Arcee
Transformers: Generation 1
Transformers: Generation 1
Arcee
Dreamwave Arcee
Autobot/Maximal
Sub-group
Female Autobots, Headmasters, Transmetal 2, Wreckers
Function
Valkyrie
Rank
8
Partner
Daniel Witwicky
Motto
"Looks are always deceiving."
Alternate Modes
Futureistic or Cybertronian Convertible Car, Transmetal Spider
Series
Transformers: Generation 1
Beast Machines
English voice actor
Susan Blu
Japanese voice actor
Yoko Kawanami
Marvel Comics
Note: All stories exclusive to Marvel U. K. are in italics.
Arcee was absent from the U. S. Marvel Comics (barring the adaptation of the movie), because the comics had established that in their continuity, Transformers did not possess sexes, thus Arcee's presence as a clearly female robot would have defied this.
Arcee also makes an appearance twice in the American Transformers: Headmasters #1 as a background character in Fortress Maximus's regiment. In order to explain any Autobots introduced during the fourth (then-ongoing) and fifth production years, most of Fortress Maximus's crew on Cybertron and aboard the Steelhaven were unseen, or used generic bodies until readers were "surprised" with them later.
Arcee would appear in the U. K. Marvel comic issue #234, "Prime's Rib!" This story is set in the near future, 1995, where Optimus Prime, Jazz and Hot Rod introduce the latest Autobot, Arcee, to the human feminists. She was met with displeasure by the humans, being called a token female and disliked for her pink color. They were then attacked by Shockwave, Fangry, Horri-Bull and Squeezeplay, who thought the Autobot would be unveiling a new weapon. The Autobots fought off the Decepticons, who escaped, but nothing seemed to please the human feminists.
The U. K. comic also set a number of stories directly after the events of the movie. The Space Pirates arc saw Arcee skip guard duty at Autobot City; her dereliction of duty led directly the fall of Autobot City to the Quintessons. She was then used as bait in a Quintesson trap to claim the Creation Matrix from Rodimus Prime. Arcee achieved some measure of redemption by aiding Rodimus Prime, now reduced in power to his Hot Rod form, in his bid to reclaim Autobot City by activating Metroplex.
Arcee later joined Rodimus Prime's time-travelling party, helping in the fight against Galvatron during the Time Wars. Arcee and the other future Autobots returned find to their own time-stream changed to a different, darker future, where Galvatron was alive and ruling most of Cybertron.
Arcee appeared among the Autobots under the command of Rodimus Prime in the alternate future story "Aspects of Evil 2" from Marvel U. K. Transformers #224. In this story Rodimus Prime remembered how Galvatron, Crankcase, Ruckus and Windsweeper killed Blurr and then attacked Rodimus Prime, Kup, Arcee and the Battle Patrol. Enraged, Rodimus nearly killed Galvatron, but to keep the Matrix from being contaminated by hatred he relented.
Arcee appeared in Marvel U. K. Transformers #251 "The Void!" where she was among the Autobot crew of a ship commanded by Rodimus Prime which was retreating from Cybertron.
Animated series
Although a group of Female Autobots had already been featured in one episode of the original cartoon series, Arcee quickly became the most famous due to her position as a recurring cast member following her introduction in The Transformers: The Movie. In the movie, it was implied that Arcee might have had feelings for Hot Rod, but since his transformation to Rodimus Prime she seemed to grow closer to Springer.
Arcee was voiced by Susan Blu, who would go on to be involved in several more Transformers-related shows as voice director, even reprising her role as Arcee in Transformers: Animated. Arcee was a gunner and was depicted as being an excellent marksman. In the Season 3 introduction, "Five Faces of Darkness", she accompanies Springer on a mission to track down a sleezoid ship. The mission eventually reunites them with Grimlock and Rodimus Prime. They also go onto rescue Ultra Magnus, Kup and Spike Witwicky from the clutches of the Quintessons.
Arcee would appear sporadically over the course of the season, and even kept her main character status into the fourth season dubbed "Rebirth". She was a major player in "Dark Awakening", being among the crew zombie Optimus Prime betrayed aboard the mausoleum. And, in "Dweller in the Depths", she is seen fighting back against Springer when he is turned into an energy vampire.
Ultra Magnus, Springer, Rodimus Prime and Arcee as humans
In the episode "Only Human", Ultra Magnus, Springer, Rodimus Prime and Arcee found their minds transferred into human-mimicking "synthoid" bodies by the human crime lord Victor Drath.
In the final three episodes of the US television series, when the Decepticons successfully stole the key to the Plasma Energy Chamber and opened the ancient device, a group of Autobots and humans included Arcee and Daniel Witwicky were blasted across the galaxy by the energy release, crash-landing on the planet Nebulos. Quickly siding with a group of rebels engaged in a war against the planet's evil rulers, the Hive, they deduced a process by which they could combine the best of their minds and bodies together, becoming Headmasters. While the other Autobot Headmasters combined with Nebulons, Daniel became Arcee's Headmaster partner.
Transformers: Headmasters
In the Japanese television series called Transformers: The Headmasters, the events of the last three episodes of the U.S. series were ignored. Although Headmasters were introduced, they had a vastly different origin. Arcee did not become a Headmaster, but was a regular on this series, appearing in most of the episodes, from episode 1 "Four Warriors Come Out of The Sky" to episode 35 "The Final Showdown On Earth Part 2".
Books
Arcee appeared in the 1986 story and coloring book The Lost Treasure of Cybertron by Marvel Books.
Beast Wars
In the Beast Wars episode "Transmutate", Rattrap referred to Arcee as his great aunt: "What in the name of my great aunt Arcee is going on!?" The character Transmutate was coincidentally voiced by Susan Blu, who also voiced Arcee.
Dreamwave Productions
During the years when Shockwave united most of Cybertron, Arcee was in a resistance group to his rule along with Kup, Blaster, Hot Rod and Wheelie. Later, after Shockwave's defeat, Arcee joined Ultra Magnus in trying to fortify one of Cybertron's moons but her affections were the subject of a feud between Hot Rod and Springer.
Devil's Due Publishing
Transformers Perceptor, Bumblebee, Grimlock and Arcee meet G.I. Joe in the pages of Devil's Due comics crossover between the two popular series.
Arcee appeared in the Devil's Due third series of G.I. Joe vs. The Transformers. Grimlock, Arcee, Bumblebee and Perceptor were sent to Earth to aid G.I. Joe in removing the influence of Cybertronian technology on Earth. When Cobra attacked the base, the Autobots helped repel the Cobra Battle Android Trooper armies. However, Cobra Commander was able to infiltrate the base and awaken the special project the government was working on - SerpentO.R, a cyborg created using DNA from many great warleaders and parts from Megatron. SerpentO.R. promptly turned on him and escaped to Cybertron via Spacebridge. The Autobots and a team of G.I Joes led by Hawk pursued him. During this an attraction had been growing between Arcee and Bumblebee. This led to Bumblebee's death at the hands of SerpentO.R and Arcee and the others were captured. Freed by Snake-Eyes, Arcee was part of the assault to rescue Prime and proved instrumental in SerpentO.R's (now controlled by Cobra Commander) defeat, ripping his chestpiece off and allowing Hawk to reach the Matrix, opening it and putting Cobra Commander in a coma. Arcee was seen mourning Bumblebee at the end.
3H Enterprises
Arcee
Transformers: Universe Wreckers #1 starts with a flashback to late in the original cartoon series, where Daniel Witwicky and Wheelie are killed. This puts Daniel's friend Arcee into a sad state. The main story is set in the later episodes of Beast Machines. Arcee, now a Maximal Valkyrie, joins the Wreckers. Fractyl is almost killed by the Vehicons, and Arcee saves his life by sharing her Spark with him, converting him into a new body in the process.
According to the script for the unreleased issue #4 of Transformers: Universe - The Wreckers the Wreckers returned to Cybertron where they helped repel the an invasion by the Quintessons.
IDW Publishing
It is revealed in IDW Publishing's Spotlight issue that Arcee was a part of Jhiaxus's experiments to introduce gender into the Cybertronian species. Arcee was his first test-subject and her creation was due to Jhiaxus altering with her C.N.A. According to Arcee she didn't measure up to Jhiaxus's ideals and was abandoned.
Unlike her other versions, this Arcee, while still an Autobot by allegiance, is a violent, antisocial killer who is imprisoned by the other Autobots at Garrus 9 for her actions. Released by a reluctant Fortress Maximus during a Decepticon attack to buy time for Jetfire's team to get rid of the Monstructor components, her power level appears much higher than a normal Autobot, as she is seen taking on all of the Combaticons single handed and winning, although unable to stop their kidnapping of the Monstructor components due to a teleporter based escape plan. She is classified as a "level 9" threat, the only Autobot of that power level present in the prison during the assault. Realising there is a link between her and the Monstructor Transformers, as they were all created by Jhiaxus, Maximus and Jetfire release her to track them down.
Throughout the Revelations arc, Arcee hunts for Jhiaxus to get her revenge, finally confronting him in Spotlight: Sideswipe. She is informed by Hardhead that Jhiaxus cannot be destroyed forever as he is bound to the Dead Universe; she is pleased by this, as it means she has the chance to kill him, over and over, forever.
Other media
Arcee makes an appearance in the Robot Chicken episode "Junk in the Trunk." She gives Optimus Prime flowers before he dies of prostate cancer. Seth Green noted on the commentary for the episode that "Nobody makes an Arcee, so we had to make one ourselves."
Toys
Like all the new characters in the movie (with the exception of Ultra Magnus), Arcee was designed for animation first, but while the other new characters inspired toys that saw final release, Arcee's design never passed early prototype stages.
Generation 1 Headmaster Arcee (unreleased)
When she became a Headmaster, Takara dallied with the idea of repainting the Chromedome toy to represent her, but the suggestion was abandoned. A few pictures of prototypes have appeared online.
Heroes of Cybertron Arcee
A non-transforming "Heroes of Cybertron" G1 Arcee was released in 2001. It was later repainted as "Paradron Medic".
Beast Machines BotCon Arcee (2001)
In 2001, Arcee finally received a toy in the form of an exclusive for the 2001 BotCon convention. The toy itself was a recolored version of the previous year's transmetal 2 Blackarachnia toy, and some packaging featured a new sound clip recorded by Susan Blu.
Titanium 6inch Arcee (unreleased)
A prototype of a 6 inch tall Arcee figure was seen at a Hasbro factory tour in 2007. This figure has yet to be released and seems to have been canceled.
Binaltech Arcee
Binaltech Arcee is a redeco of Alternators Decepticharge in Honda's Pearl White color, with Arcee's traditional pink accents in robot mode. She retains Decepticharge's head sculpt and removable hardtop accessory, however as a Japanese Binaltech release, she has the full length gun barrel seen with Overdrive, instead of Decepticharge's truncated one.
Transformers: Armada
The first reuse of the name Arcee was in Japan. In 2003, the name Arcee was given to the Mini-Con known in America as Sureshock (leading to some debate on the Mini-Con's gender - the Dreamwave Comics would later identify Sureshock as female, but the tech specs for Transformers: Cybertron Sureshock would refer to it as male). Sureshock was even repainted in pink and white colors in Japan as X-Dimension Arcee.
Transformers: Energon
Arcee
Autobot
Japanese name
Ariel
Sub-group
Omnicon
Function
Warrior
Strategic member
Rank
5
Motto
"I know only two speeds... fast and faster." (Hasbro) "
"Hurry men!" (Takara)
Alternate Modes
Futuristic or Cybertronian motorcycle
Series
Transformers: Energon
Transformers: Universe
Voiced by
Sharon Alexander (English)
Masumi Asano (Japanese)
In Transformers: Energon, Arcee had a wide-release original mold made in homage to the original character. In the Energon storyline, the character Arcee was a female Omnicon who transformed into a motorcycle and used an energon crossbow. She was created to be a leader for the Omnicons and, as such, was the only Omnicon to have a unique name and body-type. In Japan the toy and character were named Ariel, a name used by the female transformer who was the "girlfriend" of Orion Pax in the original series' episode War Dawn; this Ariel would later become Elita One.
In the original Japanese series Superlink, it is said Ariel took the form of a woman as a symbol of care, who protects all soldiers.
Dreamwave Productions
Kicker, Arcee, Strongarm, Signal Flare and Sky Blast
Arcee also appeared in the Dreamwave Productions Transformers: Energon comics, as one of the four Omnicons watched over by the Mini-Con Over-Run.
Arcee would first appear in issue #19, being introduced to Optimus Prime by Over-Run as the first of the new species the Omnicons. Subsequently assigned to Earth for training, they managed to annoy their commander Hot Shot beyond reason but subsequently apprehended Snow Cat. Arcee would have further adventures battling Mirage, Sharkticon and Slugslinger to protect Kicker, eventually defeating them with Kicker's help.
Fun Publications
Arcee appeared in the text story from Fun Publications called "Force of Habit." This story explained where he was during the events of the Cybertron story. Ultra Magnus was the commander of various Autobot ships sent to other planets in search for the Cyber Planet Keys. Arcee served as captain of the Azusa which was sent to Gamma Serpentis.
Toys
Energon Basic Arcee
In 2005, Energon Arcee was repackaged for the Transformers: Universe toy line, although the character has not appeared in the Universe storyline. This toy was identical to the Energon release, but in Universe packaging.
The Arcee/Aerial toy (Arcee's main color was salmon-pink, while Ariel's was Japanese pink) was later repainted green and aqua as the Aerial Paradron Type in Japan, in the colors of Generation 1 Paradron Medic. She was again repainted (black) as Transformers: Timelines Flamewar and her head remolded as Transformers: Timelines Chromia (light blue) and Flareup (red).
2007 Transformers film
Arcee
Concept art of Arcee in Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen
Autobot
Sub-group
Scouts, Deluxe Vehicles, Female Autobots
Function
Valkyrie, Spy
Rank
5
Partner
Mikaela Banes, Optimus Prime, Skids
Motto
"Looks are always deceiving"
Alternate Modes
Ducati 848, 2006 Buell Firebolt motorcycle, Cybertronian Entry Mode Protoform, Cybertronian Motorcycle
Series
Transformers
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
English voice actor
Grey DeLisle
Japanese voice actor
Katsuki Masako
Arcee was initially set to be in the 2007 Transformers film, but due to negative fan reaction and to the fact that there was not enough time in the movie to explain the presence of a "female" in a robotic race, she was dropped from the script and replaced with Ironhide. Before she was dropped, her alternate mode was slated to be a Buell Firebolt motorcycle; concept art by Ben Procter can be seen on his website.
Captain William Lennox riding an Aprilia RSV 1000 R.
Even though Arcee wasn't in the movie, a motorcycle was used by Captain William Lennox to attack Blackout (although the bike was an Aprilia RSV 1000 R rather than a Buell). Arcee was also initially set to battle Blackout in the movie. According to the Hasbro 2007 movie toy's tech spec for Arcee, she received combat training from Ironhide.
According to the biography printed in the collected Reign of Starscream books, Arcee was once a member of the Autobot science team who had to adapt her skills when the war broke out.
According to the biography for the Revenge of the Fallen Chromia toy, she is a sister to Chromia and Elita One. However there is some confusion as to whether the movie portrayed Arcee and her sister units to be of a single hive mind. According to the biography for her 2009 movie toy she commands her team. Writer Roberto Orci has stated he intended the three motorcycles to be a single mind, but Michael Bay portrayed them as individuals just like the Hasbro bios.
According to Hasbro, Arcee is only about 7 feet tall but on the scale for the first film it was stated she was 9 feet tall.
IDW Publishing
In Transformers: Defiance #1, back on ancient Cybertron Arcee was among Optimus' crew at an excavation site near the temple at Simfur where an artifact was uncovered. In issue #2 Arcee helped in the recovery effort after the attack on Cybertron. She later sided with Optimus Prime against Megatron's orders to counter-attack their invaders. In issue #4 Arcee, Bumblebee, Cliffjumper, Jazz and Smokescreen ambushed Ironhide, who they believed worked for Megatron, but Ironhide instead joined Optimus Prime's Autobots. Arcee and Bumblebee later spied on the building of the Decepticon starship Nemesis.
Although Arcee was not in the film, the character still appeared in the comic book Transformers: Movie Prequel where she fights as part of Bumblebee's squad. She realised that Bumblebee knew more than he was revealing, but likewise said nothing when their squad was captured and tortured by the Decepticons.
In Reign of Starscream the Decepticon Starscream barely made it to the Nemesis on Mars before he ran out of power. His return was noted by the Autobot Cosmos, who alerted Arcee, Cliffjumper, Smokescreen, Camshaft and Air Raid. Aided by Thundercracker on the Nemesis Starscream recovered and sent the information Frenzy had gathered back to Cybertron just as Hardtop spotted the Autobots closing on the Nemesis. Arcee appears on the cover of issue #3. In issue #4 Arcee returned to Cybertron from Mars by hiding in the landing gear of Starscream's ship. Once on the planet she was discover
by: gaga
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