Sixshot
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sixshot is the name of two fictional characters from the various Transformers universes.
Contents |
[edit] Transformers: Generation 1
| Transformers character | |
 Sixshot Box Art |
|
| Sixshot | |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Decepticon  |
| Sub-Group | Six Changers |
| Function | Solo Transformer Assault Group |
| Motto | "Life is worth living only as long as there are enemies worth destroying." |
| Alternate Modes | Cybertronian jet/cybertronian car/laser pistol/flying wolf/cybertronian tank |
| Series | Transformers: Generation 1 |
| English voice actor | Neil Ross |
| Japanese voice actor | Michihiro Ikemizu |
Sixshot is a murderous warrior who carries out his job with a fierce intensity. He is a machine of few redeeming qualities, though chief among them is the fact that he respects all his foes, and will always speak highly of those whom he dispatches to the “great junkyard in the sky.” The thrill of battle is what Sixshot lives for – he considers his life only worth living as long as there are enemies worth destroying.
Sixshot is a Solo Transformer Assault Group (“S.T.A.G.”), or in simpler parlance, a one-robot army – he is named for his near-unique ability to assume six different modes. His armored carrier mode is armed with twin laser batteries, while in ramming tank mode, he is outfitted with an infra-red range finder and target tracker. He can attain the power of flight in his star cruiser mode, with a range of eight million miles, and is also able to take to the skies as a jet-propelled laser pistol (either full-size, or shrunken to be wielded by other Transformers). In these four modes and robot mode, he wields twin hypersonic concussion blasters, but his sixth mode – that of a winged wolf-creature – has no need for them, preferring to tear his opponents apart with its claws and fangs.
Released in 1987, Sixshot’s number of alternate modes was unprecedented – his instruction leaflet was even sealed shut with a sticker, challenging buyers to figure out all six modes without aid. That said, however, the instructions and the photographs on his box include an error, failing to display the additional rotation of the robot’s arms necessary to complete the armored carrier mode. Also, another error may possibly exist – the insides of the robot’s legs include extra peg holes into which the concussion blasters can fit; presumably, these were intended to house the blasters for laser pistol mode, but the instructions, packaging and even animated series all display the blasters in this mode in the same position as ramming tank mode, on the outside of the legs.
[edit] Animated Series
Sixshot’s only appearance in the original Transformers animated series was in The Rebirth, Part 1, the first episode of the fourth and final season of the show. Arriving on Cybertron with the other Decepticon forces after the theft of the key to the Plasma Energy Chamber, Sixshot was ordered into battle against the Aerialbots, assuming each of his alternate modes in turn to defeat the five robots. Taking them down with ease, he dubbed the entire process as easy as “shooting cyber-ducks in a barrel.”
[edit] Transformers: Headmasters
In contrast to his minimal part in the U.S. animated series, Sixshot received a major role in the Japanese-exclusive series, Transformers: Headmasters, which supplanted The Rebirth’s place in continuity in Japan. In this series, Sixshot is characterised as a ninja, and in-line with this idea, possesses several additional powers and abilities of disguise and distraction. He can generate up to five holographic duplicates of himself, able to assume any one of his six modes, which can be either intangible, allowing enemy fire to pass through them while the true Sixshot uses them as a distraction to make his move, or solidified, allowing them to attack to opponents, and he possesses the ability to disguise himself in various ways, either by simply making himself invisible, or through hologrammatic disguises of other beings and objects.
Sixshot is known to have visited Planet Master, the world colonised by diminutive Cybertronians, at some point in the past, at which time he killed Abel, a friend of the future Autobot Headmaster, Chromedome. Subsequently joining up with the combined Decepticon forces of Galvatron and Scorponok, Sixshot made himself known to the Earth-based Autobots in 2011, when he led a Decepticon contingent to prevent an Autobot relief team from Earth reaching Cybertron. During the battle, Sixshot encountered Autobot Earth commander Ultra Magnus and an enmity was established between the two.
Operating as the Decepticons’ Earth commander, Sixshot first displayed his extensive transformation capabilities by staging a six-pronged attack on Earth, adopting each of his different modes to menace one of six different countries in an effort to make the humans and Autobots believe that they were dealing with six different foes. Unfortunately, since he had cloaked himself in shadow, even his fellow Decepticons, Cyclonus and Scourge, did not know who he was, and ruined his plan by attacking him.
Sixshot later used his disguise powers to pose as Galvatron for a meeting with Spike Witwicky, holding the Autobots attention while the true Galvatron led the Decepticons into space on a mission to ransack other worlds of their energy. Upon their return to Earth, Sixshot engaged Ultra Magnus in battle once again, and unveiled his secret, seventh transformation, the Wingwolf, which combined the numerous aspects of his other modes, which he used to kill Magnus, further enraging Chromedome, who had now lost another friend to the ninja.
Discovering that Galvatron planned to cannibalise parts from his strongest warriors to increase his own power, Sixshot began to fear for his own safety. Attempting to protect himself by entering into an alliance with Scorponok and revealing Galvatron’s plan to him, Sixshot returned to Planet Master with him once Galvatron had been destroyed by the Autobots. There, he masqueraded as Chromdome himself to lure his friend, Jack, into a trap, brainwashing him and fitting a bomb into his body, forcing Chromedome himself to kill his friend to prevent the destruction of Fortress Maximus.
On the return trip to Earth, Sixshot was separated from the other Decepticons when he and Daniel Witwicky were swept up in a cosmic storm and deposited on a barren planet. Possessed of a warrior’s honor, Sixshot wished no harm upon Daniel and protected him from the dangerous rock-like lifeforms of the planet, and the two developed a friendship.
Unaware that Scorponok had deliberately abandoned him, Sixshot caught up with his fellow Decepticons in the Sol system asteroid belt, and the animosity between he and Chromedome exploded when he challenged the Headmasters to a duel. Daniel intervened in the ensuing conflict, attempting to stop his two friends from fighting, but at that point, a bomb planet on the asteroid by Scorponok intended to rid him of Sixshot exploded, apparently killing the ninja.
Sixshot survived the explosion, however, hitching a ride on the exterior of Battleship Maximus to return to Earth. Gaining information on Scorponok’s plan to destroy the planet from the Decepticon Clones, he then tracked the Decepticon leader to the lost continent of Lemuria, where he discovered the full details of his plan to use the continent’s Crysmag metal to tear the Earth apart. Escaping through use of his hologram powers, Sixshot joined in the final battle at the North Pole, saving Daniel from Battletrap and Menasor before bidding him a fond farewell.
This may not have been Sixshot's final appearance however. Transformers Victory featured the Autobot Greatshot, who while possessing a different robot and beast mode, possesed the other four modes identically. He is also confirmed as a former Decepticon. Some fans have speculated that Greatshot is in fact a reformatted Sixshot.
Prior to the launch of the next Japanese series, Super-God Masterforce, an epilogue to Headmasters was published in Japan's TV Magazine, which revealed that Sixshot had continued to aid the Autobots in his own way, revealing to them that Scorponok still lived following the final confrontation at the North Pole, and warning them of the existence of Devil Z.
[edit] Marvel Comics
Sixshot’s solitary appearance in Marvel Comics’ Transformers series actually appears to be an artist’s mistake. In the second issue of the Headmasters mini-series, when Scorponok’s forces arrived on the planet of Nebulos, Sixshot could be glimpsed in jet mode amongst the troops, commenting on the strange appearance of the Nebulon natives. He never appeared again, however, except in a flashback to this same scene.
[edit] Dreamwave Comics
Despite sparing appearances in Dreamwave Productions’ 21st century re-imagining of the G1 universe, Sixshot proved to play a role in an important legacy for the series. At one point, while on the Shockwave-dominated Cybertron, the Dinobots were shown piloting a vehicle identical to Sixshot’s tank mode. No explanation was offered for this oddity, but it was suggested to be deliberate, as Shockwave had already conducted a series of experiments into the creation of Transformers with multiple alternate modes that had already spawned the Duocons and Triple Changers. Continuing his experiments in the wastes of Cybertron following his deposition as the planet’s ruler, Shockwave eventually perfected the six-mode Transformer, Sixshot, of whom Blitzwing was particularly jealous. When Blitzwing was seemingly destroyed in battle, Sixshot ventured out into the battlefield to recover his remains.
Aside from what appeared to be his tank mode, and the shadow his robot mode, Sixshot did not receive a full and proper appearance in the Dreamwave comics. Undoubtedly, he would have eventually been given one, but the bankruptcy and closure of Dreamwave Productions left his story untold.
[edit] Devil's Due
In the third GI Joe/Transformers crossover from Devil's Due, Sixshot appeared as part of Serpentor's Decepticon alliance on Cybertron. Attacking the Autobot Capital City, Sixshot led the Decepticon Air attack, but was defeated by Omega Supreme. He was seemingly killed when he smashed into the face of Piranacon, forcibly guided there by Optimus Prime.
[edit] IDW Comics
After the rights to the Transformers licence passed to IDW Publishing, they began to produce their own material. Known to be upcoming is a one-shot called Spotlight: Sixshot, which will presumably detail his background. The others in the series are Ultra Magnus, Nightbeat, Shockwave and Hot Rod. [1] Preview pages show him to be a feared pariah among the Decepticons, being sent in to destroy planets, and the Terrorcons are shown to idolise him.
[edit] Transformers: Energon
| Transformers character | |
 |
|
| Six Shot | |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Decepticon |
| Sub-Group | Ultra Vehicles |
| Motto | "I will destroy my enemy's spirit as soon as I crush his body." |
| Alternate Modes | Cybertronian Tank/Satellite |
| Series | Transformers: Energon |
| English voice actor | Terry Klassen |
| Japanese voice actor | Nobutoshi Kanna |
In the parallel universe of the 2004 Transformers line, Transformers: Energon, the name “Sixshot” returned to use in a slightly modified form as Six Shot, the younger brother of the famous Decepticon criminal, Shockblast. Like his elder sibling, with whom he shared a body design, Six Shot was captured and imprisoned by the Autobots on Cybertron, although he was confined to a standard cell, considered less of a risk than his murderous brother. When the majority of the Decepticons under Megatron’s command were captured following the destruction of Unicron, the cell adjacent to Six Shot was occupied by Snowcat, who told him of his brother’s demise, wrongly blaming Optimus Prime for the deed (when it had, in actuality, been Unicron who had destroyed Shockblast after he had betrayed Megatron). When Megatron’s remaining forces attacked the planet and liberated his troops, Six Shot requested to join them, seeking revenge for his brother.
Unfortunately for Megatron, Six Shot proved no more trustworthy than his brother. Acting as the Decepticon electronics and technology expert, perpetually manning the primary control center on Cybertron, Six Shot had no interest in serving Megatron, desiring instead only the destruction of Optimus Prime. To that end, he disobeyed Megatron’s commands on numerous occasions, and received several beatings for it, yet all the while remaining slickly confident of his own necessity. Eventually, Six Shot sought to gain the power of the super energon that had transformed Megatron into Galvatron, openly attacking Galvatron in the attempt. Galvatron, however, gave himself a second exposure to the liquid, growing to an immense height, and killed Six Shot, grinding him beneath his heel.
He only transforms into a tank once in the series, but his toy – a repaint of Shockblast – transforms into both a satellite and a tank, although even Shockblast himself only ever assumed satellite mode in the series.
