Overdrive

Overdrive is an Autobot from the Generation 1 continuity family.

Fearlessly he strikes at the White Dimension from his safe haven in the Orange-To-Yellow Gradient Dimension!

Overdrive is an Omnibot, commanding the group^[1] with the expertise of a master strategist,^[2][3] though they find him sometimes cool and off-putting.^[1] The truth is, his desire to win at everything he does is his overriding concern, no matter the situation. For better or for worse, he seems to have the chops to back himself up, with an amazing amount of both physical and mental speed and acuity. His obliviousness to the risk of alienation may catch up with him one day, but until then, he seemingly can't help but revel in his superior talents.^[3]

For example, while the Omnibots are all said to be dimension-hoppers,^[2] Overdrive has grown remarkably adept, able to simply sense disturbances in the timestream before anyone else is aware.^[4] It is therefore impossible to say whether his various appearances throughout the multiverse are different entities or the same individual.

Fiction

S.T.A.R.S. pack-in flyers

The most embarrassing part of dimension-hopping is seeing your own doofy alt-mode.

Overdrive and the other two Omnibots were featured in several recruitment messages directed at human allies. The first message detailed the Omnibots' arrival on Earth: The Autobots marooned on that planet had sent an S.O.S. to Cybertron, despite not knowing if anyone would be there to receive it. Luckily, their plea was answered in the form of the Omnibots, Powerdashers, and Time Warriors. The Omnibots quickly adapted to Earth's highways, scouting for and attacking Decepticons. Reinforcements from Cybertron! This message was later repeated almost verbatim, with minor changes made to accommodate a recruitment drive for S.T.A.R.S. The battle is far from over!

Overdrive personally narrated the next message, describing how he and his comrades had turned the tide in the Autobots' favor and were gearing up to strike at hidden Decepticon bases. However, Optimus Prime was holding back until human allies had been mobilized. As with the other messages, Overdrive offered S.T.A.R.S. membership, but unlike the others, this one seemed to be aimed at specifically military personnel. Several vehicles were made available for the recipients' "G.I. Joe missions" against Cobra. Earthlings: THE S.T.A.R.S. need your help now!

The next pair of messages told the story of Johnny, a young S.T.A.R.S. member whose town came under Thundercracker's energy-draining attack. He summoned a squad of Autobot cars as well as the Omnibots, but it is unknown how the presumed battle unfolded. Have the Decepticons defeated us once and for all?Can one boy, alone, hold back the evil Decepticons?

The final message involving the Omnibots was delivered from Ultra Magnus to the potential new S.T.A.R.S. Commander. Magnus presented another glimpse of Overdrive's personality (that he was a strategist), then claimed that the Omnibots were "destined to fight a war in another universe on March 31, 1987" if the S.T.A.R.S. Commander did not requisition them. You Have Been Chosen. And, indeed, they were absent from all future messages.

Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity

Legends comic

Overdrive was among the Autobots who defended Autobot headquarters when the Decepticons came to steal the Transform Super Cog. Slugslinger's Ambition

The Battle of the Star Gate

Overdrive was amongst the Autobots who once more confronted Megatron and his Decepticons at the Trigger in Earth orbit. When Starscream combined himself with the Trigger to create a powerful new body for himself, Overdrive had to contend with the volley of asteroids thrown towards both Autobots and Decepticons from Starscream's star gate. He was then almost sucked into a portal to a black hole when Starscream neared defeat, but was instead sent plummeting down to Earth when Optimus and Megatron worked together to defeat Starscream. The Battle of the Star Gate

Story of Binaltech

During the second wave of reconstructions under the Binaltech Project, Overdrive recovered from the Cosmic Rust virus by transferring into a new body designed by Honda's Wako-based Technology Research Center. Outfitted with new weapons and the Quantum Dial, an old version of his dimension-traveling apparatus, Overdrive assumed the place of high tactician among Ultra Magnus' soldiers at Autobot City. Reality Check

BT World

It was his experience voyaging the dimensional fabric that enabled the divergent timeline's Overdrive to recognize the future Ravage's manipulations of the timestream. His efforts, combined with Prowl's, finally allowed the Autobots to capture Ravage. Prowl & Chase Darkest Hour

After Operation: Distant Thunder neutralized the random time-warps appearing throughout the universe, Overdrive used his dimension-hopping powers to confirm that the main timeline had been restored, separate from their own Binaltech reality. Binal Time

He later confirmed that the Binaltech Prowl's spark, currently displaced in the "unaltered" timestream, had stabilized after a project of the Concurrence had been interfering with it. The Concurrence had been leeching energy from the Spark from across dimensions to power an artificial Transformer. With its destruction, Prowl's spark was saved. Unfortunately, Overdrive further stated that Prowl's spark was too vulnerable to be sent across dimensions unprotected. A body had to be sent over to the other dimension first, so that Prowl's spark could be properly housed. Unfinished Business, Part 2

Controverse

Overdrive attempted to use his Quantum Dial to return the BT World's Prowl and Wheeljack to their home universe, but found them inexplicably blocked from doing so. Controverse

Wars comics

The Fallen came to attack Cybertron to steal Vector Sigma. As the villain reached the super-computer, he sardonically thanked Overdrive for "guiding him" to his goal. The nearby Shouki interpreted this to mean that Overdrive was in cahoots with The Fallen, and turned on his fellow Autobot, only to be stopped by Alpha Trion. Vector Sigma then began to fight back against The Fallen, assuming its seldom-seen robot mode as the Oracle. After Overdrive willingly petitioned his spark to it, the Oracle lent its brilliant light to Overdrive and his Quantum Dial, allowing the Omnibot to summon new defenders from outside space and time to protect Vector Sigma. Overdrive vanished, but six new warriors appeared in the skies to battle The Fallen. Train Wars

Daniel Witwicky and Goshooter were among the reinforcements who arrived. The Fallen attempted to banish Daniel through dimension space, but instead Daniel's appearance acted as a beacon to Overdrive. Seeing a path home, Overdrive was able to recover Daniel and bring them both back to Cybertron. Once the Fallen was defeated, Overdrive and the Omnibots offered to return the dimensionally displaced warriors home. Train Wars 2

The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers

Overdrive (left) politely kneels so no one realizes he's twice as tall as he should be.

During a massive battle on Cybertron, Galvatron introduced his latest combining warrior, Predaking. Predaking simultaneously took out Defensor, Omega Supreme, and Superion with a single punch, causing much worry for the Autobots, as Sky Lynx was already engaged in battle on Earth.

A flying car? How droll.

From out of nowhere came Camshaft, Downshift and Overdrive. They swiftly shifted into their vehicle modes and circled Predaking, tying up his legs with cable. Predaking swatted at them to no avail!

Then the Omnibots transformed into their battle modes and...drove at Predaking, which caused him to topple backwards onto Bruticus, Devastator, and Menasor, taking them all out.

The assembled Autobots cheered for these three mighty warriors of great justice. The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers #5

Dreamwave Generation One continuity

Overdrive and Downshift stood guard on Cybertron over a detention facility under the united government. Cold War After Shockwave unleashed Menasor on Iacon, the Omnibots were sent by Ultra Magnus to stop him. They did not succeed and may have been killed by the rampaging giant. Passive Aggression

2005 IDW continuity

"Did you see that, Pincher? We're actually in fiction again!"

Overdrive served aboard the Autobot Orbital Command Hub under Optimus Prime's overall supervision. Stormbringer #1 After Prime had left for Earth, Overdrive and Pincher gawked at the returned Blaster. Spotlight: Blaster

TransTech

Overdrive in his Binaltech body was on a signboard in Axiom Nexus. Gone Too Far

Regeneration One

"Simply put, the flesh bud is able to bring forth certain feelings within him...like a controller."

Twenty years after the war ended, Overdrive noticed that many Autobots were acting ...strangely. He ran into the fugitive Grimlock, who was seemingly aware of—but unconcerned with—the rampaging Autobots as he wandered Cybertron looking for his fellow Dinobots. Immediately afterward, Overdrive was blind-sided by a mysteriously alive Brainstorm and was summarily turned. Natural Selection, Part Three Destiny, Part One

Toys

The Transformers

Turns from Optimus clone to Sideswipe ripoff to Tracks ripoff and back!

• Overdrive (Omnibot, 1984 / 1985)

• Accessories: "Neutron blaster", "plasma beam rifle", "twin electron cannon"
• Known designers: Kōjin Ōno (TakaraTomy)

Released in the first year of the original Transformers toyline, Overdrive transforms into a Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer sports car. He also has a third "attack" mode, with wings flipping out from under his doors, and a flip-out double-barreled blaster in his front bumper.

He was only available as a mail-order exclusive in both the Hasbro and Takara lines; in the Hasbro line, he and his fellow Omnibots were part of the very first mail-away offer, in the "Reinforcements from Cybertron!" pamphlet. In the US, Overdrive cost $5 and 4 Robot Points. In Japan, he cost 980 yen and only 2 robot points.

The Hasbro releases of the toys did not come with bios/tech specs, but the Takara releases did... a fact that most fans were unaware of, thus when the Omnibots finally got official characterization in Western fiction, it was not written based on the Japanese bios. Oops!

• More information on Overdrive at TFU.info

Binaltech

Windcharger could never figure out why Overdrive was more popular with the ladies.

• Overdrive (Binaltech, 2004)

• ID number: BT-12
• Known designers: Hironori Kobayashi (TakaraTomy), Masakatsu Saito (concept artist)

For the Binaltech line, Overdrive was given a new alternate mode as a licensed 1:24 scale Honda S2000 sports car with a removable "ragtop" roof, which doubles as a shield in robot mode, plus a replacement "folded down" ragtop roof piece. Like most Alternators toys, Overdrive features rubber tires, opening doors, hood and trunk, a detailed driver/passenger compartment complete with seats, dashboard and steering wheel and a working "steering" mechanism (though not connected to the steering wheel).

His counterpart in Hasbro's Alternators line was released as Windcharger due to Hasbro's inability to secure the trademark for "Overdrive"on the character name. Differences between Alternators Windcharger and Binaltech Overdrive go beyond the different names and the usual mix of die-cast metal and plastic parts for the Binaltech version's vehicle mode shell (including a fully painted car exterior) versus the Alternators version's all-plastic car shell: At the request of Honda's USA branch, who didn't like the idea of "their" toy toting a gun around, Windcharger lacks the long drive-shaft/barrel for the rifle accessory formed from his engine block, which was even called a "shield" on the packaging. Since Honda's Japanese department had no such objections, however, Binaltech Overdrive did include an unchanged barrel. Other minor differences include slightly differently-shaped visors, the paint operations on the front grille, and their dashboards sculpted as mirrored counterparts of each other, with Overdrive having the steering wheel on the right side (like a Japanese car) while Windcharger has it on the left side (like an American car) for all the Hasbro markets he was released in.

The Alternators version of this sculpt (with Windcharger's American-car dashboard) was retooled into Alternators Decepticharge, which was planned to get a Binaltech counterpart (with Overdrive's Japanese-car dashboard) as Wildrider and eventually as "Blackwidow", but those plans were ultimately scrapped. The intended "Blackwidow" version was later released in different colors as Binaltech Arcee.

• Archive of Binaltech Overdrive's bio and tech specs
• More information on Binaltech Overdrive at TFU.info

Generations (Japan)

• Overdrive (2015)
  • Accessories: Presumably pistol

A mock-up of a new Overdrive toy in the form of a 2008 Universe Deluxe Class Silverstreak redeco was shown in Transformers Generations 2014 Volume 1 as one of ten potential exclusives for Vol. 2. He didn't win the poll to determine which of the ten would be produced, receiving only 2.9% of the fan votes.^[5]

Proceed on your way to oblivion. This item has been canceled, with no current plans for release.

Merchandise

Transformers Trading Card Game

• Sergeant Overdrive, Special Ops•Strategist (2019)
  • Wave 3C: Convention Pack 2019
  • Rarity: RT
  • Card Number: T03/T03
  • Stars: 9

Notes

Identity crisis.

• The trio of Omnibots were originally Diaclone "Doublechangers", named for their ability to transform into both standard car and combat car modes.
• The road to having a personality has been a long and rocky one for Overdrive:
  • The bio included with his North American toy was buried in his instructions, and all it said was that the Omnibots were in the early stages of their evolution and had not yet been tested.^[6]
  • He was given his "Strategist" function in the last mail-in flyer that offered him, just in time for him to venture off into "another dimension." That would be the long and short of his official English-language characterization for almost twenty years.
  • In Japan, Takara did release a bio with the toy, though his function of "Commander" did not quite match up with the American one.^[1]
  • None of this particularly reflected the profile found in the Marvel comic bible, which was written in both Transformers Universe form and in the pared-down style of an on-package bio (with Tech Specs, even!), portraying him as a speedy personality focused on winning.^[7] This was never officially released to the public.
  • The English-speaking public finally got an official profile for Overdrive in Dreamwave's 2003 More Than Meets the Eye comic. This description matched up shockingly well to his comic-bible profile, considering that the two other Omnibots had much more disparate portrayals.
• Whether the Alternators Windcharger toy actually represents G1 Windcharger or Overdrive, whom it was originally designed as (and actually released as under Binaltech), is up for debate. The toy's packaging lacks a bio, it even predates the addition of mottos to Alternators packaging, and with Alternators designs not appearing in any fiction whatsoever (with one exception), all we have to go by is his name. Since Windcharger predates the practice of using the name of an established character as an alternate name for a toy of a different character from the same continuity whose name is unavailable for trademark (or other) reasons (see "Snarl", "Strafe", and "Caliburst" for a few examples), we have chosen to keep the figure listed on Windcharger's page, not least because the Binaltech version is listed on Overdrive's page after all.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Overdrive (オーバードライブ Ōbādoraibu)

References