could vaguely recognize it as "me... kill" over and over again. How Ratchet Got His Hands Back Signal to Noise The situation caused Red Alert's paranoia to spike once more, and he became concerned that he was a sleeper agent subjected to shadowplay... or at least feared the fact that he couldn't prove he was not. Giving in to Red's concerns, Rung provided him with psychological defenses, seeding his subconscious with "alerts" that would warn him if he were acting against his own will. Last Light
Shortly after the visit to Delphi, Red Alert was seen hanging out in Swerve's. No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases Red Alert along with nearly everyone on board of the Lost Light were frozen in place due to one of Brainstorm's experimental weapons accidentally going off. After he recovered, he was awarded a Rodimus Star "for exceptional endurance in the face of adversity." The Reluctant Specialist
Red Alert later used the deceased Ore's drill arm to find the source of the noise he had heard earlier. Drilling through the floor of the Sparkeater chamber, the lowest level of the ship according its schematics, he found a hidden chamber and the source of the sound—an immobilized Overlord begging to be killed. Interiors
Red Alert later returned from his discovery to find that Rung was in a coma from a recent attack by Fortress Maximus. He believed that he could only trust Rung on the things he had seen and left a data slug in Rung's hand, hoping nobody was around to have witnessed it. However, a Diagnostic Drone had recorded the whole event, and the slug was later retrieved by an unknown party. Rules of Disengagement Shortly thereafter, Red Alert went missing. You, Me, and Other Revelations The other Autobots later found him decapitated and discarded in the ship's oil reservoir. Post Hoc Luckily his spark was still functioning and his head was found and reattached by First Aid, who had faith that he could be restored to normal. First Aid was also able to work out just who'd tried to kill him... Patternism
...himself. First Aid revealed that in his opinion, Red Alert had deliberately removed his own head and allowed himself to fall into the oil reservoir. As their head of security was obviously not in the best of mental health, Ultra Magnus suggested that he be placed in cold storage until their quest was over and when Drift agreed, Rodimus had little choice but to comply. An Intimate Beheading
But even cold storage couldn't protect Red Alert when Tyrest activated his universal killswitch on Luna 1. Because he was constructed cold, the effects of the killswitch slowly began to kill Red Alert. Arm the Lonely When Rodimus used the Matrix to reverse the switch's effects, Red Alert recovered. This Calamitous Life Ratchet reactivated Red Alert after the ordeal was over. Apologetic at his actions, Red Alert opted to stay on Luna 1 with Fortress Maximus and the Circle of Light to search for Decepticons in the area. Sometime later, Red Alert discovered that Tyrest, whom they'd been holding prisoner and was supposedly comatose, had disappeared. The Sound of Breaking Glass
An alternate Red Alert was created when the Lost Light's quantum engines malfunctioned. This duplicate was shot in the head and killed by Helex when the Decepticon Justice Division boarded the ship and slaughtered the crew. The Road Not Taken
Some time later, Red Alert became the personal contact and navigator of Fortress Maximus, the newly Duly Appointed Enforcer of the Tyrest Accord. Red Alert often provided information on Fortress Maximus's current assignments through the information provided by Autopedia, seemingly unaware of its gross susceptibility to vandalism. Animals When the final words of Team Rodimus were broadcast across the galaxy, Red Alert dissected every frame of the message searching for clues about their fate. How Bright Their Frail Deeds
The stress over the apparent death of Rung and his other former crewmates caused a relapse in Red's paranoia. He struggled to keep it together while working with Fortress Maximus and Cerebros to repair the domesticated Roboids Max found on one of his missions. Their relatively quiet life was interrupted by Prowl, who arrived with a story that Sentinel Prime had returned from the dead and planned to destroy Cybertron with the Titans found on Luna-1. Sure enough, they discovered Sentinel inside a relatively intact Titan, working to use his one Titan to revive the others. And when the odds seemed shifted against him, Sentinel finally activated the sleeper agent program in Red Alert's mind from four million years ago, making him attack Prowl. Ten to Midnight
As Red Alert outwardly assisted Sentinel in fighting off his enemies, inwardly he began exploring the glitches and continuity errors in his memories that he and Rung had set up months ago. The inner quest finally jarred his recollection of Rung's therapy, allowing him to drown out Sentinel's influence and reassert his true personality. He shot Sentinel and, when the false Prime tried to resume control, the Roboid named Beak knocked him down a mile long thruster tube. With his paranoia explained and his mind cleared, Red Alert felt more satisfied and at peace than he had in a while. Last Light
Red Alert eventually traced the signal transmitted by Team Rodimus, locating Necroworld after they had left. Unfortunately, the "Disappeared" Decepticons on that world had overrun and slaughtered the Autobots, resulting in chaos. Red, Cerebros, and Fortress Maximus worked together to reclaim Necroworld and end the Decepticon threat, with Red Alert killing Rapidfire in the ensuing skirmish. He found the Decepticon had taken to wearing the Necrobot's cloak, and couldn't resist trying it on as well. Sardines
Having returned to Luna 1, Red Alert received a scrambled message that could have come from Rodimus' group, but couldn't decode it and refused to indulge his paranoid tendencies in looking for hidden meaning in it. Last Light
The Luna 1 crew eventually made contact with Rodimus' team and received a bizarre set of instructions from him. Fortress Maximus had Red Alert pilot Luna 1 through the Warren, and they stumbled into a battle against a giant Primus avatar controlled by the Functionist Council on the other side. After Red crashed Luna 1 into the back of the avatar's head and forced it to assume planet mode, the crew looked on from above as Rodimus' group managed to end the threat, which also had the side-effect of re-igniting Luna 1's dormant hot spot. Red Alert accompanied Fortress Maximus to meet with Rodimus in the aftermath. A Spark Among Embers Red Alert attended the farewell party for the decommissioned Lost Light, looking a bit twitchy to be around so many lively people again, especially when Rodimus invaded his personal space.
Far in the future, Red Alert attended Ratchet's funeral. How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2
Henkei! Henkei! Transformers -Visualize-
Henkei! Henkei! pack-in manga
Red Alert and Smokescreen eavesdropped on Octane's plan to impress Megatron and Cyclonus. When they revealed themselves, Octane fled, but the duo chased him across the desert. Red Alert was temporarily blinded when Smokescreen forgot that Octane could fly and had attempted to stop the Triple Changer with his trademark cloud of magnetized smoke. Thinking himself free of pursuit, Octane began to implement his plan and indulged in a bit of daydreaming. However, he was interrupted when Red Alert and Smokescreen again appeared, revealing that they were able to follow him using Red Alert's enhanced sensors. This caused Cyclonus to conclude that the Decepticon forces did not require Octane's talents, and he left to report Octane's incompetence to Megatron. Red Alert cracked his knuckles while leering at the abandoned Octane, implying that when they were finished with him, Octane would no longer be in mint condition. Henkei! Henkei! volume 12
Transformers: All Spark
Kre-O online manga
Red Alert was injured by falling bricks when Inferno rushed into a burning building without waiting for his advice, and though he was fine physically, his trust in his partner took a beating and he started sulking alone in his room. He got over it in time for the next mission, however, contacting Inferno as he was fighting another fire and giving him advice on how to efficiently put it out. Once the building was saved, Inferno apologized to Red Alert, who in turn also apologized for being all mopey. Dive Into the Fire! The Rescue Operation of Friendship
Q-Transformers cartoon
- Voice actor: Kōsuke Toriumi (Japanese)
Transformers vs. G.I. Joe
Red Alert was a member of the Rescuebots, a team of Autobots dedicated to protecting humans. He formed the right leg of team's combiner form, Defensor, who participated in the final battle with the Decepticons. Transformers vs. G.I. Joe #12
Renegade Rhetoric
The Red Alert of Primax 085.0 Eta became one of the Spy Changers who pursued Megatron's Renegade Decepticons, who had captured Optimus Prime, to another universe. Once on the other side, Red Alert asked Wheeljack if the Reality Beacon was functioning. He then began to patrol with his teammate Hoist and team commander Jazz. Renegade Rhetoric (2), 2016/05/02 In one mission, the Spy CHangers traveled to a Sumdac Systems facility which Nightracer and Crash Test had raided. Unfortunately, the Decepticons were gone with stolen Destronium, and the Spy Changers were confronted by the Society of Ultimate Villainy. Red Alert did his best against Sergeant Chaos. Renegade Rhetoric (2), 2016/05/05 Later, Red Alert's team went to Metro City after Hoist determined that the Decepticons might be interested in Professor Morris's Brainwave Scanner. Unfortunately, Soundwave maneuvered III into believing that the Autobots were evil. Hoist and Red Alert were forced to flee while Jazz was captured by III. Red Alert and Hoist rescued Jazz from III headquarters by causing a small fire. On their way out with Jazz, Red Alert saved the life of an III agent who had become trapped in the blaze, Nick Burns. Burns promised the Autobots that he would try to convince his superiors of the Autobots' true nature. Renegade Rhetoric (2), 2016/05/09 Subsequently, Wheeljack was able to tap into the Decepticons' communication network. Prowl quickly organized a strike force, overruling Red Alert's objection that their base would be undefended. But at the Decepticons' base, the Spy Changers were overcome by the Decepticon Go-Bots' new powers. Fleeing back to base, the Autobots were once again overwhelmed by Nemesis Prime, being forced to flee once more. Renegade Rhetoric (2), 2016/05/12
Of Masters and Mayhem
Red Alert was responsible for security for the Ark project on Cybertron. Although he had countless security protocols in place, his focus was primarily on air attacks, the Decepticons' traditionally favored means to strike. A brazen approach by a single combatant on the ground transmitting Autobot transponder signals caught even Red by surprise. Even worse was when the horrendous Toxitron penetrated his security, demonstrating both his personal regenerative and outwardly destructive abilities. Red Alert was bisected by Toxitron's Agonizer Blade while trying to defend the base. The Toxic Transformer
Prime Wars Trilogy cartoons
Upon the arrival of Trypticon, Perceptor invoked the name of Red Alert's lonsdaleite samples. Our Heroes Respond
War for Cybertron Trilogy continuity
War for Cybertron Trilogy marketing material
On Cybertron, Red Alert was a Ground Command Medical Private, whose function served as a medic. Siege webpage[3] During the war for Cybertron, Red Alert was among the Autobot loyalists located in Uraya, but as the Decepticon presence in the area grew, he and the other loyalists were forced underground, ceasing all combat operations. Siege Teletraan-1 Data Files
War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon
- Voice actor: Todd Haberkorn (English), Kazumasa Nakamura (Japanese), Sérgio Stern (Portuguese), Jérémy Prévost (French), Thomas Schmuckert (German), Juan Antonio García Sainz De La Maza (Castilian Spanish), Erick Selim (Latin-American Spanish)
“ | I'm always alert. | ” |
—Red Alert, Earthrise episode 1 |
Red Alert was an Autobot medic, and attended to injured Autobots in the infirmary. Bumblebee was sent to Red Alert's care, and the medic patched the energon scout up. Siege episode 1 Red Alert was later present when Optimus Prime announces the development that Ultra Magnus had surrendered to Megatron. Red Alert suggested that Magnus' brain module could get hacked, allowing the Decepticons to learn the location of The Ark. Despite the revelation, Red Alert rallied under Prime's call. Siege episode 2
Red Alert was attending to injured Autobots when he was approached by Ratchet and the Decepticon Impactor. Red Alert lamented the many sparks lost in the war, though Ratchet assured him to keep at his work. Siege episode 4 When the Autobots base at the Ark was exposed and came under attack, Red Alert helped defend it, attending to Bumblebee, who was rendered unconscious by the deployment of Shockwave's virus. Despite the loss to the Alpha Trion Protocols, Red Alert told the scout he must fly and handed him a blaster. Red Alert met with Elita-1 and Ironhide, and the team agreed to protect the ship from the Decepticons. Red Alert boarded the ark when it launched, and traveled over to evacuate the rest of the Autobots. However, while helping his fellow Autobots onto the ship, Red Alert was shot, and fell from the Ark. He was assumed dead and left behind, The Ark, leaving through the space bridge, though reunited with Elita-1, Chromia, and Jetfire, forming a small Autobot resistance on Cybertron. Siege episode 6
Red Alert and the Resistance attacked a Seeker team and saved a group of helpless Decepticons. The team pondered why the Decepticons were locking up their own troops. Red alert later presented Elita with information from their scout Steeljaw, indicating a massive incarceration camp at Kaon. Despite Jetfire's protested as to the risks, Elita agreed to a plan to free them, telling Red Alert to be ready for survivors. At the camp, the Autobots suspected something was awry due to the lack of guards, but engaged the Decepticons in battle anyway. On the ground, the Autobots eventually overtook the prison, while Jetfire took out Seekers overhead. The Autobots pressed on deeper into the prison and noticed that most of the cells were empty as they track an Autobot signal. But after a brief skirmish, they realized they've been had: Starscream sprang his trap and the Autobots were surrounded. Red Alert and the others were hauled into the arena and bought before Megatron, who showed them his plan to harvest the sparks of the Cybertronians to power Project: Nemesis. Red Alert was then taken away with the rest of the team by Starscream and the Seekers, to await the next spark harvest.Earthrise episode 1
Red Alert was locked in a cell at kaon along with Chromia and Jetfire. The team debated on why Megatron was harvesting sparks. Red Alert doubted it was a weapon, stating the Decepticons had already won the war. Red Alert tinkered with the barrier, trying to free them, but was unsuccessful. He lamented that there was no one to send a distress signal to, that HQ was deserted and Omega Supreme's location was unknown. Red Alert was then taken to the arena with the rest of the team, and watched as Megatron offered Elita-1 a place at his side. Barricade then initiated the harvesting process, trapping Red Alert in the harvest chamber, though the process was halted by the arrival of Scrapface, who set the team free. With their binders deactivated, Red Alert and the rest of the team ran as the arena went into lockdown. They were then aided by Skytread, who allowed them to escape. Earthrise episode 2
Having escaped the arena, Red Alert and the others took cover to hide from Seeker patrols hunting them. But when Scrapface caused a commotion, a brief conflict began, leading the team to quickly kill the Seekers present, keeping their position secure. Safe, they made it to the refuge, the old theatre. There, Red Alert attended to the injured Decepticons, and bore witness to Shockwave's broadcast, ordering all Decepticons to report to Kaon arena. Realizing the threat posed, the team agreed to bring down Shockwave, once and for all. Earthrise episode 3
Red Alert joined his allies in the mission to the arena and waited outside with the rest of the team while Elita went in to set the explosives. However, they were suddenly ambushed by Shockwave's forces, having used cloaking technology to sneak up on them. Red Alert was captured with the others and escorted towards the arena to face Shockwave, despite the Autobots warning of the planted explosives ahead. When the still active Chromia attacked their captors, Red Alert and the others ran towards the arena, hoping to reach Elita. They never did, as the explosives suddenly went off, destroying the entire area and killing them all. Earthrise episode 6
2019 IDW continuity
When the Tether fell from orbit, its impact caused massive property damage and death. Red Alert, Inferno, and Fixit performed crisis response in the aftermath of the devastation. Arcee/Greenlight: Run Red Alert watched Optimus Prime deliver his first speech as Prime, where he swore to fight against the Decepticons. Awakenings
Commercial appearances
- During a battle against Megatron, Optimus summoned Smokescreen, Tracks, Hoist, Inferno, Red Alert, and Grapple to his side. Megatron responded by calling down Thrust and Dirge. Autobot cars plus Thrust and Dirge commercial
- When Starscream led an assault on the Autobots' launch base, Red Alert followed Ultra Magnus in a counter-attack. Ultra Magnus commercial
- Red Alert was being carried down a highway by Ultra Magnus when Galvatron and his troops came upon them. He, Jazz, Tracks, and Smokescreen dealt with Starscream and Skywarp while their commander faced off against Galvatron. Ultra Magnus and Galvatron commercial
- Red Alert was part of a troop of Autobots who interrupted a Decepticon Energon-gathering mission. Megatron ordered Runabout and Runamuck to deal with the meddlers. Battlechargers commercial
Games
Transformers Legends
Red Alert was among the Autobots who thwarted Starscream's plan to destroy Earth, saving the planet by firing the Exponential Generator into orbit. Countdown to Extinction Red Alert later teamed up with Prowl and Tracks in an attempt to track down the Stunticons, who were busy committing crimes in the back alleys of human cities. The Thin Blue Line
Angry Birds Transformers
Red Alert appears as a character unlockable in Challenge Events. He is portrayed by Bubbles. Angry Birds Transformers
Transformers: Battle Tactics
Red Alert participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him, which probably isn't good for his paranoia. He was an Uncommon character that could be recruited by collecting 55 units of Cybermetal, and 24 units of Transmetal. Transformers: Battle Tactics
Transformers: Devastation
Sideswipe could use Red Alert's color scheme during the Autobots' battle to stop the Decepticons from cyberforming Earth. Upon donning the paintjob, he would exhibit Red Alert's paranoid tendencies. Transformers: Devastation
Transformers: Earth Wars
Red Alert arrived on Earth at the same time as Runabout. Bullet Time
Toys
Merchandise
Notes
- Generation 1 cartoon notes:
- Voice actor Michael Chain has stated that he based his characterization of Red Alert on former U.S. President Richard Nixon, a man so incredibly paranoid that he kept secret audio recordings of himself.
- Red Alert appeared in one of five original Generation 1 public service announcements. After nearly mowing down a pair of kids on bikes, Red Alert scolded them and told them to never ride at night without reflectors. However, Red Alert was shown driving at night without his headlights on, so that probably didn't help.
- Although the first year of the Transformers line in Japan consisted of both 1984 and 1985 toys, Red Alert just managed to pip most of the U.S. 1985 range to the post by being released in tandem with Sideswipe as one of the initial releases. Early TV Magazine art ostensibly featuring the season 1 cast even specifically includes Red Alert among the 1984 Autobots.[4]
- Red Alert's character model is, for the most part, more toy accurate than Sideswipe's, as the '85 characters tended to be. The big change is that instead of a windshield on his back (like Sideswipe), Red Alert has the top of his trunk (including spoiler!).
- According to a story page in the October 1985 issue of TV Magazine, Red Alert and Sideswipe are brothers, with Sideswipe being slightly older than Red Alert. This connection may have been invented because, aside from Sideswipe and Red Alert sharing the same mold, Sunstreaker was not sold in the Japanese market outside of a special "versus" set with Skids and Buzzsaw. However, the familial dynamic between Sideswipe and Sunstreaker was not changed in the Japanese dub of the original Transformers cartoon, leading some Japanese fans to consider the three Lamborghini characters as triplets.
- When and how most of the 1985 characters came to be on Earth was never explained in the cartoon. Fun Publications would offer their implicit explanation in the Wings Universe spin-off stories, depicting Red Alert, among others, as having entered stasis until the 1984 characters returned to Cybertron with more energy supplies.
- Headmaster Siren was originally conceived as either an upgrade or homage to Red Alert.[5] While the robot mode was largely blue unlike Red Alert, it featured a similar head to the early Autobot. The car mode, on the other hand, featured a near carbon copy of Red Alert's paint scheme. The Red Alert references were dropped early in the design process.
- The color schemes for the 2003 Universe versions of Inferno and Robots in Disguise Spychanger Prowl are clearly based on Red Alert's Generation 1 look. Inferno in particular caused a great deal of fan confusion when first released; here was a toy named Inferno, decorated like Red Alert, released alongside a toy named Ratchet, decorated like Inferno. Hasbro design director Aaron Archer (in his online "Orson" persona) disclosed that this was the result of a mistake in the naming process.
- Years later, the Facebook edition of "Ask Vector Prime" would describe Universe Inferno as an incarnation of Beast Wars Inferno who had salvaged a chassis from a Robots in Disguise incarnation of Red Alert. Meanwhile, sister Facebook page Renegade Rhetoric would repurpose the Universe Prowl toy as a Spy Changer body for Generation 1 Red Alert.
- Make a joke and he will sigh and you will laugh and he will cry.
Foreign names
- Japanese: Alert (アラート Arāto), Red Alert (レッドアラート Reddo Arāto)
- French: Feu D'alerte (Canada, "Flare"), Alerte Rouge (France, "Red Alert")
- Hungarian: Riadó ("Alert")
- Italian: Giaguaro ("Jaguar"), Alert (Releases of the G1 toy after 1987), Allarme Rosso ("Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1" only, "Red Alert")
- Mandarin: Hóngsè Jǐngjiè (Taiwan, 紅色警戒, "Red Alert"), Hóngsè Jǐngbào (China, 红色警报, "Red Alert")
- Portuguese: Alerta Vermelho ("Red Alert")
- Russian: Panikjor (Паникёр, "Alarmist")
References
- Character stubs missing fiction
- Alternators Autobots
- Binaltech Asterisk characters
- Classics Autobots
- Council members
- Dreamwave Generation 1 Autobots
- Generation 1 Autobots
- Generation 1 cartoon Autobots
- Generation 2 Autobots
- Generations Selects Autobots
- Henkei! Henkei! Autobots
- IDW (2005) Autobots
- IDW (2019) Autobots
- Kre-O Autobots
- Kreons
- Legends Autobots
- Lost Light crew
- Marvel Generation 1 Autobots
- Q-Transformers characters
- Regeneration One Autobots
- Second Cybertron Alliance
- Security officers
- The Headmasters Autobots
- War for Cybertron: Earthrise Autobots
- War for Cybertron: Siege Autobots
- Wings Universe Autobots